Motoring Discussion > Very low profile tyres bad for handling	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Westpig	Replies: 19

Mon 6 Sep 10 17:33   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Westpig

I've been watching Top Gear Australia on You Tube. One episode had some comment about very low profile tyres being bad for handling, which was an eye opener. So not only do they give you a dreadful ride quality, they aren't any good handling wise either. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_NYWyVHcl0 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 17:46   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Skoda

>> they aren't any good handling wise either What's the suggested replacement? AFAIK anything that flexes it's sidewalls means heat and that degenerates into all sorts of other problems. Are they definitely talking about road cars (cant acces youtube from here to see)? i understand in purpose built cars there's no compliance in the suspension (i.e. solid bearings used instead of rubber bushes). On those cars i think they depend on high profile tyres to give compliance. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 17:51   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Zero

they are probably talking about low profile tyres on public roads. Low profile on a piece of glassy racing tarmac is fine. Throw some ridges and potholes into it and it goes to pot. Tho F1 tyres are nopt that low profile. Just as well really they are the only suspension an F1 car has. Last edited by: Zero on Mon 6 Sep 10 at 17:52 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 17:55   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Dog

Yea! I would agree with our Mr. Zed there - it reminds me of my Cavalier SRi shod with low profile Firestones = yuk. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 18:32   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - DP

>> Yea! I would agree with our Mr. Zed there - it reminds me of my >> Cavalier SRi shod with low profile Firestones = yuk. Nah, that was just a shockingly awful chassis. The rubber couldn't affect it either way :) Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 22:19   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Westpig

If the presenter is to be believed though, races like the Porsche Supercup have a higher profile tyre than an ultra low profile...and that V8 beast did a 3 second lap improvement on a very short track, just by having 20" tyres instead of 22" and a higher tyre profile. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 22:33   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Bromptonaut

let me try again....... Very low profile tyres bad for handling seems a statement of the bloomin obvious. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 22:42   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Westpig

>> Very low profile tyres bad for handling seems a statement of the bloomin obvious. >> Not for me it wasn't. I thought low profiles = good handling, but compromised comfort. I didn't realise that ultra low profile = poor handling as well as poor comfort, unless on an exceptionally smooth surface, which even most racing circuits can't truly achieve. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 23:05   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Skoda

Found out a possible reason. Larger diameter, low profile wheel & tyres are heavier than comparable circumference but smaller diameter, larger profile wheel & tyre combos. This means more rotational mass which means less acceleration and less effective braking. It's also extra unsprung mass which affects handling. I guess there will be a sweet spot, too far in either direction will cause problems. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 23:18   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - FotheringtonTomas

>> Larger diameter, low profile wheel & tyres are heavier than comparable >> circumference but smaller diameter, larger profile wheel & tyre combos. I'm not sure that's true, although I suppose it could be, but the effect of having a low profile tyre would seem logically to add to the "flywheel effect". Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 6 Sep 10 23:20   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Bellboy

for me Bromptonaut has the answer as like he in a previous life i rode bikes and learnt then that low low profile causes skitty handling go forward to 2010 and try a handbrake turn in a car with real tyres then try the same vehicle with skinny low profile rubbish suddenly that skip as you do your donut doesnt look so inviting as its heavy steel sides come ever nearer as you fight to power the full saxo power away from obliteration thank you maccy d for frightening me............. nice burger tho........................................... Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Sep 10 05:40   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Ian (Cape Town)

Low-Pros, with huge oversized wheels, are the local chavs' favourite accessory. No matter that the huge bling wheels show off the rusty rear drum to perfection. Nor the fact that many of our local roads are so badly divotted by overloaded trucks that tramlining is a common occurence. And most of these muppets have never been taught the principle of roll-and-slip on the tyres. I'll stick with OE wheels and tyre sizes, thanks Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Sep 10 09:42   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - FotheringtonTomas

>> huge oversized wheels, are the local chavs' favourite accessory YACFAICMFFSWW. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Sep 10 11:21   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Bagpuss

>> I'll stick with OE wheels and tyre sizes, thanks The OE wheels on the M3 I used to have were 19" with 40 profile tyres at the front and 35 profile at the back. Fantastic on the billiard table smooth autobahns in Southern Germany and the autoroutes in France. Tramlined like hell on the roads in the UK. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Sep 10 10:10   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Mike Hannon

>> Yea! I would agree with our Mr. Zed there - it reminds me of my >> Cavalier SRi shod with low profile Firestones = yuk. Nah, that was just a shockingly awful chassis. The rubber couldn't affect it either way :) It wasn't just me then. Shockingly awful was being polite. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Sep 10 10:59   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Dog

I shall never forget my very first experience of low profile tyres and stiff suspenders, I had my beedie eye on a stunning Sebring red Dolomite Sprint with Rostyle wheels + Webasto roof, So I bought it and I'm not a'kidding you - it was the most uncomfortable ride I've ever had (apart from that German woman!) It drove like it had solid tyres, I did consider fitting some Cint's or Relli's on it, but I outed it in the end, pronto like and bought a Datsun 240Z (with low profile tyres!) Last edited by: Dog on Tue 7 Sep 10 at 11:02 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 7 Sep 10 11:52   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Glaikit Wee Scunner Snr. {P}

Not sure what 'very' low profile means. But I've 45 profile Michelins on my Octavia which seem tolerable. Handling, ride and grip are all quite different things according to the experts. Which I'm not. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Sep 10 11:02   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Typ 8L

As an owner of a car with deeply unfashionable 65-profile tyres on 15-inch wheels, another advantage of "high" profile tyres (which would have been considered low-profile 30 years ago) is that they protect your wheels from kerbing to some degree. And they're cheaper! Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Sep 10 11:07   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - Iffy

...is that they protect your wheels from kerbing to some degree... True, although some low-profiles have an anti-kerbing rib moulded into the tyre. The sidewalls on some low-profiles bulge out a bit which helps prevent kerbing. The tyres on the CC3 are like that, the tyre wall scrapes the kerb before the wheel. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 9 Sep 10 13:46   Very low profile tyres bad for handling - crocks

There is a 4x4 dealer near here that I walk past quite regularly. Some of the tyres on the RangeRovers are firmly in the rubber band category. When I checked a lot were 285/35 x 22. One had 295/30 x 22s and the sidewalls had numerous cuts and gouges which would surely fail an MOT. Reply to this message | Report message