any advantages to low-profile tires/bigger wheels?

[mareakin]

Plus-sizing, is it done mostly for the looks?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Advantages of plus sizing: better handling/performance and shorter stopping distance. Disadvantages: firmer/hash ride, lower fuel economy, more expensive tires Usually, plus 1 is the best compromise in term of handling, ride and cost ratio. If OEM is 225/55-16 then plus 1 is 245/45-17.

 

[firemachine69]

Circumference should remain the same. A wider tire results in higher traction (more rubber on the pavement), but of course, worse fuel economy (even with lightweight alloys, more traction = higher rolling resistance).

 

[oilboy123]

Worse snow and ice traction with wider tires. Plus is more Bling.

 

[The Critic]

 Originally Posted By: oilboy123

Worse snow and ice traction with wider tires. Plus is more Bling.

Possibly, but the lower profile of the larger tires (usually the case) does offer a handling advantage under certain conditions.

 

[firemachine69]

 Originally Posted By: The Critic

 Originally Posted By: oilboy123

Worse snow and ice traction with wider tires. Plus is more Bling.

Possibly, but the lower profile of the larger tires (usually the case) does offer a handling advantage under certain conditions.

If we're speaking on snow, it may "float" the car on top. Good in very deep snow, not good much elsewhere. And I already summarized above for dry pavement conditions.

 

[getnpsi]

Anything past 18" is a waste. More modern Corvettes used 16, then 17's then finally 18". when you copy a vette you should do ok. Better brakes ask for larger wheels for clearance. Anything after an 18 inch means bad ride and too stiff a sidewall. I think the R&D on sports car up into even the more exotics shows the trends, even where bling and money is no object. Just a week or two ago there was a black SUV involved in a freeway chase in the Los Angeles area. I saw the end of the chase and the crash. He went a little squirrly and couldnt recover. He hit the center divider. The truck filled up inside with smoke, and i couldnt tell if it was just from the rubber, a wheel catching fire because the rubber was so thin and failed, or an actual fire/steam from the engine compartment. Regardless he could have had much more chance to get away away on OEM's :) the guy was sittin on at least 22" wheels. No I dont want people to get away, don't root for the bad guy, I want to see a conclusion with little damage to property or person. A good chase is a good chase is all I'm sayin :)

 

[wcbcruzer]

The "downside" to plus sizing is that most people end up with wheels that stick out 3" from the side of the car.

 

[Colt45ws]

I like the 18" Mustang Fan blades I put on my car. They fit like they were made for it and look it too. (Actually, I think the fan blades look better on Crown Vics than Mustangs..) 18" is, imo the biggest reasonable size. Im running 255/45R18 General Exclaim UHP. Plenty of traction, along with a slight drop in fuel economy. For winter I have the stock 16x7" Y-Spokes with 215/65R16 Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60.

 

[saaber1]

 Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR

Advantages of plus sizing: better handling/performance and shorter stopping distance. Disadvantages: firmer/hash ride, lower fuel economy, more expensive tires Usually, plus 1 is the best compromise in term of handling, ride and cost ratio. If OEM is 225/55-16 then plus 1 is 245/45-17.

Good post! That sums it up perfectly. When trying out a new vehicle, if you get a chance try it with different size wheels. It is amazing how it can change the handling and overall feel of the car (doesn't work on "slushy" or "plush"-ride cars). Even the speed rating of the tires (translating to sidewall stiffness) can make a big difference in the ride and handling on some cars.

 

[saaber1]

 Originally Posted By: wcbcruzer

The "downside" to plus sizing is that most people end up with wheels that stick out 3" from the side of the car.

There are calculators online to determine the offset of the wheels to get the exact look you want and fill out the fenders perfectly. Those goofball tires sticking out are either someone who paid no attention to the wheel offset or they are doing it on purpose (Why do they do this? I don't know, same reason they put big spoilers on cars with 76 horsepower I guess).

 

[Kestas]

 Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR

Advantages of plus sizing: better handling/performance and shorter stopping distance. Disadvantages: firmer/hash ride, lower fuel economy, more expensive tires...

The published reports I've read are that low profile tires have greater stopping distance. It also hurts acceleration. Rubber is lighter than alloy wheel. A low profile setup has more rotational inertia than a stock setup. Also, they are less resistant to pothole damage.

 

[Quattro Pete]

 Originally Posted By: Kestas

The published reports I've read are that low profile tires have greater stopping distance. It also hurts acceleration. Rubber is lighter than alloy wheel. A low profile setup has more rotational inertia than a stock setup.

Yup, unless you spend huge amounts on ultra light rims, you will just end up increasing the unsprung weight. Not only will the 17" rims be heavier than 16", but also, many 245/45/17 tires are heavier than 225/55/16, because they are wider and because the lower profile sidewalls require additional reinforcements. Of course there is always a questions whether the differences are big enough to be felt during typical street driving.

 

[oilboy123]

 Originally Posted By: The Critic

 Originally Posted By: oilboy123

Worse snow and ice traction with wider tires. Plus is more Bling.

Possibly, but the lower profile of the larger tires (usually the case) does offer a handling advantage under certain conditions.

Certain conditions and certain cars......

 

[oilboy123]

I think a wider tire would have better traction in powder snow and less in snow that packs down......

 

[Buffman]

 Originally Posted By: Kestas

 Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR

Advantages of plus sizing: better handling/performance and shorter stopping distance. Disadvantages: firmer/hash ride, lower fuel economy, more expensive tires...

The published reports I've read are that low profile tires have greater stopping distance. It also hurts acceleration. Rubber is lighter than alloy wheel. A low profile setup has more rotational inertia than a stock setup. Also, they are less resistant to pothole damage.

Typically seen on the Impala crowd. They put those 22" rims on their cars, and then they end up needing at least 3.73s if not 4.10s to get the performance they lost from all that added weight. Plus without a proper brake upgrade, stopping distant increases. But man looking like a 4x4 is sure cool :\

 

[IndyIan]

The only other thing I can add is that if you put low profile rubber on a car with lots of body roll, you might end up with less cornering grip as the you are only using the outside edge of the tire, the inside and middle of the tire have very little weight on them.

 

[George Bynum]

 Originally Posted By: wcbcruzer

The "downside" to plus sizing is that most people end up with wheels that stick out 3" from the side of the car.

That would involve an awfully PLUS ... 6" (150mm) wider tires? Proper sizing would not alter geometry, thus maintaining centerline (and offset). If the wider tire needs more clearance which is obtained by changing the offset, I'd suspect a severe negative in the handling department. plus1 typically is 10 or 20 mm in width, plus 2 20 to 40mm. USUALLY the increase in total width across tires will be that ... no more than 1.5" total, 3/4" per side.

 

[cpg]

What kinda car they goin on ?

 

[Russell]

 Originally Posted By: getnpsi

Anything past 18" is a waste. More modern Corvettes used 16, then 17's then finally 18". when you copy a vette you should do ok. Better brakes ask for larger wheels for clearance. Anything after an 18 inch means bad ride and too stiff a sidewall. I think the R&D on sports car up into even the more exotics shows the trends, even where bling and money is no object. Just a week or two ago there was a black SUV involved in a freeway chase in the Los Angeles area. I saw the end of the chase and the crash. He went a little squirrly and couldnt recover. He hit the center divider. The truck filled up inside with smoke, and i couldnt tell if it was just from the rubber, a wheel catching fire because the rubber was so thin and failed, or an actual fire/steam from the engine compartment. Regardless he could have had much more chance to get away away on OEM's :) the guy was sittin on at least 22" wheels. No I dont want people to get away, don't root for the bad guy, I want to see a conclusion with little damage to property or person. A good chase is a good chase is all I'm sayin :)

"when you copy a vette, you should be ok" Now that is misplaced logic.