Plus sizing or upsizing is the process of replacing a car’s original tyres with bigger ones. It has become a trend to fit larger tyres on a vehicle. This trend changes a car’s original aesthetics and gives it a sportier look. Nonetheless, plus sizing tyres in a vehicle has some limitations along with various pros and cons.
This guide will brief you on what plus sized tyres are, their limitations, and the pros and cons of increasing the tyre size.
What is Tyre Plus Sizing?
Plus sizing means increasing the diameter of the rim, an important car wheel part that mounts the tyre, while decreasing the height of the tyre’s sidewall. This results in no change in the overall rolling diameter. By adding inches to the tyre’s diameter, a car’s performance can be enhanced by improving handling and stability.
The number suffixing the ‘Plus’ is the number of inches added to the diameter of the rim. For instance, if the tyre size is increased by 1 inch then it is ‘Plus One’. The different plus sized tyres are discussed below.
Plus Zero
Plus Zero is the tyre size where only the width is increased. Plus zero sizing tyres:
- Increases the width of the tyre and lowers the aspect ratio, while retaining the wheel diameter.
- Increases the contact surface to enhance traction and quicken response.
Plus One
Plus One size indicates an increase of an inch in tyre size. These tyres result in an increased section width and lower aspect ratio on tyres of greater diameter. This tyre sizing:
- Increases section width to 10 mm.
- Increases rim diameter by 1 inch.
- Decreases aspect ratio by 10 points.
Plus Two
Plus Two tyre size indicates an increase of two inches in tyre size. For instance, a car with original tyres of size 16 inches will be upgraded with Plus Two sizing to tyres of 18 inches.
This tyre sizing:
- Increases section width to 20 mm.
- Increases rim diameter by 2 inches.
- Decreases aspect ratio by 20 points.
The series for Plus Three tyre sizing is followed similarly.
Pros and Cons of Plus Sizing Tyres
Before practising plus sizing tyres, we recommend you consider its pros and cons to have a thorough understanding of what modification you will face after process completion.
The pros and cons of plus sizing tyres are detailed below.
Pros of Plus Sizing Tyres
1. Improved Cornering and Grip
The stiffer sidewall and wider thread add up to improvement in cornering and grip.
2. Greater Contact Surface Area
Wider tyres increase the contact surface area, thereby, enhancing traction.
3. Sportier Car Appearance
Another pro of plus sizing tyres modifies the car’s look giving it a sportier appearance.
Cons of Plus Sizing Tyres
1. Weight
Tyre weight increases proportionally to its plus sizing. The greater weight adds a strain on the vehicle affecting the fuel economy, braking system strains, durability, car suspension, and even increasing performance limitations.
2. Cost
One of the cons of plus sizing tyres is the increase in cost. The higher plus sized tyres you go for, the higher will be the cost.
3. Noise Pollution
Noise pollution from a vehicle with plus-sized tyres is more due to a decrease in shock absorption in the tyre’s sidewall. Among the many Dubai traffic fines, a fine of AED 2000 and 12 black points is issued to a motorist caught driving a noisy car.
4. Decreases Driving Comfort
A plus-sized tyre has a short sidewall that decreases shock absorption and driving comfort.
5. Speedometer Issues
In case the outer diameter of a tyre differs from that of the original tyre, a small difference occurs in the real speed and that is indicated by the car’s speedometer.
Limitation of Plus Sizing Tyres
Plus sizing tyres can be promising in terms of improving grip, braking performance, and cornering, but it has certain limitations to it.
The addition of larger wheels requires adding larger tyres on them with a small sidewall to ensure that the overall diameter remains the same. In case the overall diameter is not maintained on any one of the tyres, that tyre would touch the edges of car fenders on hard cornering, or might touch other car parts.
Being said that, it is difficult to maintain the overall diameter of the wheel due to the difference in size between the tyre by OEM and the plus sized tyre. So if you are still considering upgrading your tyre size, then you must figure out the kind of tyres you need for specific wheels.
We have learnt so far that the cons of plus sizing tyres outweigh the pros of doing so. However, if you still want to go for plus sizing tyres you should carefully consider the wheel and tyre combinations offered by your vehicle manufacturer.
You can try searching for wheels by the OEM that would give you a hassle-free factory fitment. Once done, you can consider buying them from this listing of used wheels and tyres for sale in the UAE.
Stay tuned for more information on car modifications on the UAE’s top auto blogs.
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