Some vehicle owners choose to stretch their tyres for aesthetic reasons. Tyre stretching offers no performance benefits and can be dangerous.
Are Stretched Tyres Safe?
Stretching something over a surface that’s wider than is meant for can sound quite risky. With that said, safety highly depends on the amount of stretch you decide to use. Some of the most commonly reported issues are increased risks of blowouts, curbing the alloy, and deflating tyres.
Tyres are engineered so that the bead is 90 degrees perpendicular of the bead seat area. When you stretch tyres this bead is not seated properly and this results in a poor seal. If you hit something like a pothole this can cause sudden tyre deflation.
Stretching isn’t good for your tyres durability and can cause irregular tread wear.
The Legality of Tyre Stretching
Stretched tyres have become quite popular over the last few years among car enthusiasts. In legal terms, it’s neither here nor there as it fits into a “grey” area since there is no concrete law against it.
With that said you are bound to have some difficulty with your car insurance, especially if you don’t inform them of the modification. They may even reject/void your insurance and refuse to insure your vehicle.
If anything, keep the stretch minimal and look for acceptable ranges as per the tyre manufacturer you are working with.
