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Dynamic stability is influenced by vehicle and tire characteristics and operating conditions, including speed and control inputs. Under limit performance operating conditions, maneuvering can force a vehicle into oversteer and high sideslip. The high sideslip results in limit cornering conditions, which might proceed to spinout, or result in tip-up and rollover. Oversteer and spinout result from rear axle tire side force saturation. Tip-up and rollover occur when tire side forces are sufficient to induce lateral acceleration that will overcome the stabilizing moment of vehicle weight. With the use of computer simulation and generic vehicle designs, this paper explores the vehicle and tire characteristics and maneuvering conditions that lead to loss of directional control and potential tip-up and rollover.

Handling and stability problems are typically revealed under limit performance maneuvering conditions where tires are pushed to high slip angles under high normal loading conditions. This paper reviews vehicle dynamics handling and stability models relative to tire characteristics and examines tire testing data obtained under normal and extreme maneuvering conditions. Tire data is normalized according to design characteristics in order to reveal basic maneuvering behavior that is relatively independent of size and construction. Computer simulation analysis is used to demonstrate the influence of tire characteristics on handling and stability.