News Center

26

The Effect of Bigger Tires on Your Vehicle

posted on

Big TiresBigger wheels and tires are a desirable upgrade for not only the off-road extremist but many everyday drivers as well. For example, you can go to Wal-Mart and count several SUVs in the parking lot with 20-inch rims because even “Glamma” wants to look cool. Tires can really make or break your vehicle in relevance to style and performance. Driving on bad tires can take a toll on your vehicle, and upgrading to new tires can make your vehicle drive like new again. When upgrading to bigger tires you also need to upgrade your rims. There are several benefits and disadvantages when considering an upgrade to tires or wheels.

If you are driving a truck, you may want to consider getting a lift kit. This would allow room for massive wheels and tires depending on how big of a lift you get. For any off-road enthusiast, this would be a great option to consider. A lift kit would raise the clearance between the ground and vehicle, allowing the vehicle to handle rougher terrain. The disadvantage of this tactic is it can be costly. New wheels and tires and a lift kit result in more parts to buy and longer time spent on labor. Lift kits also affect your vehicle’s center of gravity, so you will want to be a little more careful of your speed when making sharp turns. Lastly, bigger tires and wheels could decrease your gas mileage.

If you are driving a car and wanting bigger tires, increasing the overall diameter of your tire doesn’t make sense like it does for a 4WD truck. Keeping the overall tire diameter roughly the same is crucial to keeping the speedometer accurate, as well as for making sure the wheels and tires fit under the fenders. So, what can you do? You can do what we call “plus sizing.” Plus sizing is when the wheel gets larger in diameter, but the size of the tire’s sidewall shrinks to maintain the tire’s overall diameter. Larger wheel diameters can result in faster and more composed handling; however, it can also result in slower acceleration capability.

While there are a few disadvantages for any vehicle when increasing the wheel and/or tire size, curb appeal usually outweighs them.

Categories: Tires 101 | View Count: (79) | Return

Visit Our Shop

Contact Us

Phone: (205) 320-7000
Fax:
Address: 2224 3rd Ave South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Powered by Net Driven
Login

Make a Tire or Auto Repair Appointment Today!

We’re glad that you decided to come to AutoTread for your tires and tire repair needs! At AutoTread Mobile Tire Service, customer service has always been at the center of our business and our culture. AutoTread got to where we are today through hard work, a friendly and responsive attitude toward our customers and our innovative mobile tire service truck, offering roadside assistance, tire repair, wheel changes, balancing and tire rotation. We think this is one of the things that makes AutoTread truly unique in Birmingham, AL – bringing the best in tires and tire service straight to you, wherever you are, rather than you trying to figure out the best time to come to us! Give us a try and schedule an appointment to find out why so many customers have turned to us for tires in Birmingham, AL. We’re sure that once you come to AutoTread Mobile Tire Service, you’ll be part of the loyal customer base that we’ve built up over all these years!