Have you wanted to know how wider tyres affect the performance of a vehicle? Tyres come in a whole range of sizes, with widths ranging from narrow space savers to super wide drag radials. However wider tyres can also cost up to 10x the price of narrow tyres, so they must be better right?
In this article, we will explore the performance benefits of wider tyres and how they can help elevate your vehicle’s performance.
The performance benefits of wider tyres
Tyres are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the ground. This is important to remember because a fancy suspension setup or a hugely powerful engine isn’t going to matter if your vehicle’s tyres can’t transfer that power to the ground. So knowing that, these are the main performance benefits of wider tyres.
Increase Grip and Traction
The first and most important performance benefit to wider tyres is that they have more contact with the road, which in turn gives you more grip.
This is incredibly important for all vehicles as the friction generated between the tire and the road is what gives the vehicle traction. Having only a small surface area only allows for a small amount of traction, which at speeds can make a vehicle lose control or be difficult to stop.
This is why all vehicles are designed with sufficiently wide tyres so that they are able to provide the grip and contact needed to safely drive their vehicle. This also means that for supercars or motorsport, vehicles run even wider tyres and this increased grip translates to better high speed performance.
Improved Cornering
Another advantage of wider tyres is the improved cornering they offer. Wider tyres will allow you to take the corners with more speed while providing a more stable ride. The increased contact patch of a wider tyre also provides better grip on slick surfaces such as wet roads or unpaved terrain.
This means that you can corner confidently no matter the conditions and get around a corner faster than if you had narrow tyres.
The performance of your tyres in wet conditions will also be determined by their tread pattern and their composition. A wide tire that is completely bald, expired or has cords showing will not perform as well as an average sized brand new tire and is more likely to aquaplane.
Decreased over and understeer
Much like improved cornering, with wider tyres you also help to reduce the effects of understeer and oversteer. This makes your vehicle safer to drive and means that should you ever find yourself needing to steer sharply to avoid an accident, your tyres will allow you to do so with confidence.
Increase Acceleration and Braking
The additional grip and traction provided by wider tyres also means that you will get better acceleration and braking. The wider tyre is able to push against the road more efficiently which allows for quicker acceleration. This is thanks to the additional grip that wider tyres offer.
Braking performance is also increased with wider tyres. A vehicle’s brakes aren’t the only thing responsible for slowing down your car. The tyres need to be able to grip the road and apply enough friction so that the car quickly slows down. With wider tyres, you are able to brake faster with better control than when using narrow tyres and you are less likely to have your tires skid along the tarmac.
Increased Comfort
Finally, wider tyres are able to absorb bumps and irregularities in the road much better than narrower tyres. While comfort might not be the most important consideration when looking at tyres, it still should be taken into account.
It means less fatigue and a smoother ride for the driver over long journeys, making wider tyres a great choice for road trips.
Conclusion
Overall, wide tyres provide a variety of performance benefits for all vehicles. They are able to increase grip and traction, improve cornering, as well as improve your vehicle’s acceleration and braking.
And finally, wider tyres offer a more comfortable ride than narrower tyres, making them great for long journeys. So if you are looking to upgrade your vehicle’s performance, then investing in some quality wider tyres is definitely the way to go.
By taking advantage of the benefits that wider tyres can provide, you can enjoy a safer and more enjoyable driving experience. Not to mention that wider tyres look great too, so you’ll have the added bonus of having a vehicle that looks good as well as performs better!
So if you’re looking to upgrade your vehicle’s performance, then investing in some quality wider tyres is an excellent choice.
