Heymow - Lawnmower Racing Forum

Mower Building / Setup Help => Tires => Topic started by: outlaw#6 on December 27, 2008, 02:38:01 pm

Title: 2 ply vs. 4 ply
Post by: outlaw#6 on December 27, 2008, 02:38:01 pm

I have got my mower handling pretty good, however, in order to do so I have to pump my right rear tire up to around 12 psi. In doing this, the 2 ply tire I am using "bows" up and I lose quite a little contact area of the tire.

Nearly all of last year, I was running a single flathead, and the tire bowing up didn't bother, but now I am going to run a Vanguard twin. With the extra power that this motor makes, I am sure that I will want the biggest contact patch that I can get.

Can I put a 4 ply tire on the right rear and run the same air pressure that I have been and not have the tire bow up? Or, can I run lower air pressure and rely on the extra stiffness of the 4 ply to carry me through the corner?

I don't want to change the handling of the mower, just want the tire to have a flat face.

Title: Re: 2 ply vs. 4 ply
Post by: George Herrin on December 27, 2008, 04:25:53 pm

Its feel type preferance. The tire is your suspension, 2 ply softer 4 ply harder. I prefer 2 ply versusu 4 ply's on the rear. I run as low as 10 in right rear or as much as 30 in right rear depending on the feel and traction I want. And its the same with 4 ply's while it looks like it bows up or out in the middle there is more on the ground than you think. I have never wore a tire out in the middle only. And I average about 20psi in the right rear regardless of ply.

Title: Re: 2 ply vs. 4 ply
Post by: outlaw#6 on January 07, 2009, 01:48:22 pm

So what you are saying is that a 4 ply is stiffer than a 2 ply, correct? I've never ran anything other than a 2 ply so I have no idea.

My thinking is this: On my 2 ply tires, the face is pretty much flat at about 8-9psi. What I am hoping is that I can use a 4 ply and run a lower air pressure, and not have the face bow up, yet still maintain the same spring rate of the tire as the higher air pressure 2 ply tire.

Also, this year, even with the small motor, my right rear tire did show more wear in the middle of the tire.

Title: Re: 2 ply vs. 4 ply
Post by: Wheelhorseracer on January 07, 2009, 06:08:07 pm

Is your left front spindle set up for spacers... looks like you need to put more wedge into the right rear by lowering the left front spindle...