…is the exact opposite approach that you would take for summer traction, where wider is better. If you're likely to drive through deep snow this year, you'll want winter / snow tires and wheels in sizes that help put the laws of physics on your side. The reason for this is that traction is…
Most of the time a wider tire will offer better performing and cornering but, not always. Without the correct supporting parts and hardware wider tires may not always produce the desired results. While at a driving school in Utah I was able to participate in an interesting exercise involving…
So, now that we have tires and wheels installed, it’s time to find out how much quicker around our test track this combination is versus the O.E. tires and wheels. To simulate the total lap time of a typical national level autocross event, we combined 2 flying laps of our standard test course.…
…a skinnier rim protects even further. What is the advantage of choosing a wider wheel? What if you haven't had bad luck with scuffed rims in the past or rarely have to parallel park? From a performance standpoint. you're better off picking a wider rim because it gives you a slightly larger…
…car or truck. Is wider better? Often times, it is. We have found that many vehicles can benefit from an increase in tire width. In the post, "Wider Tires on Your BMW 3 Series?", we discussed options for upgrading tires to a wider size on this popular sports sedan. Using a wider size on the…
…tread design. It depends on how much water has to be removed, how much weight is pressing down on the tires and how efficient the tread design is at evacuating water. While deeper water, higher speeds, lighter vehicles, wider tires, less tread depth and less efficient tread designs will cause tires…
…tires become more responsive as their tread depth wears away (which is why tires are shaved for competition and track use), a tire will become more likely to tramline as it wears. Wheels can influence tramlining as well. Installing wider tires or a "Plus Size" tire and wheel package usually requires…
…then the car goes faster, is safer, and has better ride quality. Shock absorbers play a key role in a suspension's function and have a large impact on the car's overall handling and ride quality. Although called "shock absorbers," a better term is "dampers" as their job is to damp or control the car…
…speeds and when you are passing through deep water. Where the tread compound is most effective is when you are traveling at lower speeds or in shallow water. By choosing a directional tread design when using a wider tire size than original equipment, you will receive maximum resistance to…
…tire is smaller, which will reduce traction and handling. For a better understanding, read "Air Pressure - Correct, Underinflated and Overinflated." Where is that sweet spot? There are a couple areas that I see confusion set in when dealing with this topic. The first is that the…
…equipped with wider tires on the rear axle. This is commonly referred to as a staggered set-up. Those wider rear tires may look better cosmetically and perhaps offer an increase in dry grip traction during the summer months, however, when it comes to winter traction a narrower tire is more effective…
…wheels have reduced weight vs. their O.E. counterparts. The initial advantage is in unsprung weight variance. Not only can this affect the overall gas mileage of the vehicle, but also allows the vehicle to respond better, especially on imperfect roads. Lighter wheels allow for less vibrations or…
…is the wheels. Prius c One, Two and Three come with 15" steel wheels and hubcaps. Has drabness from those plain wheel covers caused your eyes to wander over to our Upgrade Garage? Unfortunately, the 175/65-15 Original Equipment Bridgestone Turanza EL400-02 won't accommodate any wheels wider…
…Winter Performance Category is Right for You?" to see which winter tire is appropriate for how and where you drive. Winter / Snow Tire Size Depending on your exact model, Original Equipment sizes range between 17" and 19" including staggered (wider rear tire) fitments. An optimum…
"Why does Tire Rack recommend narrower tires for winter use?" It's all about physics. Wider tire sizes have to plow through the snow which causes more resistance and a tendency to float. A narrower option, with a smaller contact patch, has more weight per square inch that helps the tire…
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