Speed on Ice World Record: Enabled by Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV 5 Tires
Earlier I wrote about the new speed on ice record set in Finland. We looked at the record from a gaper’s point of view. Now let’s discuss some technical details, the tires on which the record was set in particular.
The record was set when 4-time rally champion Juha Kankkunen reached the speed of 321 k.p.h. on the track near the city of Oulu. The car’s adhesion with the surface was enabled by Nokian Hakkapeliitta SUV 5 tires.
In order to get into the Guinness book of records the record had to meet the requirements:
- the speed is measured in 1-km track for 1 hour
- The place of the measuring is a straight section in the middle of the track
- The ice must be natural, it cannot be scraped making roughness or processed with chemicals
- The tires must be approved for usage on the roads the record is to be set in.
The role of the tires increases unbelievably at extreme speeds. They are the only contacting surfaces between the car and the road. The speed record was set in Bentley Continental GT equipped with Nokian Hakkapeliitta Sport Utility 5 tires. The tire has been created for city SUVs.
At the extreme driving on slippery ice the tire must have perfect adhesion, durability and power appropriate to the speed. The tires are exposed to ultra-strong power stress. For instance, when a car is moving at 320 k.p.h. a pin weighting 1 gram makes about 2.2 kg. In 1 second the car passes 90 meters and each pin touches the ground more than 40 times per second.
For the stable speed of 320 k.p.h. the traction must be around 300 kg or 3000 N. For the speeding the figures are even higher. The tires must be able to deliver such power to the ice, otherwise the wheel will inevitably slide and the car won’t accelerate to the required speed.
As the air resistance increases with the acceleration the adhesion must be even better. The tires are exposed to very high stress at extreme speeds and the diameter increases by 15-20 mm.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta tires with a powerful skeleton coped with such a test brilliantly: the adhesion with the surface was sufficient and all the pins kept firm.
What Everybody Ought to Know About Unknown Tires
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