This is why you don't run low profile tires

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by pete c

Super low profile tires are the stupidest thing ever. Is there a handling benefit? maybe a very small one, at the expense of a harsher ride. I just can't see going any lower than a 50. And people that go lower than that on a truck should be beaten. It looks like ****.

In theory it allows bigger brakes, but most cars have rubber band tires on them because people think they look cooler. The 981/991 Porsches these days are hilarious, most of the ones I see on the road have the hilarious 20" wheels fitted. You can see them being put to great use since you can easily tell that the brake discs could fit in a 17" wheel as there's so much empty space between the rim and the disc.

But that's not as funny looking as the people who put 30" wheels on their Cadillacs.

I hate this trend because it makes buying smaller wheels and tires so hard

[Xist]

People pay for bragging rights.

What about the weird trend of having wheels tilt inward? What is the possible benefit of only riding on one corner of each wheel?

[freebeard]

Race cars use a lot of negative camber for cornering. but it has turned into a thing to do.


http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/efficient-soapbox-32441-7.html#post489465

[niky]

Big wheels, there's very little benefit unless you're running humongous brakes.

Thin tires, you get more precise steering response, less wiggle in transitions, and the *perception* of better handling, whether you have more grip from the tires or not.

But you also get a godawful ride. I once gladly gave up the extra performance from my 205/45 R-comps when switching to 205/50 tires (same model, just a different profile) for the extra cushioning and pothole protection they gave.

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It must be noted that much wider tires actually have more sidewall per aspect ratio. But anything with a 35 aspect ratio is bound to be ridiculously short.

[PaleMelanesian]

Originally Posted by freebeard

It affects 'turn in', the time it takes for the vehicle to respond to steering wheel input.

Originally Posted by freebeard

It's merely the only thing I could think of in favor.

The best turn-in I've had was on 145/15s on 5.5" rims. But they couldn't keep up with the brakes (downhill in the mountains), so I went to 165-50/15.

Another thing that helps improve turn-in is... higher tire pressure.

[UFO]

Originally Posted by Xist

People pay for bragging rights.

What about the weird trend of having wheels tilt inward? What is the possible benefit of only riding on one corner of each wheel?

It's just a side effect of lowering the car, and it also helps with getting the tire to fit inside the fender. There is no benefit.

[Hersbird]

Lots of negative camber does help in cornering because the car puts all the weight on the outside and actually ends up with even camber in a hard corner. It make the outside tires way off but there isn't much weight on those tires. A circle car that only turns one way can be set up with negative on one side and positive on the other but a car that has to turn right and left will just run negative camber all around.

[UFO]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

Lots of negative camber does help in cornering because the car puts all the weight on the outside and actually ends up with even camber in a hard corner. It make the outside tires way off but there isn't much weight on those tires. A circle car that only turns one way can be set up with negative on one side and positive on the other but a car that has to turn right and left will just run negative camber all around.

Camber only helps for the limited amount that a car leans into a turn. Any car optimized for the track has only a few degrees of negative camber; that is as much as one wants it to lean. Ideally one wants the full contact patch on the road under all conditions.

[Hersbird]

So there is a benifit. I wasn't talking about the car in the picture but any car set up for competitive SCCA racing will have visible negative camber on the front and possibly on the rear if the rear is adjustible.

[cosmick]

Larger-diameter wheels allow bigger brakes, and when keeping the width and overall-tire-diameter constant, reduces weight, all of it unsprung and revolving.
Lower-profile tires improve the ability of the wheel to control tread movement.
The benefits are worth ihe once-in-a-trillion-miles inconvenience, which is all this single fluke incident really is.
Don't blame the tire for the driver's clueless irresponsibility.
You want to go back to 195/75R14x6s on your Camaro, with the 10.5" single-piston floating-caliper brakes it requires? Go for it. I'll be doing far better with 295/35R18x10.5s over 14" rotors with Brembo 6-piston fixed-calipers.