Question: smaller front vs rear tires?, what's the rationale? Options

[nine14cats]

Here's a question that for no particular reason I ask...other than I want to know! I'm sure this board has plenty of suspension guru's... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Question: What is the reason for a smaller size front tire/wheel than the rear? Particularly on race cars? On my street 911, or even race 911's, it's usually real big meats in the back and much smaller in the front, even with fiberglass fenders that can house larger tires up front. On my race only 911, I run the same size slicks all the way around, as do many 914's.

Most track cars seem to run bigger tires in the back, front engine, mid-engine, or rear engine.

Why?

I look forward to the education! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Thanks,

Bill P.

P.S. We were sitting around last night wrenching on the race car and this came up....nobody had a decent answer... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[nine14cats]

What I'm facing is the possibility of my car being reclassified within th PCA. Our local chapter (Golden Gate Region) is looking at redoing the classes based on a points system. I had built my car to the upper end of the current classes and now may be moved up next year based on the new points system...don't know yet.

My car will stick pretty well with the 15x7 Hoosier slicks all around (per my class rules), but the next class up would allow bigger meats. I may do it anyway. My car has a 2.7 litre 6 in it with all the bells and whistles, putting out about 230hp.

I can definitely tak advantage of more rubber in the rear as I have no problem spinning the back wheels with the tap of my foot at an Auto-x...at TT's I try to be a little smoother.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

I may get a set of bigger rear tires to try and practice on to see if I like 'em...

I was just wondering if larger tires in back would upset the car....

thanks,

Bill P.