If you’ve ever wondered what happens to your tyres when you turn the steering wheel, then you’ve come to the right place.
The fact is that when you turn the wheel of your car, your tyres change direction – but not necessarily to the exact direction that you aim to travel. This is called the slip angle, when the tyre is pointing in one direction but travels in a slightly different one.
Confused? We’re going to try our best to break down what this means and how it works.
What is the Slip Angle of a Tyre?
The slip angle on a tyre refers to the difference between your steering angle and the direction that the tyre is moving in. This slither has to be allowed for in the design of any vehicle steering system, compensating for under- and over-steering with ease and precision.
When a tyre has a slip angle, it distorts slightly to ensure good traction in the direction of movement, while still mimicking the angle of the steering column.
But we can’t escape the fact that any kind of slip angle has an impact on grip and handling.
Impact of the Slip Angle on Tyre Grip
The heavier the vehicle, the more weight is put on the outer tyres when turning a corner – creating an imbalance in tyre grip. However, this isn’t always a bad thing.
You will notice that adventure vehicles and race cars typically facilitate and enable larger slip angles, which essentially puts more pressure on their outer tyres when handling sharp corners.
Conversely, everyday passenger cars and road vehicles have a much smaller slip angle allowance, so as to optimise the stability of the vehicle when navigating corners – from oversized bends to sharp turns.
The capacity of the slip angle affects how your tyres respond to steering, ultimately playing a part in the balance of the vehicle and how each of the tyres around the vehicle is subjected to wear from the road surface.
How is the Slip Angle Measured?
The slip angle of a tyre can be measured using GPS tools or using simple visuals, recognising when the vehicle seems to be oversteering and when it is understeering.
Measurement and monitoring is important because the slip angle of a tyre impacts the tyre’s performance and the handling of the vehicle, as well as the durability of the tyre. For everyday drivers it can mean the difference between a long-lasting tyre and one that becomes worn more quickly, while for performance drivers it directly impacts performance and handling.
For more information and insight like this, check out our other Tyres.co.uk Knowledge Hub blogs – or browse our extensive collection of tyres over on each individual brand page.
