You might be wondering if it is better to keep your OEM-sized wheels and tires or upgrade to wider tires and wheels. Tuners and offroaders love to upsize, so it’s better. Do you think so? It all depends on where you drive and how far you drive. We’ll explain.
WIDER WHEELS HAVE WIDER TIRES WRAPPED ON THEM
Let’s start with the obvious: wider wheels come wrapped in wider tires. It makes perfect sense. Bigger wheels and wider tires are the best. Yes, and no. As part of the overall upsizing wheel and tire, bigger wheels and larger tires are often used. This means that the tires are wider and taller, and the tire’s sidewalls and tire width are shorter.
The tread is more rigid and stable if the sidewalls are shorter. Because you can grip better in dry conditions, rigidity and stability will give you better performance.
The size and shape changes with wider tires will affect the area where the rubber actually touches the road. The area where the tire meets the road becomes square. This square patch is ideal for gripping the road in dry conditions. However, in wet conditions, the square patch is more susceptible to hydroplaning. This is not a good thing. Make sure you have bigger wheels wrapped in larger tires that can withstand wet roads.
Let’s say that you wish to change the OEM tires and wheels on your 2017 Dodge Charger. You can go from the 7 1/2″ width to 9″ wide wheels. You can still enjoy good performance in rain with a tire such as the Landsail. The Landsail tire has been specifically designed to resist wet road hydroplaning. The tire has a better dry pavement performance while keeping hydroplaning under control.
Are wider wheels more effective? If the pavement is dry, yes. You should make sure your tires are resistant to hydroplaning if you live in an area that is often wet.
WIDER WHEELS – STARTING AND STOPING
Are wider wheels better for acceleration and braking? Your brakes will be best friends with bigger wheels. Do you want more traction on the road? Bigger wheels will give you more traction. Although smaller wheels may offer more acceleration due to their smaller mass, this is only a short-term perspective.
Larger wheels provide better acceleration over distance and more sustained acceleration. The larger leverage arms are the reason for this. Alternatively, just trust that the longer the lever arm, the greater the distance that can be covered with the same amount of torque.
Having bigger wheels helps you stop quicker once you’re rolling. Although you may believe that stopping is about braking, it’s not true anymore. Automatic braking systems (ABS), have changed everything. ABS will take control of your brake pedal. You can only improve your stopping power by changing tires with a higher friction coefficient. Yes, tires are more important for stopping than brakes.
Are wider wheels more effective for starting and stopping? You betcha. These two areas can be greatly improved by using bigger wheels.
Are WIDER WHEELS PERFECT FOR OFF ROADING?
Are you kidding? You need wider wheels to leave the pavement behind. It is not an option to increase the size of your 4×4. Although we don’t recommend going wild with the lift kit, we recommend staying within certain limits. You should know that although most states do not regulate how much you can lift, many regulate the height of your headlights. This is another way to regulate the lift. Don’t increase your wheel size by more than 3 inches. You will be happy you have bigger wheels.
Do you remember the improved grip on dry pavements? That also applies offroad. The bigger wheels are flatter. This makes it easier for your Jeep to handle rocks and trails. You can have bigger wheels so that you can use mud tires. Larger mud tires allow for larger sipes and wider channels between blocks. This is a better mud tire. You can ride on all-terrain tires with bigger wheels. All-terrain tires with a wider width allow for larger tread blocks that are stronger and more dependable on gravel, rock, and other unpaved surfaces.
Are wider wheels better for offroading? Yes! For the best 4×4 experience, it is important to upgrade.
HOW DO WIDER WHEELS IMPACT FUEL ECONOMY
Are wider wheels better for gas mileage? Do wider wheels result in better fuel economy? Unfortunately, no. The wheels that are wider are generally heavier. More mass is associated with heavier wheels. More mass means additional unsprung weight. Unsprung weight can reduce your vehicle’s fuel economy by reducing its efficiency.
Although wider wheels won’t reduce your mileage by reducing the fuel consumption, they will decrease your MPGs. There are many benefits to bigger wheels, but there are some tradeoffs. Speaking of positives, one more reason why bigger wheels are better is that these wheels and wider tires have a lower steering friction coefficient. This makes it possible to make sharp turns a thrilling experience.
Are wider wheels better for performance and gas mileage? Yes and no. While bigger wheels don’t improve gas mileage, they are great for performance! If you would like to purchase wider Wheels and Tires for your vehicle contact us today!
