13x7 mini lites clearance issues

[autox19]

Wider tires do not inherently produce more traction due to being wider. Wider tires will alter the shape of the tire contact patch with the tire to road contact area being much the same. If more traction is wanted-needed, it is much a matter of tire compound and tire construction.

Wider rims-tires often alter the dynamic roll center of a chassis-suspension that can deceive the driver wider tires-rims have more grip. In some cases, it does but this also effects other performance areas of the chassis-suspension's dynamic behavior. It is all a set of trade offs.

The only way the contact patch of a wider tire will grow is to increase the loading on that tire. This is precisely what aero down force does and why real aero specific race cars have BIG tires and can corner at several Gs (3-4G) in ways a strict mechanical grip chassis never could under any condition.

More often than not, bigger-wider tires on a public road driven car is a Fashion Statement.


Bernice

100% agree!!! I currently have mine for the look. a fashion statement. I remember back in the day Yokohama was at a autocross. While talking to him about my X I told him I was looking to go with wider tires to get a little more stick. He laughed and proceeded to educate me as quickly as he could. One thing that stood out is with a light weight car you will never have enough time to warm up the tires to the proper temperature in an autocross. If I wanted more stick, I needed to go with e softer compound and probably no larger than 185. Sure enough I was paying attention to the lighter vehicles and 185/60/13 were pretty much the standard. the fastest in those classes were not going much larger. He also proceeded ot tell me that certain tires have a sweet spot for rim width. and they are usually published with the tire. Then he said he could go on all day with chassis set up, PSI, offset, etc.... never got to those conversations. The next race I had 185's all around rather than staggered with 205's in the rear, and my times were way more consistent.

 

[Chris in Canada]

Wider tires do not inherently produce more traction due to being wider. Wider tires will alter the shape of the tire contact patch with the tire to road contact area being much the same. If more traction is wanted-needed, it is much a matter of tire compound and tire construction.

Wider rims-tires often alter the dynamic roll center of a chassis-suspension that can deceive the driver wider tires-rims have more grip. In some cases, it does but this also effects other performance areas of the chassis-suspension's dynamic behavior. It is all a set of trade offs.

The only way the contact patch of a wider tire will grow is to increase the loading on that tire. This is precisely what aero down force does and why real aero specific race cars have BIG tires and can corner at several Gs (3-4G) in ways a strict mechanical grip chassis never could under any condition.

More often than not, bigger-wider tires on a public road driven car is a Fashion Statement.


Bernice

I just like the look of deep dish rims! My bmw rides/feels best with the ugly skinny snow tires!! Lol

 

[carl]

Most of us street drivers are going for the fashion statement. My current X has flared wheel wells and I have to come up with something that fills them without looking like steamroller tires from behind. That could probably be done with 185/60/13 tires if the wheels were no wider than 6" and had massive offset. I did track days in my 128 with, I think, Yokahama A008s that made the car stick much better than the street tires I used off track. I could tell when I forgot to switch tires for the street when I was bombarded with the sound of pebbles hitting the inside of the fenderwell.