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This paper is the third part of a series of vehicle tests designed and conducted in order to further the understanding of vehicle handling and responses associated with a tire disablement event. The first two parts were published in SAE 970954 Drag and Steering Effects of Under Inflated and Deflated Tires [1], and SAE 1999-01-0447 Drag and Steering Effects from Tire Tread Belt Separation and Loss [2]. All of the test results included herein are presented in a manner to facilitate direct comparison to the previous test programs. Under inflated or deflated tires are known to cause increased forward drag and lateral steering effects on vehicles. These effects are commonly suggested to be the cause of driver loss of control and subsequent vehicular accidents. The increased drag and induced steering effects of under inflated and deflated tires are frequently an issue in an accident reconstruction.

Tread belt separation and detachment is a common failure mode of radial tires. The accident reconstructionist is frequently asked to evaluate the effect of tread belt separation and detachment relative to the occurrence of an accident. Publications have previously been directed toward defining the effects of rapid tire deflation on vehicle drag and handling. However, little has been written about the singular effect of the loss of the tire tread belt relative to vehicle handling. The loss of a tread belt from a tire may be followed by rapid deflation. The combined separation and detachment event may have similar effects on vehicle handling as a rapid deflation event. To evaluate the effect of the loss of a tread belt without tire deflation, the authors tested tires prepared so that the tread belts could be intentionally separated while driving at speeds between 50 and 75 miles per hour.