Strange new trend?

Orionaut · 13 Sep 2015 at 12:52

I have seen a number of "Yoofs" driving around locally who have their tyres mounted on rims that are clearly several inches wider than the design specification for the Tyre.

(To the extent that the steel edges stick out quite a long way beyond the edge of the Tyre)

This fitment is typically associated with silly amounts of negative camber

Where did this new fashion originate, does it actually confer any sort of advantage? indeed, is it even legal?

Mind, whatever advantage this may confer seems negated on the grounds that the cars have also typically been so aggressively lowered that they have to drive around at 20 in order to avoid scraping their undersides on the road!

Kenai · 13 Sep 2015 at 12:56

It's not exactly new, it has been around in VW and certain Jap circles for years and years. Oh and drift. They like it too.

I believe it partly stems from the fact you only have to have your tread under the arches to be road legal and partly because people are weird and think it looks awesome

tigerstyle · 13 Sep 2015 at 12:57

Not new

Skeeter · 13 Sep 2015 at 13:04

New? Lol.

It's probably been around so long it's going out of trend!

Jokester · 13 Sep 2015 at 13:06

Talking about old trends, seen a few cars recently with their badges rip off.

xs2man · 13 Sep 2015 at 13:09

Not even close to being new.

Some people also do it for clearance on their aggressively lowered cars.

I have run slight amounts of stretch in the past, but generally just fit the correct tyre size for the rims. You would be surprised how often people run slightly stretched tyres. For example, running 225/40/18's when it should be 235/40/18, usually because they didn't know, but sometimes to save money. Sure, Its marginal, but more common than you'd think.

Hades · 13 Sep 2015 at 13:42

Is this still going?

Glanza · 13 Sep 2015 at 13:55

Just keep your eye out for anything German that's been lowered, usually goes hand in hand with that.

mrk · 13 Sep 2015 at 14:20

Check this piece of work out yesterday on the M3

Frame-2015.09.12-11-20-17-(1-02-51.016).jpg

DampDog · 13 Sep 2015 at 14:25

Why is this not illegal? (or is it??) If you are running your tyres/rims not I accordance with manufacturers guidelines surely this would invalidate your insurance. Why are they not being pulled?

snapdragon69 · 13 Sep 2015 at 14:28

DampDog said:
Why is this not illegal? (or is it??) If you are running your tyres/rims not I accordance with manufacturers guidelines surely this would invalidate your insurance. Why are they not being pulled?

Some y=lad got busted with a Polo IIRC about 4 years ago on one of those Police Patrol type programmes.

iaind · 13 Sep 2015 at 15:31

Stupidity isn't new no

Finglonga · 13 Sep 2015 at 16:29

snapdragon69 said:
Some y=lad got busted with a Polo IIRC about 4 years ago on one of those Police Patrol type programmes.

That was for the exhaust though, the tyres were mentioned but nothing was done about them. There was also a Golf on the same series that was so low the rear wheel rims were actually rubbing on the arches and not touching the tyres as they were stretched so much.

p1RATE · 14 Sep 2015 at 14:40

DampDog said:
Why is this not illegal? (or is it??) If you are running your tyres/rims not I accordance with manufacturers guidelines surely this would invalidate your insurance. Why are they not being pulled?

It isn't illegal because it's not really that dangerous and only a tiny portion of people do it. Insurers would probably have a problem with it but if you have a modified car you are probably with an insurer that will cover you.

MooMoo444 · 14 Sep 2015 at 14:42

I've also seen this new trend where youths are going around putting nurburgring stickers on their cars, as well as playing loud music.

brendy · 14 Sep 2015 at 14:43

Running stretched tyres is somewhat of a "Scene" thing to do. To run these tyre setups they normally have to set a fair bit of camber on the car too to allow the wheel to fit at all.
My opinion is that is looks awful and have heard of a few local lads suffering blowouts, how and when wasnt mentioned but that they had since wised up and gone a little more normal.

Schnippzle · 14 Sep 2015 at 14:44

Thought this was going to be a thread revival from the late 90s....

DereksDontRun · 14 Sep 2015 at 14:56

It is and isn't illegal - like all things, it can be illegal if taken to the extremes that some do...

Insurance:
if the alloys or even tyre sizes are changed from stock then it's a mod and needs to be informed to insurance. Technically they can cancel the insurance if you're caught with mods that are undeclared (and then technically you can be done for driving with no insurance) - in reality I doubt they will cancel the insurance as if the car is stolen and involved in an accident, then I think there will be a ****storm if they pull the insurance.

Protruding wheels:
Wheels can't protrude from the arches, they have to be flush or within the arches or the vehicle is classed as in a dangerous condition - thus the need for wide body kits (*edit* was wide body kids - which is funny in its own right).

negative camber:
Not sure of the law, but I'd guess there must be something about dangerous suspension/handling if the full width of the tyre isn't in contact with the road.

thus this is illegal:

^plus, if you require to modify your car so much you need to remove parts of the arch and replace them with flexible rubber, then you're crazy...

xs2man · 14 Sep 2015 at 15:15

Crazy indeed, but that is done to keep the tread within the limits of the arch. Which is the law. The rim itself doesn't need to be as far as I'm aware.

snowdog · 14 Sep 2015 at 15:37

Because stance yo!

I mist admit, I do like how it looks. I'd never do it, hell I'd never even lower a car probably, if anything I want a raised car, to much speedbumps and other anti car ****/''traffic calming'' on the road.