Tire width - what does it affect and how to choose the right one for your car?
The recommended tire sizes for each vehicle are the result of numerous calculations made by the vehicle manufacturer. They are usually tuned to make the car look attractive while still providing a comfortable ride, low fuel consumption and the best stopping distance. However, more and more often, car owners decide to modify, for example, changing the body. tire width. While this has far-reaching implications, there are often reasons behind this decision.
When choosing a tire for a car, we certainly pay attention to its diameter, profile, brand, class and width. It is worth remembering that the last parameter is really important and translates into many aspects related to the behavior of the car on the road and safety. Tire width affects braking distances (the wider the tire, the shorter the braking distance), noise emissions (narrower tires make less noise), rolling resistance (the wider, the more), traction (wider models do better), price (wider tires are more expensive), fuel consumption (narrower tires reduce fuel consumption), hydroplaning (narrower models are also better here), or rough handling.
When replacing tires with new ones, it is easiest to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Thanks to them, you can be sure that your car will behave predictably and none of its elements will wear out prematurely. However, for economic reasons, for aesthetic reasons, or because of the size of the second set of rims, you may come to the conclusion that you prefer tires of a different width. However, such a decision would have far-reaching consequences and should be kept in mind. Wider tires are usually more expensive to buy (especially low profile ones) and can increase fuel consumption, but they will brake better and look amazing.
How to smartly change tire width?
Before ordering tires in widths other than your vehicle's existing tires, make sure you can do so safely. Talk to the vulcanizer, sometimes it is also worth deciding on a suspension revision. If it's already badly worn, fitting wide, low-profile tires will speed up the time it needs to be repaired. Also consult with people who decide to use wider or narrower tires - perhaps the effect you are counting on is not worth the extra money, and the decrease in ride comfort or increase in fuel consumption is too noticeable.
One of the important parameters of a tire, which should not be forgotten when looking for a new tire, is its profile. This term is the ratio of the height of the tire to its width, expressed as a percentage. It has a great influence on ride comfort and the G-forces transferred to the suspension. Changing the width of a tire also affects its profile, unless it is followed by an increase in its height, which, however, is not chosen by most drivers. The most common modification is the installation of low-profile rubber. This parameter is visible on the side marking as the second after its width.
Although the condition of the tires is checked during the mandatory technical inspection, the regulations say little about their width. In fact, the only requirement is that they should not protrude beyond the outlines of the car. People who are especially concerned about wide tires can use additional fenders, thereby expanding the body. However, with such modifications, far beyond the manufacturer's assumptions, it is also worth checking whether the tires themselves can cope with the power and dimensions of the car - most often the relevant information can be found in the type approval of a particular model. .
Even manufacturers decide to homologate tires of different sizes depending on the season in which they will be used. Most often this applies to winter tires that are already summer or all-season. Tires with a lower profile make it a little easier to ride on rough roads and handle ruts better. However, if you wish to make such a change yourself, please consult your vulcanizer beforehand.
