The paper describes a new tire cornering/traction trailer designed to measure the traction and steering performance of passenger car tires, outlines related test methods, and provides supporting test data.
A general set of specifications is given for the entire test system. The major subsystems described are the trailer with its versatile suspension; the tow vehicle and its performance capabilities; the transducer system which measures the normal load, lateral force, fore-and-aft force, aligning torque, steer angle and speed; and the instrumentation. The calibration method is described.
The test methods described include those for straight-line braking, maximum lateral traction, steady state and transient steering response, and combined braking and cornering traction. Supporting data and discussion are presented for each test method.