Are stretched Tires Safe?

We get this question a lot since stretched setups have become so popular. If you've ever gone to any car meet, we'd bet you've seen people with stretched tires. Today, we look into whether or not it's a good idea.

1. What are Stretched Tires?

A stretched tire refers to a tire that has a smaller width than the wheel it's being mounted on. This results in the sidewall stretching to the edge of the wheel giving a very unique show style look. This style is incredibly common in the stance and excessive camber scene as it allows the fender to sit within the lip of the wheel. Essentially, it makes the wheel pop.

2. Why Do People Stretch Tires?

There can be many reasons why someone would want to stretch their tires but the most obvious is for the style. As we mentioned, a stretched setup is incredibly popular in the excessive camber scene since it allows people to build their cars to an absolutely insane degree and give it a one of a kind look. There aren't usually any performance benefits from running this type of tire setup so it's safe to assume that most will do it strictly for aesthetic purposes.

3. Is It Safe?

It depends. Sorry for not giving a straightforward answer but that's simply because there isn't one. Technically speaking, running a stretch tire is more dangerous than a normal tire setup since the sidewall now has less weight that it's able to hold. This can result in debeading or tearing of the sidewall which is never a good time. However, the amount of danger varies based on how much stretch you're going with. Obviously a more aggressive stretched setup will have a higher chance of something going wrong but might be what you need to pull off the look you want.