Stretched tyres, legal and safe or not? :- It's a long stretch.

4 Haters already (plus me)! And why do young people not know how to wear a pair of trousers! What is the world coming too!

Are we just boring old timers or does the common sense we've picked up over the years protect us from crass stupidity?
 
swag yolo!

thing that really annoys me, is when these idiots get there hands on nice cars... like i couldnt care less if someone buys a mk4 golf 1.4 and slams it stretched tyres and generally follows the heard of sheep. Its when one gets their hands on the R32, and makes it that low and puts budget streted tyres on it that it can no longer be called a performance car... really gets on my man tits that...
 
Well being a VAG fanboy im going to go against the grain here....

1. It IS legal, provided the treaded portion of the tyre is under the arch there is no legal limit as to how much you can stretch.

2. On the right car, it looks good. But im fully in agreement that stretch for the sake of stretch looks crap, like when people stretch tyres yet dont have the arch sitting over the edge of the tyre....

But when you want to run ridiculously low, sometimes its necessary to gain clearance. My TT will be running a mild stretch soon, the 225/40/18s are just slightly too wide to get it sat how i want it, so ill have to drop down to a 215 instead.

At the end of the day car modification is an individual thing, and while there are people that do things purely to fit in with the latest craze, id like to think that most people do things because its what THEY want their car to look like.

I don't modify my vehicles for the approval of others, i do it because it meets my approval.
 
Not quite.

There may be no actual law that states tyres can't be stretched (I guess because no one thought people would be so silly as to compromise safety), but going beyond the manufacturers recommendations will be jumped on by the prosecutors in the event of a prosecution following a crash.

Two quotes from tyre manufacturers:

Dunlop
"RIM WIDTH
Correct rim width ensures flex at the designed flex point in a tyre sidewall for optimum tyre performance.
If the rim is too wide, the flex point moves towards the rim area, causing heat buildup in the lower sidewall, which reduces tyre life and could result in failure. Either too narrow or too wide of a rim can result in uneven tread/pavement contact pressure causing uneven wear and potentially reduced traction, or increased vulnerability to bead dis-lodgement. "

Toyo
"Serious personal injury or death can result from failure to select the proper tyre and rim: Tyre MUST match the width and diameter requirements of the rim.

NEVER put flammable substances in tyre/rim assemblies at any time. Never put any flammable substance into a tyre/rim assembly and attempt to ignite to seat the beads.

NOTE TO PROFESSIONAL TIRE INSTALLERS: Exceeding the maximum bead seating pressure ” The tyre service person must NEVER INFLATE BEYOND 40 POUNDS PRESSURE TO SEAT BEADS unless specified by the tyre manufacturer! "
 
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Manufacturer recommendations are just that, RECOMMENDATIONS. The only reason they are even printed is to cover their own arses in the event of a lawsuit. Besides which the use of the words "optimum" and "could" would suggest that actually this only happens in extreme cases.

I have personally run stretch from mild to extreme, and i am most certainly not a sunday driver, i have never had a problem, and neither have any of the countless people i know in same scenario.

you pays your money you takes your chance!
 
If you are happy that you know more about the structural design of the tyre than the manufacturers and are happy to ignore their recommendations, then fine, but please take your chances well away from me when driving hard!

The word 'could' is used as there is no certainty that stretched tyres will fail every time but the chances are a lot greater than with a tyre fitted to the correct rim size.

'Optimum' is used for the wheel width that the tyre was designed to fit and give its best performance. That is the wheel width that I will be using as I am looking for optimum grip performance not street cred.

IMO, for road use fitting a tyre to a rim width it is not designed for is just plain stupid. The only reasons I can see is for either appearance or grip reduction or both as there is no way that it improves a tyre's grip. If I am wrong in that assumption please supply the evidence.

As for stretching the tyre to avoid the arch (a common reason given), this says it all about the skill and knowledge of the modifyer. Very scary, they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a tool set.

IMO.

I apologise if I come across a little strong on this subject, but it is one I have done a fair bit of research into and feel very strongly about. The tyre tread (and only a small part of it at any one time) is the only part of the car in contact with the road. Messing with this without knowing anything about how it works is madness.

By stretching a tyre to be used on the highway beyond the manufacturer's recommended rim width proves to me that that person hasn't grasped how tyres work or isn't interested as long as it looks cool and doesn't foul the arch.

What you do on a track is between you, the rules and the other drivers.

PS For anyone interested or has got this far without falling asleep, the optimum wheel width for grip for a road legal tyre is one that matches the tread width. No more, no less. Race tyres are a different story.


Nurse, he's got out of bed and found a PC again.
 
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I've seen a few outrageous fitments on the road. Often accompanied by stupid camber. The drivers that do this are mindless and stupid.

Good examples of surplus population
 
There are always people who go to silly extremes out there! I concede that small stretches would be within tolerances in many circumstances but most of us are talking here about extreme stretches well outside of manufacturer tolerances.

This is probably the most passionate engagement we've on here in a while!
 
old-git said:
If you are happy that you know more about the structural design of the tyre than the manufacturers and are happy to ignore their recommendations, then fine, but please take your chances well away from me when driving hard!

So do you never take more meds than the prescribed dose? completely different scenario yes, but same basis. Manufacturer recommendations are ALWAYS well below what could reasonably be described as safe. They allow a margin for user error, and then some. The ONLY reason a manufacturer gives recommendations in the first place is so they dont get sued should someone feck up royally! Its quite easy to quote studies and talk on a subject, but real world experience tells me that you can push tyres well past their recommended profile without issue.

As for stretching the tyre to avoid the arch (a common reason given), this says it all about the skill and knowledge of the modifyer. Very scary, they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a tool set.

Now that i take offence to, actually making a car sit properly takes a lot more skill and knowledge than just slapping on a set of alloys and lowering springs. There is a massive difference between a lowered car, and a stanced car. Especially when using static suspension instead of airbags. A lowered car takes very little skill or knowledge to get right, a stanced car that is actually useable takes a hell of a lot more thinking!

Rim width, offset, spacer size etc all need to be taken into account so as to run the minimum tyre stretch possible whilst maintaining full suspension movement and steering capability.

Now dont get me wrong, there are MANY who run extreme stretch or/coupled with extreme camber just for the purpose of making the vehicle as low as humanly possible, this i am not in any way defending!

As with most things in life, moderation is key. But i maintain my standpoint, done correctly, I see ( and indeed have never experienced) any issues with tyre stretch whatsoever.

IMO :)
Click to expand...
 
No offence meant. I agree that a lot of skill is required to successfully modify a car's ride height, stance and suspension geomety, something very few street modders have. However, I still maintain that stretching a tyre to avoid arch issues is the wrong way to solve the problem as it moves the tyre's performance away from the optimum. Fit the tyre to the corrrect sizes rim and adjust bodywork to fit. Alternatively, fit a slightly slimmer tyre to the optimum width rim and the car will perform better than the car with the steretched tyre, again, IMO.

However, if optimum performance isn't a requirement then there is no argument, unless the strech is so much that the tyre cannot be fitted using standard equipment.
 
obi_waynne said:
Stretched tyres : Are stretched tyres safe or even legal, TorqueCars attempt to unpick the arguments for and against.

Continue reading... or post your comments below on this article.
Click to expand...


For years, every tire manufacturer has posted their SAFE rim sizes with every tire size they make. It would behove those who just slap them on and go to follow their guidelines. They have invested more than just few dollars into R&D for each tire size to COVER their Arsches from liability!

Here is a visual tool to SEE the differences rim sizes make. http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp
 
old-git said:
Not quite.

There may be no actual law that states tyres can't be stretched (I guess because no one thought people would be so silly as to compromise safety), but going beyond the manufacturers recommendations will be jumped on by the prosecutors in the event of a prosecution following a crash.

Two quotes from tyre manufacturers:

Dunlop
"RIM WIDTH
Correct rim width ensures flex at the designed flex point in a tyre sidewall for optimum tyre performance.
If the rim is too wide, the flex point moves towards the rim area, causing heat buildup in the lower sidewall, which reduces tyre life and could result in failure. Either too narrow or too wide of a rim can result in uneven tread/pavement contact pressure causing uneven wear and potentially reduced traction, or increased vulnerability to bead dis-lodgement. "

Toyo
"Serious personal injury or death can result from failure to select the proper tyre and rim: Tyre MUST match the width and diameter requirements of the rim.

NEVER put flammable substances in tyre/rim assemblies at any time. Never put any flammable substance into a tyre/rim assembly and attempt to ignite to seat the beads.

NOTE TO PROFESSIONAL TIRE INSTALLERS: Exceeding the maximum bead seating pressure ” The tyre service person must NEVER INFLATE BEYOND 40 POUNDS PRESSURE TO SEAT BEADS unless specified by the tyre manufacturer! "
Click to expand...



|B|B|B|B|B|B|B|B|B|B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Has anyone thought about why people do silly stretch tyres other then what looks:cool:??

From my observations they are generally fitted to wiiiide wheels that protrude outside the bodyline and stretch the tyres so they don't foul the inner guard lip which is at times rolled/flattened to allow minimal clearance.

Over here we have rules that say that the track can only be widened by a 25mm maximum so in the event of a crash especially one that involves injuries to others who will almost certainly sue/seek compensation, the transport dept safety inspectors/engineers along with the insurance assesors investigating will not be your friends so if your wheels and tyres do not comply with the rules/laws and the tyre manufacturers recommendations the legal eagles will be on this in a flash and the driver/owner can be in serious trouble tring to argue that he/she knows better than the tyre makers and that their wheel and tyres did not cointribute to the crash and injuries recieved from the crash.

Wheel spacers are also a no no unless factory fitted.

PS Your crash/comprehensive insurance may also be wiped IF your wheel/tyre combination is outside the rules thereby having your car declared "unroadworthy" as your insurance cover requires the car to be in a "roadworthy" condition to be covered.
 
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It interests me that all countries have different laws governing what is and isn't safe on a car. I know some states of the US pretty much outlaw any kind of modification.

Over here there is a thriving community of car modifiers. What if the UK went like Belgium or California? There would be some bunnies suffering from negative euphoria! (Not happy bunnies)
 
A little bit of stretch looks good on nicely lowered cars. I think it becomes a problem when it's over stretched!

I am young, yes, but I wouldn't personally do it to any of my vehicles as I don't want that image. It seems nowadays that if your car isn't literally slammed and the sump scrapes, your not a car guy. I've always been about performance first, looks second type of guy and in honestly ignore most of that type of 'scene'. Luckily, all my friends prefer performance modifying then image modification.
 
davalav said:
A little bit of stretch looks good on nicely lowered cars. I think it becomes a problem when it's over stretched!

I am young, yes, but I wouldn't personally do it to any of my vehicles as I don't want that image. It seems nowadays that if your car isn't literally slammed and the sump scrapes, your not a car guy. I've always been about performance first, looks second type of guy and in honestly ignore most of that type of 'scene'. Luckily, all my friends prefer performance modifying then image modification.
Click to expand...

Personally i think its the complete opposite. when i own a car, i love it and lowering it to the poit its damaging it as i drive just seems idiotic!

My mates always used to laugh at me in the evo as id go so slow over speed bumps etc as i didnt want to scrape the splitter let alone the sump!!!!
 
My car is in the projects section.... hardly a shopping centre chav wagon!
And how low a car runs is the owners personal preference... thats not the debate here, stretched tyres is!
 
Although I can genarally rub along with most people, my patience is stretched when it comes to the abuse of tyres. I don't like treading on people's toes, but I have to
claymore said:
If you need wider wheels and tyres, and they don't fit under the arches, then modify the arches :)
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At last, another racer that wants to go quick! :)
 
I want to go quick and have lots of MPG to boast about.

Sadly there is not a world around that can fulfill both of these desires at the same time.
 
^^ The odds against that happening Dave are ruddy enormous! In fact, you will get better odds from William Hill for my entering and winning the "UK Slimmer of The Year 2014"

I know what your thinking?



But it's true! :rofl:
 
Those that have stretched their tyres on wide rims obviously only drive in straight lines and don't do cornering. On track they wouldn't last half a lap, just as bad as a tyre too wide for its rim. The sidewall cannot do the job it was designed for. Okay if playing with widths and aspect ratio to gain a little clearance but not compromising the handling or tyre performance.

However what gets lost on most people doing this is how it affects their speedo readings, the rolling circumference is way off spec on many I have seen. Not many would aim to keep these figures within the true parameters. Most go for smaller diameter wheels, just clearing their calipers with as small a profile as they can get fitted. Pity the tyre fitters as no doubt there is a fine line between getting them on sweetly and ripping the bead.

I have had to play around with the MGs rims and tyres but have got to the stage where it is where I want it but requiring the wings to be modified to gain clearance when hard cornering. My fault for going to 8j.
 
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