Which Tyres Are Better for Drifting?

Tyres are the most important part in a drifting race, and in driving. After all, without the tyres, you will not be able to drive the car to the track. Not all tyres can be used for this sport though, and there has to be a specific style to help you show off to your friends.

It is important for drifting tyres to fit the car that you are driving. The speed is a great factor that helps you to get the right braking force thus allowing you to leave your mark on the track. But if you have the incredible speed, you also need to have the right size tyres.

Most people don’t know that there are two different sets of tyres that need to be used for this sport. Many drifting racers understand that each set has its own use in this one sport.

Make sure to purchase the right tyres for the back of the car. You would mainly be looking for a low profile style, in other words a tyre with a small sidewall, wide enough to have maximum amount of surface area in contact with the track tar, and a shallow tread for minimum amount of friction so that you can pursue the drift. It’s also important for these low profiles to have high pressure to hold the sidewalls in place during the drift.

The front tyres need to have a deep tread because there has to be something that grips onto the tar whilst in drifting mode. You will notice that as the handbrake gets pulled up, it’s the rear wheels that look like they are slipping out but if it wasn’t for the front wheels having a deep tread, your car would likely be flipped.

Bias-ply tyres are an important factor for this sport. The layered rubber strengthens the handling of the car and takes form of the different bumps and potholes allowing for a safer drive. You will find that these are found at many tyre importers.

If a drifting car has radial tyres installed, this could usually lead to the sidewall bending as the car puts pressure onto the rubber. This could be dangerous at the speed the drifting racer is going.

When purchasing a tyre for your drifting races, make sure that you do the proper research. The tyres have to work with the track but also with the speed of your car. If you don’t buy the correct parts, you have a high chance of damaging more than the car.

A1 Wheel and Tyre is a private family owned and operated company specialising in the warehouse and distribution of wheels and tyres to the automotive fitment trade. The company has a well established operation in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Visit our website for details and images of our mag wheel range.