The wheels and tires are the most important parts of your car. These parts actually keep the car moving, so they are indispensable. They are also highly open to customization, since there is a wealth of custom wheels and tires available for nearly every car made. Changing wheels and tires can help make the car look more beautiful, and can differentiate the car from other like models. A good-looking set of wheels can definitely complement the custom paint job on your car, so it’s important to keep the wheels in mind when you’re tricking out your ride!

When you’re looking to modify your car through custom wheels and tires, though, you can’t just go to the store and pick out the best-looking set of wheels. While the aesthetics is definitely important for your ride, you also need to keep in mind the needs of the car and the car’s suspension. The wheels and tires work hand in hand to keep all four tires tight to the ground as the car turns, brakes, or is just driven down the road.

If you want to purchase new custom wheels, you need to either match the same characteristics of the original wheels or modify your suspension to match what you’ve purchased. Keep a close eye on the wheel offset, aspect ratio, and tire width. Choosing wheels with a different wheel offset, aspect ratio, or tire width will affect the car’s handling if you don’t adjust the suspension to match the new wheels.

The wheel offset refers to the distance from the very center of the wheel to the mounting surface of the wheel disc at the hub. This measurement helps position the tire and provides for adequate dual spacing. The aspect ratio is the ratio between the width of the tire and the height of its sidewall. Finally, the tire width is just that—the width of the tire.

Once you have a handle on the right wheel characteristics, it’s time to think about what the wheels should look like, since custom wheels are often used without hubcaps. Do you want shiny, chrome wheels, or black wheels? Maybe you’d rather have a bit of gold in your wheels. Do you want a design with quite a few spokes, or just five spokes? Or, maybe you don’t want spokes at all, but a more solid but vented design. The choices are almost limitless, so you should look at a wide selection of wheels that match your car’s needs before making the purchase.

The last thing to look at in your custom wheels and tires would be the tires, of course. Custom tires can help reduce the overall weight of your car, improving its acceleration and economy. They can also decrease wear and tear on your brakes, letting you go longer between brake services.

Yes, there are many things to keep in mind when you’re choosing the right custom wheels and tires for your car. However, once you’ve picked out the right set, your car will have that unique look that you want, and you might even see some cost savings in service and fuel at the same time.

Get ideas for custom wheels and tires for your own car HERE.

Explore custom wheels and tires from the top manufacturers HERE.

Find dealers and installers of custom wheels and tires HERE.

Last Updated: August 19, 2015