When it comes to plus-sizing, consumers expect tire dealers to answer one critical question before they open their wallets.
“Can you tell me before I spend my money how tire and wheel plus-sizing is going to affect the ride quality and handling of my vehicle?”
The answer to that question is yes.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Wheel and Tire Council (WTC) and Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) together studied the effects of plus-sizing. Their goal was to “specifically and scientifically” relate vehicle handling to the customization of wheels and tires.
Modern Tire Dealer Columnist Wayne Williams reported on the groups’ work in MTD’s 2015 Performance Handbook.
Here’s just one takeaway from Williams’ report: “In many cases, shorter sidewalls did not translate into a harsher ride. The difference in harshness was less than generally understood and much less than anticipated.”
To read more about the research, and to find out how to get a copy of the Ride Guide, a user-friendly database compiled by the WTC of all the information the teams uncovered, read the full story here: The impact of plus-sizing on vehicle performance dynamics. The Ride Guide can help you answer consumer questions and take the mystery out of their plus-sizing purchase.
