Is upgrading stock tyres a bad idea? Know here!
We have seen a sudden trend where car owners have started upgrading tyres of their cars. Tyres are as important to a car as legs are for humans. There are pros and cons of upgrading the stock tyres of your car. In this article we will try to answer the question, should you upgrade stock tyres?
Do the Math
Whenever you think of upgrading the tyres of your car, do keep in mind that the tyre size cannot be increased by more than three percent of the car’s original total tyre diameter. Any tyre size that’s bigger than three percent is not recommended. There are four factors to be kept in mind while upgrading or upsizing stock tyres of your car – cars wheel size, width of the tyre, sidewall aspect ratio, and gap between wheel well and wheel.
Pros of Tyre Upgrade
When you go for wider tyres for your car, as the surface area increases you get a better grip on the road. Wider tyres also offer better stability at high speed. This is particularly beneficial if you frequently drive on highways. With wider tyres you get improved balancing and handling even on bad roads as sidewalls are thinner. This adds a firmness to the ride. Cars look more aggressive and macho with wider tyres.
When you go for smaller tyres things do change and favor the city driving conditions. The ride becomes soft and comfortable as the sidewall is thicker due to the higher aspect ratio. Smaller tyres mean lesser weight which improves low-speed acceleration. Usually smaller tyres are cost-effective compared to wider tyres. The steering response is relatively easy with smaller tyres. The biggest advantage, you get better mileage.
Cons of Tyre Upgrade
Wider tyres will result in quicker wear and tear of link rod, lower arm, bushes, shockers, etc. of your car. It may even damage the suspension in the long run if you drive very aggressively. Mileage will also get affected because of wider tyres. You can expect a dip of five to ten percent in your car’s fuel economy. The third thing that gets affected because of wider tyres is the steering wheel. The steering wheel will become stiffer and will add slight weight. Wider tyres are highly not recommended for people who drive mostly on city roads. The ride also becomes slightly firm due to the low profile sidewall.
When you go for smaller tyres you will always feel grip and handling missing. Upgrading to smaller tyres could potentially be risky if the car lacks ABS and applied force brake at high speed. Smaller tyres are highly not recommended for highway driving and high speeds. Smaller tyres also lead to a ride quality that lacks firmness, especially on bad roads due to thicker sidewall.
Verdict
A lot of efforts, research, testing has gone into selecting the optimum tyre size for your car by the manufacturer. They have provided the best suitable tyre for your car that will offer both – better ride quality as well as good fuel economy. It is best advisable to only switch to tyre sizes that are recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle.
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