Effect of lower profile tyres?

[Kazuo]

Say I'm using 185/65/R14 currently, and then i went to change the tyres to 185/50/R14.

 

Will there be any negative effect? since the overall diameter become smaller.

 

Will the odometer be affected?

[Furrynadz]

acceleration improve

odo inaccurate

speedo inaccurate

lowest u go is 186/60/14

65 -> 50 is too much

[Kazuo]

Oh.. the numbers are just thrown in for example only.

 

Mind explaining why will it cause these effect?

[Roddy0]

I will assume you want to know the effect of just the low profile itself, unrelated to wheel diameter changes like your example you cited. So just from the low profile, the effects are:

 

1. Less ride comfort

2. More responsive steering

3. Less body roll

4. (Very slightly) better fuel economy

 

However, bear in mind when changing to low profile, there are a lot of other factors like different size rims, tyre width, tyre compound, etc. and they will all have some effect also.

[Kazuo]

So other than less comfort, the rest seems to be all advantage

[Conned]

Affirm, shiok. actualli depend on tires.the comfort is there...jus how much comfort u wan..subjective..

[Kazuo]

Actually I'm more concern of the change in diameter..

 

Odometer not accurate:

I suppose it will record a longer distance travelled compare to the actual. This wasn't a major issues to me.

 

Speedo meter not accurate:

I don't really know how speedo works from.

 

both digital and analog type will be affected?

So will it display a higher than actual speed or lower than actual?

[Lanceteo]

definately lose comfort and the ride gets noiser too.

[Roddy0]

Ok for diameter change effects, reduced diameter leads to overreporting of distance traveled and speed. In other words you are going slower than what your speedo says, and you have traveled less distance than what your odo says.

 

To understand why, note that your meters have no way to measure actual speed or distance traveled. What it actually measures is how many times your wheels go around and how fast. In factory condition, the meter is cablibrated to be accurate for the diameter of your stock tyres.

 

When you mess with the diameter, the odo/speedo doesn't know, so it will continue to measure as if your tyres are still the same size. That's why it will be off unless you recalibrate.

[Clarkewan]

with lower profile tyres, you can take corners harder cos the side walls of the tires will have lesser flex...

your speedometer will be affected too....

:D

[Epal63]

You should not change the overall tyre diameter or the size changes be kept to a minimal to avoid recalibration of your vehicle measurement instruments.

 

Depending on what you want to achieve by having a lower profile tyre, there are two ways to have a lower profile tyres:

(1) Increase the width of the tyre from your current rim, eg to 195/60/R14.

(2) Increase the size of the rim, eg to 195/55/R15

 

The first method, the tyre side wall is retained but only the tyre width is increased, but a "lower" profile tyre of "60" is used.

 

The second method, which I think is what you are looking for, is a small tyre side wall compared to the original tyre. This would provide a better handling over the corners, and at the same time the vehicle measuring instruments are maintained.