What Are Low Profile Tires Used For?

Low-profile tires, apart from the aesthetic advantage, help increase traction and braking efficiency. So, what are low profile tires used for? Let’s check it out!

Tires are part of the suspension, supporting the entire vehicle weight and helping the vehicle operate correctly. Therefore, while moving, this part is under the most pressure such as loads, friction, abrasions, high temperatures, and even high pressures.

What are low profile tires used for?

In particular, the tire is also the only detail on the car in direct contact with the road, helping the vehicle to move by traction and slow down when braking.

Today, many people use low profile tires because of the advantages such as increased aesthetics when combined with the use of large wheels, making the car more sporty, helping the vehicle to improve grip and increase braking efficiency.

In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, low profile tires also provide a more accurate handling feel, especially when the car is under tight or high-speed driving. The article will show what are low profile tires used for in standard vehicles.

What Are Low Profile Tires?

The tire is the rubber part from the outer edge of the rim to the road surface. To determine the low profile tires, we can base on the ratio between the height of the tire and the width of the tire surface (the tire is in contact with the road surface).

Low profile car tire

According to the calculation of the tire manufacturer, usually, low profile tires have the above rate of 50% or less. For example, P235/40R18, which means that the tire wall height is 40% of the width of 235 millimeters in length, that is, the tire wall is equivalent to 94 millimeters high. Drivers can view this parameter on tires’ printed.

However, it should be noted that with two tires of the same ratio, one tire may be thinner than the other. For example, 185/55 R15 tires must, of course, have thinner walls than 205/55 R16 tires. Most people prefer low profile tires because they give the car a stylish and sporty look – like racing cars.

Benefits of Low Profile Tires

Low profile tires can enhance the aesthetics of the vehicle’s appearance, making it look sportier. Besides, the large tread width of low profile tires helps to grip the road better.

Nevertheless, the slimmer low profile tires help the car operate more accurately and give the driver an adventurous feeling, especially when the vehicle is running at high speed. The tread surface of the low profile tires is thin for better traction, but the noise is much higher. Also, the broad rim of the low profile tires requires bigger brakes, so the braking efficiency is better.

Tires are also part of the car’s suspension. With vehicles using low profile tires, the driver can sense every speed edge and unevenness of the road surface, unless the suspension has been designed to accommodate vehicles using thin-wall tires.

Drawbacks of Low Profile Tires

In the right conditions of use and storage, the strength of low profile tires is comparable to that of conventional tires because the tread structure and fibre structure of both types are not much different. 

However, low profile tires are often used for vehicles operating with high performance or working conditions, moving more harshly than conventional tires, so they are more likely to be damaged. If you want your car to have a sportier appearance, you can choose large wheels, thin tires with a suspension designed to adapt to low-profile tires.

However, tires are also part of the suspension, so replacing large wheels and low-profile tires will make the inside of the car more noise when moving and the damping effect may not meet the requirements. Besides, low-profile tires make the cushion between the rim and the road smaller, so the driver can feel the uneven surface of the way.

With roads with too many “obstacles” or potholes, tires can easily be “slashed” to deflect and tear. Once it occurs, you have to replace the tire completely and cannot be amended. In particular, compared to conventional tires, low profile tires have a much higher price.

Therefore, drivers travelling on low profile tires need to check their tire pressure more often. When the tire is too small and thin, the car needs to run through a small pothole can cause strong impulses that make the wheel more quickly damaged.

Michelin Acorus – Technology to “Protect” the Low Profile Tires

Michelin Acorus technology is characterized by two rubber pads added to the inside of the tire and a cap made of super-flexible material on the outside to help the car easily pass over the pothole without fear of tire explosion or affecting the wheel.

After being granted a patent, this technology was developed by Michelin, along with experts from the manufacturer of Maxion Wheels (known for OEM wheels) to create an “intelligent” wheel line for Michelin Acorus technology.

The combination of the two “giants” in the industry promises to bring a perfect wheel line, increase the driving feeling of thin-walled tires while protecting from the risk of a tire explosion. In addition, this technology will limit noise when using low profile tires.

New Michelin automobile tires promote the advantages of thin tires that both increase aesthetics, create a sporty feel and increase the operational feeling.

On the one hand, Michelin tire technology helps to overcome the disadvantages of low profile tires, which is to protect the tires from the explosion, tear or wear. The wheels are increased durability so that when going into potholes, the bad roads are not deformed. The new technology also helps reduce wheel noise that bounces into the cabin when travelling.

Tires applied with the new technology of Michelin help increase vehicle safety for users. Because the collision causes the car to explode, the tire can drag and lose the car, flip the car, etc. are very dangerous.

Another significant advantage of this new tire is that the wheels are more durable, less wear and help reduce the cost of replacement because the durability has increased.

Final Verdict

The article has shown what are low profile tires used for. With vehicles using low profile tires, the driver can feel every speed edge and unevenness of the road surface.

And most people prefer low profile tires because they give the car a stylish and sporty look – like racing cars. Comment below your thought about low profile tires and do not forget to catch up with our next articles.