Modifying wheels (aka upgrading to bigger rims) is something that many petrolheads want to do to their car.
However, many drivers do this mainly for aesthetics.
A good set of lightweight and strong wheels, however, does more than just improve a car’s looks.
Here are three benefits to upgrading your wheels.
1) You can improve your steering and handling characteristics.
Yes, modifying your wheels can actually enhance your car’s handling abilities.
Lighter rims reduce your vehicle’s unsprung mass.
In turn, this makes your steering feel more responsive. And since lighter wheels have less inertia, they turn more easily than heavier wheels, too.
Modifying your wheels can also heighten your car’s roadholding.
With lighter rims, your wheels rebound faster from bumps on the road. This helps maintain grip.
For most drivers, the slightly bumpier ride is a price worth paying!
2) You can improve your vehicle’s braking performance.
Upgrading from stock rims to ones that are larger and have a more open design may provide more cooling to your brakes.
If your brakes stay cooler, braking performance will improve. You’ll be able to make more hard stops before the brakes start to fade.
This is especially useful if you frequently ferry a full complement of passengers.
And if you’ve got high-performance tyres on your vehicle, better braking will complement these.
Oh, and if you have a big brake kit installed, the open design lets you show them off, too.
3) Modifying your wheels may improve your love/dating life.
Yes, this could happen if the lady you’re trying to impress is also into cars.
After all, if your runabout model is a common sight in carparks, making your car stand out is a good way to catch her eye.
But if it doesn’t work out, hey, it’s not the end of the world.
By upgrading your wheels, at least you’ll still enjoy the performance and handling advantages they bring!
