2007-09-25 05:34:39 · 11 answers · asked by jlau_hn 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
where i live, it rains for 4 months a year; then it's sunny and dry.
2007-09-25 05:39:17 · update #1
The wider a tire (or taller for that matter), the larger the contact patch. And the larger the contact patch, the greater the potential grip! So given a grippy surface, and travelling in a straight line, wider will grip better... but after that, the equation can become more complicated.
Going wider on the front tires can cause them to lose traction at higher slip angles; meaning more grip at frist, and then no grip as the car understeers.
If the tires are too wide for the rims, you are compromising the sidewall rigidity and contact patch, meaning less grip.
And of course the road condition plays into this as well, since this is what the tire is contacting. Water, dirt, ice, loose gravel, etc, all create conditions that will limit available traction. In this case, using a more narror tire is more effective. The more narrow tire has more pressure over a smaller area, giving it greater ability to push down through the top layer that is causing the problem with traction, and contacting a better surface. The narrower tire will also work at a larger range of slip angles.
2007-09-25 10:17:12 · answer #1 · answered by Paul S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wider tires will give you more traction in the dry, but can also provide more surface area for hydroplaning to occur. The larger surface area may actually help in the snow, if they are all season tires. As for handling I would have to say no. Better handling would be a result of a lower, less pliable sidewall. While you are essentially installing a lower profile tire by changing the aspect ratio and keeping the same overall height and wheel size, It is not a big enough change. You would have to increase the wheel diameter to achieve better handling.
2007-09-25 12:59:51 · answer #2 · answered by sonnie_b 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wider tires improve aceleration and handling but they do not help in wet roads, the best thing to do could be having a spare set of rain season tires and wear your car with them once a year, but of course there is a cheaper option: buying a set of all season tires, although they´re not as good as the dry or wet season tires in the respective season of the year, they´re just average. Good Luck
2007-09-25 12:45:21 · answer #3 · answered by Countach 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wider tires have more rubber on the road which does increase grip.
Unless..
You have fitted them onto rims that are too narrow.
This causes a curving of the tread face which narrows the effective width of the tire.
Using excessively wide tires on a very light car may actually increase the chance of aquaplaning on slick wet roads with poor drainage.
So in general there is an improvement , within certain limitations.
See your tire shop guys for more info , and if they say that the tire is too wide for the rim , believe them.
2007-09-25 12:41:23 · answer #4 · answered by I♥U 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They give better handling on dry pavement only. This is because of the larger contact patch between the tire and the road.
Anyone who lives in a cold climate knows that wide tires are terrible in snow. Good snow tires or all weather tires are relatively narrow.
Wide tires are also not as good on wet pavement. Because of their width, they tend to hydroplane more.
2007-09-25 12:37:51 · answer #5 · answered by Mad Jack 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they provide more grip however they may not improve handling. "handling" actually has alot to do with how the car is balanced, how much it weighs, how low it is, where the center of gravity is and how the suspension is setup. Tires are only a small, albeit important, factor. If you put big wide tires on a 1980 Cadillac it will still drive and handle like a boat.
2007-09-25 12:40:49 · answer #6 · answered by Louis G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends, they can give better handling, but they can also cause other issues like with rain and snow.
Best bet would be to check with a tire retailer and see if you can put wider tires on your vehicle.
2007-09-25 12:37:44 · answer #7 · answered by jjonesacctony 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wide tires will give you better grip because you've got more rubber to create friction against the road.
2007-09-25 12:54:53 · answer #8 · answered by Chris B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In general yes, but don't overdo it.
Too wide and they may foul the bodywork, restrict the steering, and in very light cars can cause the car to aquaplane in the wet.
Ian M
2007-09-25 12:46:52 · answer #9 · answered by Ian M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stick better yes, but not necessarily in the rain. The are best for costing a crap pot full of money to buy more. =)
2007-09-25 12:42:23 · answer #10 · answered by Lee S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋