Cars are incredibly complex machines, but that doesn’t stop some people from making their own modifications to them. While some modifications are not only useful but can even improve your car’s performance, there are many that make your car perform worse or even make it more dangerous to drive. Choosing a different tire size can affect your transmission and reduce your fuel efficiency, for example.
Below, we detail 3 car modifications that only make your vehicle worse off and aren’t a good idea to install.
Using Stretched Tires
Generally speaking, it’s best to leave your tires alone for modifications unless you’re getting ones that are of better quality or replacing old ones. Stretched tires are a key example of this. They are usually installed in 1 of 2 ways:
- Putting narrower tires on the stock wheels
- Putting stock size tires (or larger) on even wider wheels
Both negatively affect your handling and reduce your ability to control the car. Plus, you’ll also wear down your tires much faster as tire sidewalls aren’t designed to stretch out.
Modifying Your Car to Have Stiff Springs
While some cars set up for racing do have stiffer springs to improve their aerodynamics, the racetrack they drive on is flat and smooth. Stiffer springs here make sense as they can better min/max the performance of a car.
Naturally, this isn’t the case if you’re using the car you’re modifying as a daily driver. Roads and highways have potholes, bumps, road imperfections, and patch jobs that all will impact your car’s driving. Having a softer suspension means your car is able to handle these bumps much better and reduce wear and tear on your vehicle as a whole. A softer suspension also provides additional grip as cars are less likely to bounce and lose traction after going over a hard bump.
Setting Your Car Up With Slammed Suspension
Speaking of suspension, even if it makes your vehicle look like one from the Fast and Furious movies, having a slammed suspension is just a bad idea. “Slammed suspension” refers to reducing your suspension as low as possible for both looks and aerodynamics.
This makes any bump feel like a mountain since the suspension springs don’t have as much ability to absorb any potholes or road imperfections. It might look cool, but it’s like trying to fix lumps in your mattress by beating them with a baseball bat. Sure it might fix the lumps, but you’ll have other problems that will affect you in the long run. It also means that any parking lot with speed bumps is either going to get you stuck or totally scrape and damage the underside of your car going over them.
Overall, be cautious when making any kind of modifications to your vehicle. If you’re ever unsure of how a mod will affect your car, speak to a mechanic first to get professional advice on whether or not it’s a good idea for your needs.
If you’re looking for one of the best and easiest mods that will noticeably help your car’s handling, buy better quality tires. Not only will you have a smoother ride, but you’ll also improve your car’s grip.