3 Things You Need to Know About Installing Aftermarket Rims

Tyres are a crucial part of everyday driving. Tyres affect factors like a comfortable ride, brakes, road noises, and many more. Do you still have your old, standard STI wheels? You can install aftermarket rims to upgrade your wheels and give them a different look. Here are three things that you need to know about installing aftermarket rims.

1.     Check the correct wheel size.

When you upgrade your WRX wheels, make sure the new wheels have the same diameter as the old ones. If you get new wheels with different diameters, you can face problems like incorrect speedometer readings, reduced performance, and altered gear ratios. Furthermore, if traction control and ABS are compromised, wheels of varying diameters might make your vehicle less safe. So, it is not a great idea to change the diameter of the wheels.

2.     Check the rim size.

Apart from changing diameter, some people also tend to buy larger wheels with a thinner tire, which keeps the total wheel size the same. It may look less harmful than altering the total diameter of the wheel, but we don't recommend it to you. Skinny tires are expensive, and your ride will most likely be considerably less smooth and comfortable. You must also get the fitting of the WRX rims verified and measured properly to ensure that the wheels do not interfere with the braking or suspension components while you turn.

Also, remember that different cars have different wheels like some cars have standard symmetrical all-wheel drive while the others have two-wheel-drive cars. Some things, which may not seem correct for two-wheel-drive cars, like having the front and rear wheels with different directions, may fit correctly with all-wheel drive cars.

3.     Get high-quality parts.

Getting wheels that look good is not hard. But getting wheels of high quality is not easy. You can find many aftermarket rims with a sleek and polished design, but they cannot always withstand the demands of regular driving. Therefore, we recommend you to shop around, research, and only buy high-quality expert-approved wheels. 

Also, take note that if you want to upgrade your wheels, don't do it on your own as it is a complicated process. We suggest you get the job done in a service shop by expert technicians.