Why Would They Put Low Profile Tires And Wheels On Trucks?

[Ingomike]

A lot of new trucks seem to have 20 inch wheels and little sidewall on the tires. As I dodge the nasty potholes as best I can with 16 inch wheels and good sized tires that are very forgiving if I do hit one, I was pondering why other than aesthetics would one want this? I get that there are some hemi racey trucks, but I‘m asking about typical 150/1500. Seems like the 20 inch would bend or break a wheel easier than the 16 inch with a good amount of sidewall to absorb the blow.

 

[Rookie]

I've got 22 inch wheels on my ram. It wasn't by choice, they came with the truck. It was difficult to find a decent set of all terrain tires.

 

[HoughMade]

Um....idiocy? I'm assuming Ingomike isn't referring to big wheels with commensurately big tires. Big wheels make way for big brakes (at least they can).

It's things like this:





Hey, it's their money, have at it. But just as it is their right to engage in whatever this is, it is my right to call it out as asshattery.

 

[KokomoDave]

Visibility out of one of those must not be optimal.

 

[snorko]

As an aside, by golly tires have gone up in price! I last bought tires for my then 2005 Subaru Outback around early 2018. I seem to remember the total being around $650ish. Got new ones for my now Forester today and the total is around $975.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I’m guessing it’s simply aesthetics. Kind of like the cars/trucks all blacked out. I’ve seen some I like but I’m too old I guess for it to be appealing to me, as a general rule.

 

[BR8818]

New trucks have bigger brakes 18" is probably the smallest wheel you could use. I'm sure w/t packages have smaller diameter rotors so 17" is probably the smallest on those.

 

[eric001]

Why Would They Put Low Profile Tires And Wheels On Trucks?​

I'll give you the same answer I normally give when someone asks "Why did/would they...?"

Standard Response #1: Because they're stupid.

Most who know me already expect that answer. But on the bright side, I'm almost never wrong with that one!!

 

[BigRed]

Most trucks are for show, not go.

There's a lot of all hat no cattle out there.

 

[HoughMade]

While we're at it, lets all $#!t on the "Carolina Squat".

 

[BR8818]

While we're at it, lets all $#!t on the "Carolina Squat".

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Haha, you see the video of the guy "ghost ridin" his Carolina squat and it ran over his his leg? Wish I could find the vid.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

While we're at it, lets all $#!t on the "Carolina Squat".

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I've had mine sit almost like that when I had a yard and a half of mulch in the back.

 

[littletommy]

Last October, we were in Daytona and apparently there was some sort of truck rally going on. I’ve never seen so many absolutely useless vehicles in my life. Some of them had floorboards at least 48 inches off the ground, and those stupid gigantic wheels with tires that had about an inch of sidewall.

And apparently, pearlescent gold is all the rage at the moment, I probably saw 200-300 trucks with that hideous, urine yellow paint.

 

[cg21]

The same reason hotrod guys buy fancy paint Harley guys buy chrome tuners buy exhaust . cars / vehicles are fun like guns people enjoy modifying just as we have “work” guns and guns that are extra same concept.

 

[HoughMade]

I've had mine sit almost like that when I had a yard and a half of mulch in the back.

HoughMade did the Valpo squat with a 6'x6' concrete pad and 54" concrete block fire ring in the back.

 

[HoughMade]

Haha, you see the video of the guy "ghost ridin" his Carolina squat and it ran over his his leg? Wish I could find the vid.

Can we all agree that its when you are trying too hard to be "cool", that's when things go sideways?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Can we all agree that its when you are trying too hard to be "cool", that's when things go sideways?

Tik Tok... bringing "Hey y'all, watch this!" to the masses...

 

[thunderchicken]

While we're at it, why do all the manufacturers think every newer truck needs like 15" of tire clearance? Moat people, even taller 6'+ guys have trouble climbing in without a step of some kind.
Remember when an average guy could reach over the aide of the bed to grab stuff? That isn't happening anymore. We got some new Chevy trucks at work and they have a step made into the sides of the bed now in addition to the steps on the back bumper and the steps to climb into the cab. Not to mention they are a ***** to put on a lift.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

While we're at it, why do all the manufacturers think every newer truck needs like 15" of tire clearance? Moat people, even taller 6'+ guys have trouble climbing in without a step of some kind.
Remember when an average guy could reach over the aide of the bed to grab stuff? That isn't happening anymore. We got some new Chevy trucks at work and they have a step made into the sides of the bed now in addition to the steps on the back bumper and the steps to climb into the cab. Not to mention they are a ***** to put on a lift.

I used to have a set of step bars on my truck but they rusted off. I'm 5'7" and it gets harder to climb in my truck every day.

 

[tv1217]

A lot of people don't buy trucks to do truck things, they just want the imposing presence on the road.