Tire Shake

Tire shake is a violent vibration that occurs when race car tires rapidly lose and regain traction, causing the entire vehicle to shake uncontrollably during acceleration.

This phenomenon happens most commonly in drag racing when drivers launch their cars from the starting line. The tire literally bounces and oscillates against the track surface, creating intense vibrations that travel through the entire vehicle. Think of it like a washing machine that's off balance - the shaking is so severe it can be felt throughout the car.

Tire shake occurs when there's a mismatch between the engine's power and the tire's ability to grip the track. If the engine produces too much power too quickly, the tires can't handle it and start to spin. Conversely, if there's not enough power, the tires may not properly "hook up" to the track surface, causing them to shake instead of rolling smoothly.

The flexible sidewalls of drag racing tires are designed to help with traction, but they can work against the driver during tire shake. When the tire loses its grip, these sidewalls can distort and cause the normally round tire to become temporarily square-shaped, making the shaking even worse.

Several factors can trigger tire shake, including improper clutch settings, wrong tire pressure, poor track conditions, or launching the car at too high RPM. Even the gear ratio can play a role - if first gear is too aggressive for the tire setup, it can overwhelm the tire's grip.

The effects of tire shake are serious. It can damage the car's frame and components, make the vehicle difficult to control, and significantly slow down lap times. For drivers, the experience is extremely uncomfortable and can even be dangerous.

Preventing tire shake requires careful tuning of multiple systems, including the clutch, engine power delivery, suspension settings, and tire pressure. Modern race teams use data logging equipment to monitor these factors and make precise adjustments to eliminate this costly problem.