Instant Expert: How Do Tires Work? - It's Not the Car Ep. 28

Well, Timmy, when a rubber molecule and a piece of earth love each other very much, they do a special hug, you see, and . . . uh . . . hysteresis . . . wait, no, it’s heat cycles . . . er . . . glass point?

Short answer: Magic! Tires are magic!

Warning: We get lightly tech-nerdy here.

This show’s format rotates weekly, because squirrel. This format is called “Instant Expert.” Know squat about the topic? Pull up a chair, we’ll get you up to speed. Expert already? Grab a chair anyway, it’s chill, we got stories.

Related Trivia: We taped this a few weeks ago, shortly after Sam threw out his back while washing a car.

Related Trivia to the Related Trivia: This episode was made possible by prescription pharmaceuticals. Just like Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours.”

Unrelated Gibbering: Long-chain rubber molecules keep us together! Don’t stop thinking about temps and pressures—you can inflate your own way! (Check the forecast prior, though: Thunder only happens when it’s raining enough for rain tires, etc.)

This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.

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⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠

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[MikeYz]

Tire and shock talk for me is always interesting.Very good show guys.

[BCSimracing]

So glad you guys brought this topic into discussion. The topic of tires and performance is one of my most favorite curiosities!!!

[Fernagts]

I listen this podcast since the first back in January. This one is the first I watched on YT. Because I listen this one already 2 times in Spotify 😂.
Oh man this is really good!! Keep it up!

[BainRacing]

As a club racer who thinks about tires waaaay more than the average person: Track heat cycles and set the car up for the tires you have, not necessarily for stickers. You can learn a lot with a notebook, a pen, a tire crayon, and good pressure gauge. Weather, ambient temp, pressures, time since re-pave, driver notes, etc. all goes in the book. Some tracks don't mind "old" tires, some hate them.

[vercingetorige]

wonderfull episode, i would say that's best but you keep publishing such a great content every time: from the sam's garage to alonso's car

[josefodunga]

I used to be a race engineer and as soon as I saw the title of this video and thought to myself this will be a video that will leave more questions than answers.

[CMMTracknut]

I was going to ask who is clicking the damn pen and I assumed it was Sam