How to get the most rubber under your arches

Maximising tyre width through fitment tricks, fender mods, and actual grip gains.

More rubber means more grip. But placing wider tyres under your vehicle is not quite as simple as mounting them and hoping for the best. If you require serious mechanical grip, for the road, the track, or simply to nail the stance - you're going to need to make space for it.

This guide covers the methods that work. From smarter wheel specs to rolled arches and full widebody kits, here's how you can push fitment to the limit without ruining your car. Make sure you use our wheel fitment calculator to get it right before you buy anything.

Start with smart wheel fitment

Before you reach for the grinder, start with the right wheel specs.

• Wider wheels correctly support wider tyres
• Lower offset pushes the wheel outward, giving more inner clearance
• Taller sidewalls can help grip and comfort but must stay within rolling diameter limits

It’s a balancing act. Go too wide or too low on offset and you’ll hit the arch or the strut. Use the wheel fitment calculator to compare your current and proposed setup. You’ll see exactly how far in or out it moves and where clearance might be tight.

Rolling your arches

This is often the first mod people make when tyres start rubbing.

What is it?

Rolling involves flattening your wheel arch inner lip using a heat gun and a fender roller. It provides additional room for the tyre without changing the outer shape.

Why do it?

Stops rubbing when running wider tyres or lower ride heights.

What to watch out for

Old paint may crack. Rust will spread very quickly if disturbed. Always apply heat and be patient.

This mod is simple and tidy, especially for street or lightly modified track cars.

Flaring and pulling arches

When rolling isn’t enough, you’ll need to reshape the arch itself.

• Pulling stretches the metal outward without adding anything
• Flares bolt on or mould in, giving a wider look and more clearance

You can gain 10 to 50 mm of extra room depending on how extreme you go about it. Excellent for wide wheels, lowered offsets, or staggered setups. You'll need body work experience or a shop that knows what they're doing.

The calculator comes in handy here too. If your new setup sticks out 20 mm more than stock, you'll know if you need a flare or not.

Widebody kits and overfenders

Ready to go full send? Widebody is the way to go.

• Engineered for serious grip and serious style
• Lets you fit deep-dish wheels, chunky tyres, and custom suspension setups

You'll still need to get the maths right. Don't trust Instagram photos. Use the calculator to make sure your wheels fit flush, not ridiculous.

Use camber and suspension to your advantage

You can also use alignment tricks to make things fit.

• Negative camber tucks the top of the tyre in
• Adjustable coilovers enable you to fine-tune height and preload
• Control arms and top mounts enable you to shift geometry to fit

These changes affect handling, so don't go wild unless for track use. And remember, too much camber wears tyres unevenly.

And don't forget legality and safety

More rubber is better. But not if you begin shredding sidewalls or failing MOT.

• Tyres must be within the arch in the majority of countries and territories
• Excessive stretch might not pass inspection and is dangerous
• Rubbing under load ruins tyres and can damage arches or wiring

Use the fitment calculator to check poke, tuck, and tyre clearance prior to ordering anything.

Final thoughts

Getting the most rubber on your car is all about smart planning, clean execution, and knowing your limits.

• Start with the right wheel width and offset
• Flare, roll, or widen arches only when needed
• Use suspension mods to gain clearance without compromise
• Always test the setup first with the wheel fitment calculator

When it's set up right, the car grips harder, looks more aggressive, and feels absolutely dialled in. No rubbing. No guesswork. Just max contact patch and total confidence.

Frequently asked questions