Flow Help

 From:  Grendel
5097.1 
Can someone assist in explaining flow command using text...i have read the multiple threads and my application is the same as the tire lettering. It does not seem to follow any rhyme or reason and is rather frustrating when I see results in other threads and I cannot reproduce.

I have a plane and placed 3d text on it and would like the text placed in an arc. How is this accomplished?