A staggered fitment is thought to increase handling and performance for specific vehicles and applications. Staggered fitments are specifically meant for rear-wheel drive vehicles and are often seen in performance or racing sports.
Sometimes, drivers understandably get staggered fitments confused with wheel offset and backspacing, which is the wheel's ideal position on a specific vehicle's mounting surface.
Sometimes, staggered fitments will be from wheels and tires of different diameters and it is the difference in width that creates the staggered fitment. The most common staggered fitment is with wider tires on the rear axle and narrower ones on the front axle. Wider tires typically go on the rear for performance or aesthetic purposes but also because the fixed rear axle is capable of accommodating much larger tires than the front.
Although often installed as an aesthetic touch to a good-looking car, staggered fitments do provide performance bonuses. Wider tires on the rear axle allow rear-wheel drive high-performance vehicles to get more traction for acceleration. This allows for better handling response from the front axle. Many sport and performance vehicles even come from the factory equipped with staggered wheels and tires.
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Some drivers prefer vehicles without staggered fitments due to the maintenance limitations (such as tire rotations) present in such fitments. Factory vehicles that come with a staggered fit can sometimes be altered to non-staggered, but not always. Changing the fitment can also have an impact on your vehicle's handling characteristics.
We recommend checking with your vehicle's manufacturer before making any changes to the staggered fitment of your ride. There are some pros and cons to a staggered fitment that you should consider before making the change.
Changing to Staggered Wheels and Tires
You can change your vehicle's non-staggered fitment into a staggered one by changing the wheel and/or tire size. You should know, however, that while this may create the look you want it may not have the performance impact you're looking for. Like we previously mentioned, adding a staggered fitment to a non-staggered vehicle can negatively impact your vehicle's handling characteristics, do not allow for normal tire rotations and can decrease the life of your tires.
Most tire manufacturers will reduce the mileage warranty of a tire by up to 50% on a staggered tire application. However, our exclusive Certificates will still cover your staggered tires!
And if you are considering adding staggered wheels, rims or tires to your ride, turn to us. We are your wheel and tire experts and can help you choose the right products for your car, CUV, SUV or truck. Even better, you can save time by making an appointment!
If you have any other questions or need assistance, call or stop by any of our America's Tire locations and we'll get you taken care of! Get a shorter wait time in-store when you buy and book online!