Road Contact Forces of Truck Tires as Measured in the Laboratory

A wide range of laboratory measurements on truck tires is being carried out on a continuous basis. This paper discusses some of these related to ground contact forces and force and moment characteristics of rolling tires. New laboratory equipment to measure tires on a flat surface and on a 120 in. diameter drum is described as well as several test procedures carried out on these machines. Typical test results are shown. Potential applicability to vehicle performance is suggested. Lateral force data for a range of truck tire sizes are included for future reference.