Through your driving experience, you may experience a change in the way your car handles, this can be caused by several factors. Some of these include your tyre pressure, suspension settings, steering wheel position and even the type of tyres that are installed on your vehicle. It’s important to understand these common factors and how you can overcome these problems.
Road conditions
The first factor to consider is the conditions of the road. For example, if you’re driving on a smooth road with no potholes or other obstacles, then your car will handle better than if you were driving on an uneven road with lots of bumps and dips. If there are fewer dips and bumps on the road, your tyres have less distance to travel over each pothole, which results in the car being easier to steer and control.
However, if you happen to be driving on a road with many potholes, it will be harder for your tyres to cover these distances quickly enough. Therefore, your tyres are travelling longer distances over each dip, which means they’ll spend more time going up and down. This will make the car harder to handle and could damage your tyres and suspension as well.
Tyre type and condition of the tyre
Your tyres can also have an impact on how your car handles, whether it’s the tyre type or the condition of the tyres. If you have low-profile tyres, this can boost a car’s handling. The shorter sidewalls aren’t as flexible as the taller ones on high-profile tyres, which means the car doesn’t roll and bounce about quite as much.
The difference between low-profile and high-profile tyres is visually obvious, as there’s a lot more tyre sidewall before you get to the wheel. 4x4s and basic cars tend to use high-profile tyres as they need the extra height to help protect the wheels from damage on rough terrain. Low-profile tyres have more contact with the road and stability due to their larger tread widths, so you’ll notice sports cars and other high-performance vehicles using low-profile tyres as they require a high level of handling.
Low-profile tyres tend to wear out faster than high-profile tyres but manufacturers are constantly evolving the patterns to ensure longevity. Check out our full range of tyres and explore different types of tyres so you can find tyres that suit your needs.
Car suspension
Your car’s suspension system plays a vital role in how well your car handles. If you have a good suspension system then you will be guaranteed a comfortable ride whilst being able to absorb small bumps and turbulence without causing damage to the bodywork. However, if you’re suffering from a flawed suspension then you might not have the most comfortable driving experience, and your car could suffer from damage to the bodywork. You might also experience a car that’s more unstable and challenging to drive. This is because wheel alignment can only be achieved when your suspension is in good condition.
If you’re concerned about your wheel alignment, then you should get your car booked in for a check. If you notice your tyres wearing down fast and you’re starting to feel every bump in the road, or your vehicle is getting harder to turn, you may need to get your suspension system checked.
Brakes
One of the most important components of your vehicle is your brakes, so it’s important that these are in full working order. If you have faulty brakes then this can affect the handling of your car, which will put your safety at risk. In this instance, your brake rotors will be the main offender.
Your brake rotors are the discs that are attached to the front wheels of your car. The brake pads will clamp down on the brake rotors which will prevent the wheels from turning. You can experience various issues if your brake rotors are faulty, such as delayed braking, which will affect your vehicle handling and could also put you in danger.
There are other factors that can impact car handling, these include:
- Tyre pressure (you should check your tyre pressure regularly, especially before travelling on a long journey).
- Steering wheel position.
- Weight distribution.
- Aerodynamics
If you want your vehicle to accelerate, corner, brake and perform to its highest standard, then your handling needs to be perfect. Unfortunately, several factors can impact the direction and stability of your vehicle. This is why you should always be cautious, and if you’re worried about your car’s performance, you should get it booked in for a check.