It seems like everywhere you go, you see custom wheels. Big trucks, little cars, mini-vans – it doesn’t matter, car owners are expressing themselves with custom wheels. Some local motorists want smaller tires and wheels, some want larger, and some want them enormous. So where do you start if you want new wheels? We suggest you start with your budget. We know, that sounds so practical, but if the look you’re after goes beyond just new tires and wheels and enters into the world of suspension modifications, you need to be prepared for the additional cost.
Let’s start with something easy – you want to give your ride a unique look, and the stock wheel size is just right for you. One of the concerns you may have is whether the new wheels have the same offset as your SUV factory wheels.
First, what is offset? It’s the distance from the inside edge of the wheel to the point at which it bolts on. If the new wheel has a different offset from the factory, the tires may rub on the inside or outside of the wheel well. That could lead to catastrophic tire failure.
Your tire and wheel professional at Central Avenue Automotive in Kent can help you find the right sized wheel or install adapters to make your new wheels fit. All you have to do is pick from the hundreds of styles available.
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So, what if you want to upsize? Well, you want bigger wheels but you want to keep the same overall tire diameter, that’s pretty easy. The same offset concerns apply. You need to know that the tires will likely be a little bit wider than the originals and could rub when you make sharp turns. Your tire professional at Central Avenue Automotive will help you avoid this.
It is also important to keep the same overall tire diameter because changing the rolling diameter can mess with your SUV’s anti-lock brakes and stability control systems. Are you starting to see why you want to consult with a tire and wheel expert before making modifications? Is “super-size me” your motto? If it is, you are going to have to lift your vehicle to make room for those huge tires. A mild lift doesn’t require extensive modifications. An extreme lift means a lot of new hardware under the vehicle. It also means a lot of stock electronic systems need to be recalibrated to the new tire size. For example, your speedometer and odometer will give false readings if they aren’t recalibrated. You don’t want to risk getting speeding tickets on WA expressways because your speedometer shows a lower-than-actual speed.
You should also be aware of possible performance issues. Bigger tires and custom wheels weigh more. WA automotive experts refer to this as “unsprung weight” because it isn’t held up by your SUV’s suspension system. Increased unsprung weight affects performance in different ways than an equivalent amount of groceries or little soccer players in the SUV passenger compartment. Acceleration is negatively affected. Stopping distances may also be increased, sometimes significantly. If you want really big tires and wheels, you might need to upgrade your brakes to compensate.
Heading the other direction, some car owners like to run smaller than standard wheels and lower the suspension. All of the same fitment issues still apply, as well as calibration issues. Don’t think that SUV suspension modifications are a bad thing. Many systems actually improve ride, function, and performance over the stock set-up.
Regardless of your budget, you want your SUV to continue to do all the things you need it to do. Some of those show cars and trucks you see on TV look fantastic, but have been modified in ways that may not suit your needs. For example, if you put large rims on your SUV with low profile tires, you may be in for busted rims if you go off-roading a lot. There just isn’t enough sidewall to absorb the impact of thumping over rocks.
Some car owners stuff the largest possible tires and custom wheels on their vehicles but have to severely restrict suspension travel so that the tires aren’t rubbing all day. That can lead to a very harsh ride. Again, talk with your Central Avenue Automotive wheel professional about all of these things: how you drive in Kent, what look you are going for, your budget, and what compromises you are willing to make.
At the end of the day, you’re going to be rollin’ out of there with one sweet ride.
