When You Should Or Should Not Buy Wider Car Tyres

One of the upgrades that you can implement after buying a car is installing wider tyres on that car. However, the decision to make this change should be considered carefully since wider tyres may not be suitable for each car or car owner. This article discusses the circumstances under which it may be appropriate or not advisable for you to make this upgrade.

When Wider Tyres Are Necessary

High-speed cornering. You should buy wider tyres in case you frequently negotiate corners at high speeds. Wider tyres would be suitable in such a case because they will increase the stability of the car during such cornering. You will therefore be less likely to lose steering control of the vehicle as you negotiate the corners.

Unsatisfactory braking distances. The width of the tyres on a car can have an effect on the braking distance of that car. Wider cars make it possible for vehicle to break sooner than cars with narrower tyres. The wider tyres reduce the braking distance because of the increased surface area that is in contact with the road surface. Brakes will therefore work better if the car is equipped with wider tyres. Make sure that a mechanic rules out any other causes of unsatisfactory braking distances before you buy wider tyres as a remedy for that problem.

Your car understeers. Understeering refers to what happens when a vehicle turns or steers to a lesser degree than you want it to when you turn its steering wheel. Wider tyres can correct such a defect since the increased traction will make the wheels to turn in direct proportion to the effort that you exert on the steering wheel.

When Wider Tyres May Not Be Necessary

Concerns about fuel economy. People who wouldn't want to lower the fuel economy of their vehicles should not upgrade to wider tyres. As already stated, wider tyres create more contact on the road. Consequently, more fuel will be required to overcome the resultant friction from that increased grip on the road.

Frequent urban driving. People who spend a lot of time driving in rush-hour traffic or slow-moving urban traffic may not benefit from having wider tyres. This is because wider tyres offer advantages to those driving in severe conditions, such as cornering at high speeds. Rush-hour traffic doesn't present situations that require wider tyres.

Consider the information in the discussion above carefully before you buy wider tyres. You could also talk to a tyre expert so that you can get professional advice about all the implications of having wider tyres. That expert will then recommend the appropriate width of the wider tyres for your make and model of car.