Low profile tires are selling more than ever, and tire manufacturers are also constantly increasing their offerings when it comes to these products. To some people, they are sexy and sleek, but to others, they might look disagreeable. To professional racers who like to push their cars to the limit, these tires offer improved handling, but at the cost of greater exposure to damage and less comfort. To the average driver, the advantages these tires bring are more difficult to discern. So, what are the pros and cons of low profile tires? The most highly noticeable perk of installing low profile tires on your car is that they look better than average tires. When you go low profile, this means you will get larger rims and wider tires. This can be advantageous when it comes to cornering and braking on dry roads. The low sidewalls of these tires increase their rigidity, which is especially important when you do some cornering at high speeds on smooth surfaces. Typically, low profile tires offers you better grip.
This means that you will have better control and predictability, where side-swaying will be less noticeable. Lower driving comfort includes both acoustic and mechanical aspects. As you can see, lower sidewalls and increased rigidity will make any uneven road more noticeable than when you are using higher profile tires. Also, increased tread stiffness will mean smaller contact patch on uneven surfaces, hindering grip. Increased width with low profile tires will, in turn, generate more noise. Remember that these tires have not been adapted for stiffer wheels by manufacturers, so they may have an unfavorable impact on suspension and wearing. Plus, changing wheel diameters will require you to re-adjust headlights. 3. Need to Always Monitor Tire Inflation When it comes to low profile tires, over-inflation can significantly decrease comfort levels, overheating and even irreversible damage to the tires. This is why you should always observe recommended pressure values. For some manufacturers, whose tires are approved for a certain vehicle, they recommend the right pressure to ensure a good ride.
4. Problems with Suspension If your car runs on low profile tires, all of its suspension elements that are designed to provide durability and proper functioning might be compromised. You might see problems emerging when your car’s suspension is not adapted to larger rims. In this case, these tires might lead to faster suspension failure. Aside from this, low profile tires can also increase the risk of damaging your aluminum rims. From a practical point of view, low profile tires are not an ideal choice, as most people drive on highways with heavily controlled speeds. But when it comes to twisting roads, these tires will certainly give you the cornering power you need. And if you simply like the looks, then they are the way to go! 1,266 posts, read 2,423,286 times The son of a friend of mine made me feel like I'm driving a covered wagon with spoked wooden wheels when he proudly showed off his new "cool low-profile" tires on his pickup. He rolled his eyes when I said they looked about as sturdy and long-wearing as the bike tires on my old 10-speed.
So I was curious and found this: "Low profile tires are popular and common on a wide range of vehicles from SUVS to small cars. Most of their appeal comes from the stylish look these tires give to vehicles and are used mainly to accent high end rims and wheels. Before looking to buy low profile tires it is important to ask yourself whether or not you are willing to sacrifice a smooth ride for slightly better handling and good looks. This is because low profile tires have less rubber and small sidewalls which for you means less rubber between the road and your rims. This leads to quicker wear and tear and a less smooth ride." Call me a dinosaur, I'm sticking with regular tires, thanks. 4,464 posts, read 8,462,922 times 8,901 posts, read 22,802,010 times Originally Posted by stonecypher5413 You forgot one major point, Dinosaur . . . Low Profiles greatly diminish the overall performance and handling characteristics of the vehicles as well as destroying the ride.
13,721 posts, read 21,673,099 times Originally Posted by Bummer This statement is both true and false. High performance cars can benefit from low profile tires because the sidewalls are shorter and relatively stiffer. This quickens steering response. Many sports cars have suspensions tuned for low profile tires. Changing from a "normal" 65 series tire to something lower may or may not improve things depending on the vehicle. The lower profile will probably harden the ride since the tire has less air in it to absorb the initial shock of hitting a bump. Often the larger wheels are heavier, which always degrade handling by increasing unsprung weight. One thing truck and SUV owners seem to forget is that almost always - lower profile tires have a lower load rating. That creates risk when towing or carrying loads. 3,843 posts, read 5,749,879 times Originally Posted by hoffdano Also putting extreme low profile tires on trucks and SUVs can actually increase the likelihood of the truck flipping in extreme maneuvers- the increased traction of the tires digging in allows the high centered vehicle to roll instead of slide in some cases.
It cracks me up when I see Range Rovers and the like with ultra-wide low profile tires heading up to the mountains in the snow and watch the owners wonder why their truck ended up in a ditch or got stuck! Since the wider the tire the worse it performs in the snow. 4,030 posts, read 6,518,797 times 20,020 posts, read 63,371,321 times Stick with those big ol' tires allll you want. The only thing theyre good for is a cushy, road-isolating ride that absorbs potholes a little better. But those of us who value feeling the road while we drive, while having significantly less sidewall flex during emergency maneuvers (or spirited driving), we'll stick with low-profile tires. And having low-profile tires doesnt make for a bad ride, necessarily. There are many factory cars out there with low profile tires that ride quite nicely. 1,077 posts, read 2,760,206 times 4,772 posts, read 18,583,386 times Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum.