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Up-sizing Wheels & Tires

Up-sizing Wheels & Tires

Up-sizing Wheels &am..

  • 08 Dec 2015, 10034 Views

CorsaVeloce

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  • 8 Dec 2015, 3:34 pm ( 4 Photos )
In case you're wondering whether or not to upgrade your wheels and go for low profile tires, you should read this first.
11988730_1162038607145212_6078413568076650596_n.jpg

Courtesy : Northern Auto Sport Association
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Courtesy : tiresizecalculator.com

The main aim for the upgrade has to be figured before going ahead with any change, whether its performance or aesthetics. Aftermarket alloy-wheels and different tires help to achieve varied aims for every individual. The most commonly seen wheel & tire upgrades are often done using large wheels and low-profile tires, and DO NOT result in any performance gains. The overall look of the car is definitely improved, and thats it.
However, in most race-spec and expedition vehicles, there is a respectable ratio between the wheel and sidewalls.
The main reasons for this include :
1. The bigger the wheel, the heavier the wheel + tyre combination. This increases unsprung weight, which is a bad thing for handling.
2. Extremely low profile tyres actually suffer from poorer grip on bumpier, uneven tracks. On not-so-flat surfaces, like most roads in India, a taller sidewall can absorb bumps, making for a comfortable ride, where a low profile tire would simply bounce and cause handling issues.
3. Usually, the larger the wheel size, the wider is the track on available tyre sizes. Oversized tires can actually SLOW the car's acceleration times, as it tends to lengthen each gear due to increased roll and lowers torque. This particularly makes for a trade-off between handling and acceleration.
Some amount of track driving experience made me realize that in relation to the various models and tire combinations available to us, the smaller wheel & tire combination actually perform better. Also, another fact to be considered is the skidpad ratings; it was found to be almost the same for 225 width, 17-inch and the 205 width 16-inch. (Source - http://www.caranddriver.com/features/effects-of-upsized-wheels-and-tires-tested)
Another thing to remember is that with a lower profile tires, the suspension wear & tear would be higher, resulting in higher running costs. This is due to the fact that the suspension geometry; camber, toe etc. change when you replace the stock wheel-tire combo. Another thing to keep in mind is that the OD (Outer Diameter) of the tire is not changing by a large portion, as this could result in speedo-errors.
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After this bantering, it would be ignorant of me not to mention some of the benefits of low-profile tires and bigger wheels. Sharper steering response and superior grip on flat roads are some of the gains that your ride would attain. But then again, given the Indian scenario, most OEM tire & wheel combinations include smaller wheels and larger side walls as they are a cost-cutting measure compared to the same models sold world over, as well as they are better adapted to our domestic road conditions.
To summarize it all, enthusiasts looking for a overall better driving experience should definitely up-size their wheels & tires. Having said that, a tip to keep in mind, its the quality of tire that makes would make all the difference. A 205-width high quality rubber compound will inevitably offer you more grip than an average compound 225-width tyre.
This post is aimed at encouraging you to up-size, but not to overdo it. Large (heavier) wheels, super low profile tyres and an ultra-fat contact patch can actually kill performance, as we can see. Choose a reasonable upgrade instead.
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Courtesy : Northern Auto Sport Association
Stock vs After market wheels on the Polo GT
A good way to go about choosing the appropriate size for your tires is by doing a comparison between the wheel- tire combination that is given as OEM in India and that in other countries, and then deciding on what suits your driving style the best.
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CorsaVeloce

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  • 9 Dec 2015, 1:27 pm
Check this out NikilSJ. Interesting stuff.
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Roshun

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  • 14 Dec 2015, 2:17 pm
Sometimes, it just makes better sense to change from OEM tyres to something better suited to your vehicle. For instance, when I bought my Scorpio 4WD it came with BridgeStone Dueler HT tyres (highway bias). Now for a four-wheel drive Scorpio like mine, all-terrain tyres are a better choice. Hence I switched to Yokohama Geolander AT-S for the first one and Pirelli Scorpion ATRs for the second. The Yokos have seen plenty of off-road action, and there's a world of difference. I've driven the same trail with stock HT tyres and again on AT tyres and the performance with all-terrains is pretty good.
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Arjun

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  • 16 Dec 2015, 5:27 pm
I am looking for an upgrade for my Ford Figo(Previous version) which is running on 175/65 R14 stock tyres from Apollo.
I am considering an upgrade to 185/65 R14 to get a better ground clearance.
The options I have are Yokohama Earth 1, Continental CC5, and Michellin XM2.
I am looking for a tyre with decent road grip, less tyre noise and mileage of around 50000 kms.
I have got good reviews for Yokohama Earth 1 and Michellin XM2, but have not heard much about the Continental CC5.
What would you suggest? Sidewall damage is also one major concern due to the road conditions and I am tending towards Yokohama Earth 1 due to that reason.
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Mr. Fox

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  • 16 Dec 2015, 5:55 pm
You will have to keep an eye out for the overall diameter when upsizing your tyres. 185/65 R14 increases diameter by 0.5 inches, which will lead to a speedometer error (it will show about 5 kmph slower than the actual speed). The right upsize is 195/60 R14, for the old Figo. Michelin XM2 is good. Continental CC5 does not have many reviews, but is available in the 195/60R14 size as well: http://tyres.cardekho.com/continenta...86h11-tubeless.
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Roshun

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  • 16 Dec 2015, 5:59 pm
If you are OK with the speedometer error creeping in ^^, a 0.5 inch increase in ground clearance is not a bad thing really. Among the brands you are looking at, I think the Michelin XM2 is a good choice. Heard good things about it. I've used Yokohama A-Drives (not Earth) earlier on my Wagon R and they were good. Not had any sidewall issues with it. The larger profile will anyway help prevent some sidewall damage too, and definitely will prevent rim damage.
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Arjun

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  • 16 Dec 2015, 8:18 pm
Mr. Fox , I am aware of the speedo error issue, but I need to increase the ground clearance as the under body scrapes in speed breakers quite often. It may not be a problem with the car, but most of the speed breakers in my city are not constructed properly and I have to do the diagonal zig zag dance over it. The 195/60 R14 is a good option, but as the car has a hydraulic power steering I was worried if the steering would get more hard.
Thanks for your suggestions.
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Roshun

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  • 17 Dec 2015, 10:26 am
Arjun, besides the tyre upsize, have you also considered placing spacers under the rear suspension coils? That will give you a bit more clearance (about 20 mm more). CorsaVeloce (Vidit) also drives a Ford Figo (albeit a souped up one). Got any more ideas, CorsaVeloce?
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CorsaVeloce

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  • 17 Dec 2015, 12:20 pm
Roshun , spacers may not be such a good idea as the ride quality will be compromised along with the suspension geometry.
Arjun, in my experience, Yokohama C drives provide phenomenal grip have a life of around 40k kms. Have used a set of these in Speedzilla's Figo and was thrilled with the reduced road noise and much superior grip. These tires really complement the slightly stiff suspension setup of the stock car, and there was no sidewall damage through it's life. The 195/60/14 upgrade will cause your acceleration to drop and will surely make the steering noticeably harder, but if you're priority is ground clearance, then you should go for these. Otherwise, 185/65/R14 from the Yokohama stable should be preferred upgrade.
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Arjun

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  • 17 Dec 2015, 12:26 pm
"Originally posted by CorsaVeloce"
Roshun , spacers may not be such a good idea as the ride quality will be compromised along with the suspension geometry.
Arjun, in my experience, Yokohama C drives provide phenomenal grip have a life of around 40k kms. Have used a set of these in Speedzilla's Figo and was thrilled with the reduced road noise and much superior grip. These tires really complement the slightly stiff suspension setup of the stock car, and there was no sidewall damage through it's life. The 195/60/14 upgrade will cause your acceleration to drop and will surely make the steering noticeably harder, but if you're priority is ground clearance, then you should go for these. Otherwise, 185/65/R14 from the Yokohama stable should be preferred upgrade.

​Thanks CorsaVeloce . Have decided to go for Yokohama Earth1 with 185/65 R14. XM2 durability was a concern due to the soft rubber, and heard great reviews for Yokohama Earth1s.
Its out of stock with the my regular dealer here , so have to wait for a couple of days to get it changed.
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Speedzilla

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  • 21 Dec 2015, 4:55 pm
CorsaVeloce -
I had upsized to 185/60 r14 since ground clearance was not an issue for me. Also the error is lower with that upsize.
Least speedo error with increased grip and same acceleration.
Arjun -
Another tire I would seriously consider if you enjoy spirited driving is the Maxxis I-Pro.
But if thats not a priority and fuel economy and tire life are, you have made a good choice with the Earth 1.
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Arjun

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  • 22 Dec 2015, 1:18 pm
Bought Yokohama Earth 1 tyres with 185/65-R14 size. Done more than 2000 kms now.
Its quite good as compared to my previous Apollo Accelere. The tyre noise has reduced a lot and the scraping on speed breakers also never happens anymore.
Surprisingly the steering feels little lighter. One issue is that small pebbles often get stuck in the tread and they are thrown into the wheel well and it makes some noise.
Also the steering sensitivity has increased a little. Felt that in high speeds, though in city speeds, its feels the same.
Fuel efficiency is lower as per Fuelio, but I believe that's due to the odometer error now introduced.
Overall, quite happy with the purchase.
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Roshun

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  • 22 Dec 2015, 2:32 pm
Good to know Arjun
​With your new upsize, you gain 0.5 inches in height, which is a good thing. However, the odometer error is 2.2% - which means if you have actually driven 100 km, the odometer will only show you have driven 97.8 km. You will also need to be a little careful about speed limits - because when you are actually driving at 100 kmph, the speedometer will show only 97.8 kmph. Yet, tyre life should be a lot more now, considering your wheels will have fewer revolutions to cover a kilometre, which means less wear.
See comparison:
Specification Sidewall Radius Diameter Circumference Revs/Mile Difference
175/65-14 4.5in 11.5in 23in 72.1in 879 0.00%
185/65-14 4.7in 11.7in 23.5in 73.7in 859 2.20%
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Arjun

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  • 22 Dec 2015, 4:00 pm
Roshun Thanks for the details.
I think the sidewall difference would be the actual height difference that I am getting. Going by that the height difference would be 0.2 inches, which is around 5mm, which would be quite useful for me.
0.5 inch is the diameter difference, which is causing the Odo and speedo errors.
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Roshun

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  • 22 Dec 2015, 4:36 pm
Correct - 0.25 inches would be your height increase. My bad. Good enough I suppose to just about scale those speed breakers without kissing them.
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ramprakashram

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  • 21 May 2016, 12:06 am
Which tyre size size and brand should I go for Ford Ecosport....???
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Roshun

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  • 21 May 2016, 8:11 am
"Originally posted by ramprakashram"
Which tyre size size and brand should I go for Ford Ecosport....???
The ideal tyre size for the Ford EcoSport is what the Titanium variant comes with, that is 205/60R16. It will give you good handling and not compromise ride quality or fuel efficiency. Michelin XM2 is a good brand. Yokohama S Drive is also good. Check the reviews on these and see. If you are looking at even more expensive brands, check out Pirellis.
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Ronny

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  • 21 May 2016, 3:46 pm
Hi Arjun. I'd like to add to your Query. I am using Hankook Optimo Meo 2 195/60 R14 Section rubber from Day 1 on my Ford Figo 2012 & its been close to 4years & @45K mark, the performance & braking is phenomenal. Have a very good cornering capabilities. Not to mention that it has none to very less road noise irrespective of City or highway runs. Have H rating so it can withstand higher temperatures too. The only concern left with this is it will not increase your Ride height. In delhi i haven't scrape its underbelly even once just on upsized speed breakers, it requires different approach.
Though this time i am too going for Yoko Earth 1 185/65 as Father can now feel the uneven bump due to shorter side wall. My brother too feel that steering is tad heavy with this rubber. But for me its just pure Nirvana unleashing car brilliant chassis coupled with Best handling & the direct hydraulic steering makes a sweet pie for me.
Disclaimer: I am not a dealer, representative or a broker with Hankook. I am just a happy customer enjoying every drive with my car.
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surjithksd

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  • 22 May 2016, 12:33 pm
hi guys, I am using Hyundai Eon Era plum coloured car. Its ground clearance is unacceptable. It is touching all uneven roads. I am planning to upgrade its tyre from 12 inch to 13 inch and a bigger, broad tyres. Which one to go for?
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Roshun

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  • 3 Aug 2016, 6:03 pm
Surjithksd@gmail.com
The ideal upsize and widest upsize available for the Hyundai Eon would be 165/65 R13 tyres. You will have to install 13 inch alloy rims for it.
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Dhanvin_V_Athra..

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  • 17 Oct 2017, 12:02 pm
Arjun
I had the xm2 in my swift and it lasted for 30K kms and last year i put the cc5 and it has lasted well for 23K kms . Both had good levels of grip but the noise in cc5 was marginally low compared to xm2 . Also one difference found out was that xm2 tyres responded better to sharp turn ins while the cc5 had better cornering grip and also during wet conditions it seemed like the cc5 offered that little better grip.
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