Why low profile tires can hinder performance, most especially traction

Discussion in 'Challenger Wheels, Tires and Brakes Forum' started by Moparisto, Jun 13, 2022.

  1. stingray

    stingray Full Access Member

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    Don't want low profile tires. Wear out faster and cost more $$$$.:facepalm: Less cushion to protect wheels from bumps on real world roads with potholes (bent wheel business galore) as well as isolate those jarring bumps from absorbing shock into your body which translate to a uncomfortable bumpy ride:thumbsdown:. Very expensive to repair wheels because they are more prone to curb rash due to less protection/cushion of bigger tire sidewall. :yucky:...Purely used these days for cosmetic reasons.:snoopfacepalm:
     
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  2. bobbymac

    bobbymac Full Access Member

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    Not that you are asking me... I use 28x10x18 slicks on my 1320. Should have bought 17's. bobbymac
     
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  3. Moparisto

    Moparisto Full Access Member

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    a 7-second 2500hp Hellcat is using 15's with 8 inch slicks. You are quite correct. Tire technology has advanced so much in the last decades that unheard-of levels of traction are being found in hitherto-unheard-of "narrow" tires. Tire compounds are achieving stratospheric levels of traction at which people in the 1950's would be amazed..

    Seven-second 1/4 miles were the purview of full-sized-racing-slick Pro Stockers a couple decades ago.
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2022
  4. Moparisto

    Moparisto Full Access Member

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    Yup. LOTS of people are making money from super-duper-unnecessarily-low-profile tires. Curb rash on wheels. Extra abuse of the mechanical parts by the shock of repeated hammering of the suspension going over the road that is less-filtered by the reduced air mass/tall sidewall we used to rely on. This is bad for everything involved, mechanically. Our shock absorbers are being repeatedly hammered with unnecessary micro-motions that the tire air cushion used to take care of.


    I decided to look on Youtube after I originally posted this very post to see if anyone was commenting on this. I understand that big wheels and large brakes are teh sexxy. I think they look sexy, too. I do not let that cloud my observation of FACTS, however.



    What I find rather surprising is the lack of people even noticing or commenting on it. Where are we headed? 10-series tires on 30" rims? Solid aluminum tires with tread painted on them? I hope this trend swings back. It is not doing the end users any good. Brake technology is already more than adequate so we do not need 20" rims to have excellent brakes. Wheel design is also far enough advanced to make the wheels able to fit bigger brakes at a given diameter than used to be the case.


    Again, I KNOW that the big wheels looks modern and sexy and tire sidewalls don't look as modern, hip, and cool, but they are more FUNCTIONAL. What really makes me wonder is seeing guys in jacked-up 4X4 trucks with 24" rims and low-profile tires on THOSE. Those vehicles REALLY Need sidewall, even if they NEVER go off-road. Their ride with those tiny sidewalls must be quite jouncy, which is bad for the entire vehicle.

    With the beautiful Dodge Challenger, we have ROOM for taller sidewalls on the stock rims, which yields larger overall tire diameters, and the more-filled wheelwells actually would look pretty sexy.

    A tiny bit of extra ground clearance would not be a bad thing, either, especially for those running AWD Challengers in snowy regions. I am curious about the steering tires' clearance to the fender edges, however.

    It is interesting that for many years, performance aficionados wanted lower and lower profile tires, and now they have nothing BUT lower-profile tires, and it finally is NOT an upgrade to anything: handling, traction, or ride, to have them.

    I also think it is less likely to have uneven wear on a taller-sidewall tire from steady-state crusing with normal suspension settings. The sidewalls absorb small differences in static camber and allow that radial tread to plant itself nicely and evenly on the road in spite of less-than-utterly-perfect ZERO camber.

    It USED to be the case that lower profile and wider tread went hand-in-hand. That is no longer necessary. We can have BOTH taller sidewalls AND more tread. We don't have to choose between 255-width tires OR tall sidewalls anymore.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2022
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  5. stingray

    stingray Full Access Member

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    All these latest fads just add more $$$ to the price of vehicle. Purely cosmetic in nature as far as I am concerned as I don't drive my car in that fashion to warrant this kind of bigger wheel with a low profile tire that offers no protection against real world roads full of bumps, potholes, debris and other hazards on these public roads that are not maintained. Manufactures don't even offer a tire option that has more rubber on it. It's the other way around to pay more and get less. If I had a regular wheel and tire I wouldn't have got wheel rash from the curb because the tire will take the hit/absorb it. Same goes for bumps and potholes you end up paying for more damage and less protection.:favorites68::nono::beatdeadhorse5::wtf:
    Here we go direct to the point and simply stated. I am just tired of having to put touch up paint on my wheels. I got them fixed once for $427 for all 4 wheels only for it to happen again and again. Makes me want to just keep the car in the garage. Looks like will have this very same problem with Challenger or with Challenger SPWB even worse?:nono:

    Thanks for the video. This was my favorite direct to the point and simply stated:

     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2022
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  6. stingray

    stingray Full Access Member

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    I just wish they didn't ram this stuff down our throats. They give no options. They should be charging less $$$ for these types of tires and wheels which don't last and are higher maintenance. They sure don't do anything for me.:shakehead::word:
     
  7. Cloverdale

    Cloverdale Full Access Member

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    My experience with the same size, but different type tires on my car is that there's sufficient cushion and handling with the low profiles, but insufficient cushion with run-flat low profile tires. My run-flat provide far superior rear traction in respect to acceleration, but are known to be harder on wheel impacts. They seem to handle about the same.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2022
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