Stre-e-etch....

[gjm 3258]

Why?

I suppose it is a 'look', but is there any technical reason why anyone would want to stretch a tyre on to a rim that is too wide for the tyre?

I've commented on someone who has 16x9 rims who wishes to fit a 195/45 or 205/50 tyre. The lower profile although narrower tyre could be legitimately fitted to an 8" rim but the 205/50 isn't typically designed for fitting to anything wider than 7".

OK - that's your (grand)dad's view of the world, but it's my engineering view, too. I know some tyres are now designed for that stretch 'look.'

As I said... Why? Is there any possible benefit to doing this, or is this just another performance-impacting mod that's done for looks?

There's even a website for those keen to do this - www.tyrestretch.com. There are some examples on there where the bead on the rim is simply not used! Here's a 105/70 on a 6" rim:

[qube 3570]

why? cuz why not?

[gjm 3258]

Cuz... Cuz... (Isn't that the same as brother/sister/wife/father in some parts of the US?)

Cuz I might wanna actually drive it?

Because it's there to be done, I guess. I do the same. I dare say some of the things I do would seem equally pointless to those who put a lot of time and effort into stance and the like.

[qube 3570]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=stance

this pretty much sums it up:

stance

To destroy a cars handling abilities by having it lowered an excessive amount. Typically, the tires are tucked way inside the vehicles fenders. But in order to have a hellaflush stance and run the required excessively wide wheels with tires that are stretched just to fit onto the wheels, the car has to have an excessive amount of negative camber. If you stand behind one of these cars don't be surprised to see the rear tires looking like "/ \". The rear tires are probably bald on the inside and the outside still looks brand new, and there's probably only an inch of contact patch with the ground. A hellaflush stance car can't even pull into a driveway without bottoming out and ripping the bumper off or cracking the vehicles oil pan. Some stanced cars are so extreme that you can't even turn the vehicles steering wheel fully in either direction without the tires rubbing.

Edited March 6, 2016 by QUBE

[polley 916]

Both examples above are horrendous. I hate it with a passion.

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Stretch / stance is just pointless, but fair play - a 105/70 on a 6" is just friggin hilarious troll expert level achieved!

Edited March 6, 2016 by Ahmedsinc

[kiwi328i 118]

It's so that it saves your tyres from kerb rash. Instead it will kerb rash your 3k rims instead but save your 3hundy tyres from getting hit.

It's for looks obviously, but some of those looks are not going to be complimentary I guess.

A little lower is good, a little wider is good, a little more powerful is good...where does it end. Halving your contact patch for me is well past good. Dont worry big meats will come back again I am sure.

[Olaf 3317]

jeez if it's for looks surely they shoud be 'good looks'. ?

these folks are tomorrow's Darwin awards winners, pure and simple. Just because you "can haz stance" doesn't mean you should.

[Herbmiester 923]

Stance is just stupid.

[MD13 494]

A stretch fan told me it stiffens the sidewall meaning less flex during cornering. I don't know if that's a good thing or even if it's true.

Neither stretch or stance is for me though.

[KwS 2425]

A stretch fan told me it stiffens the sidewall meaning less flex during cornering. I don't know if that's a good thing or even if it's true.

Neither stretch or stance is for me though.

Yeah all well and good until the tire comes off the bead. You dont see race cars with massive stretch.

Im with you Graham, its terrible. I love a big chunky, prefect fitting sidewall.

[gjm 3258]

Im with you Graham, its terrible. I love a big chunky, prefect fitting sidewall.

It pays to be careful. I was told, many years ago, that a 205 tyre on an 8" rim was optimal. That was in the old days before you got quite so many variations in profile, but the idea was that the sidewall was an effective continuation of the rim. And it... Well, it just fitted nicely.

I know from experience that one manufacturer's stated tyre width isn't necessarily quite the same as another. We're on to our third set of 215/45-17s and the current ones - Hankooks - look to be slightly narrower than others. They have a more aesthetically pleasing look on the 7" rim, while Michelins seemed to have pronounced sidewall bulge. I didn't buy them because they look good, but that is a happy accident.

If a stretched tyre is more effective when cornering, it suggests the owner doesn't have their camber set up correctly.

Stance is another case where I admire the effort and engineering that can go into it, but it's certainly not for me.

[kiwi328i 118]

It would seem to me that your sidewall may indeed be stiffer if it is stretched, but tyre manufacturers are not accounting for this when they are made, so whilst they may (thats a big may), they are not designed for that, hence the manufacturers suggestions that table the recommended sizes with an ideal width and a bit of give and take.

I saw some 195/50's on a 15x10" rim and I can tell you thats well outside recommended and well into ridiculous

[hybrid 1043]

I dont think this is a stancekid thing so to speak .. its a following copied from car trend in Japan called VIP. Its a show car thing, just like veilside and chromies in the 2000s

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

if you had posted this a year ago, all the stretch kids would be in here, but fortunately, seems to be something that has been left behind in 2015.

Suddenly the oversized tyre look i have on my E30 is cool again, maybe I'm a trend setter and ahead of the game??? idk looks good to me!

I love an aggressive offset with a good chunky tyre and fender flares.

[polley 916]

I had some slightly stretched tyres on the e30 a couple of years ago. Handled like sh*t, f**k all traction, put proper tyres on and all was good.

No wonder the RFB and Honda people love it, at least they can spin a wheel with a 215 stretched on to a 9" rim

[tcbaurpower 5]

Is there a compliance loop hole where the tyre should be within the fender but the wheel can sit outside. Or is it that if you had wide wheels and normal tyres you would be rubbing on the guards. Therefore stretched = no rubbing and some people have taken this to an extreme.

For me I like the wide tyres and recessed wheels look because it has good width from the front/ rear. Simply, 225 wide just look better than 195.

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

I dont think this is a stancekid thing so to speak .. its a following copied from car trend in Japan called VIP. Its a show car thing, just like veilside and chromies in the 2000s

You forgot spinners.

[Jibs05 86]

Why didn't you just ask us at the monthly bimmersport meet? i find the chances of you posting this straight after seeing Jeff's e36 quite interesting.

We were there, we run stretch, it would be the easy thing to do, no?

Edited March 8, 2016 by jib05

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

^^^fair point, but might just nip this thread in the bud, i think its run its course.