Customizing your wheels brings a new-car excitement. There are many advantages of getting customized wheels and tires. They not only give a better look to the car but also increase its performance.
No matter how beneficial they are, one can find it a little complex since there are a few technicalities about which most of us are unaware. Here are a few details you will need to know if you are planning to go for custom rims and tires.
To get the right wheel for your car you will need to know some of the key measurements in your wheel. You will need to know the wheel diameter, tire width, and the aspect ratio of the tire. These details are printed on the sidewalls of the tire and are easy to read.
Wheel size should be determined as per your driving goals. One of the following three can be your preference:
- Good looks: If only good looks is your requirement, you don’t need to worry much. You can buy any wheel of the same size as you have right now that are good aesthetically. You can go for chrome or black wheels and achieve your goal.
- Better performance: You can get better cornering and stability by going for a larger wheel size. This is called Plus Sizing. This will decrease the side height of the tire and make you ‘feel’ the road more than before. This increases your performance but reduces the tire life too. Larger wheels will add some extra weight to your car, besides marginally increasing the turning radius. Having said that, the upsides of these wheels are completely worth it if you are a true admirer of performance and don’t want to settle for anything less than the best!
- Comfort ride: Smaller wheel size has higher aspect ratio. This is called Minus Sizing. This provides less road feedback, thereby making the ride more comfortable. The downside of this is less grip in handling and cornering. Getting a small wheel is not possible with many vehicles, though.
If you go for a tire that has a diameter one inch greater than that of your OE, it is called Plus 1 sizing, plus 2 for two inches greater diameter and so on. Similarly, going for one inch smaller wheel is called minus 1 sizing. If you keep the wheel size unchanged, it is called plus 0 sizing.
Offset and Backspacing
- Understanding these two considerations are important in order to make sure the new package sits properly in the wheel. If it doesn’t, the car is susceptible to being unstable around the corners or while braking.
- Wheel offset is the measurement between the wheel and the mounting surfaces. This means, if the wheels are mounted father inward, it is called higher offset.
- The offset distance determines the distance between your car fender and the outer surface of the tires, and also the inner surface of the tire and the suspension system.
- Backspace is measuring the same thing but if you do it from the inside surface of the wheel to the mounting face.
Bolt Pattern
A bolt pattern means the number of bolts that are there in your wheel and the PCD (Pitch circle diameter) of the holes in the wheels. This is important because you will need to buy a wheel with similar specifications.
There are many different styles of wheels available in the market. With these specifications, you can easily go to a store and buy a new wheel for yourself. You can also look out for a store that has experienced and skilled staffs who can get these custom rims and tires installed for you.