Picking New Tires, Trying To Get More Front Grip

Originally Posted by MacCool

Slip angle, rough surface traction, heat management, and therefore cornering performance, assuming you're pushing it hard enough to generate that much heat that it matters, are absolutely valid points in the discussion of traction vs friction. The OP is contemplating differing tires sizes to manage understeer/oversteer. Those factors don't come into play. He want's to "loosen it up" and "free it up a little more by getting more contact with the road with the front tires". We're back to high school physics.

Originally Posted by Red__Zed

You're neglecting adhesion in your response. And oversteer/under steer is just f/r management of traction...

That basic equation assumes minimally elastic solids. Surface area matters more as the material becomes more elastic.

There are a lot of good resources to school up on traction out there. I'd recommend taking a look.