Love handles look better on cars than men, again it is my observation and maybe it’s actually vice versa.
But I’m sure most of you will agree with me that many rally cars and high performance race cars having bulges at the sides do look cool. Needless to say, these “love handles” derived from Wide Body Car Modification Kits serve a real purpose.
Wide Wheels for Cars – Advantages
While cars with wider wheels get better grip and traction, you also get better grip with a larger distance between the wheels. Imagine a car with wheels further apart, protruding at the sides kicking up stones all over and threatening pedestrians with imminent contact. The bulges are an effective attempt to contain the wider track and wide wheels, while simultaneously taking care of the safety aspect.
Aerodynamics do play a part here and the area between the wide arches needs to be planned carefully. Most cars with wide arches match this with skirts that run the length of the car. Most road safety standards specify that the entire width of the tyre must be contained. Whether this is accomplished with mud guards or wide body kits depends on the type of car you have and your ‘taste buds’. Wide body kits can make a car look great providing that your wheels fill the arches nicely. Use spacers and (or) fit wider wheels.
It is pretty pointless fitting a wide bodykit to a car if there is going to be a big gap between the wheel and the outside of the arch. The aim is to get the wheel to fill the arch. There are two methods to achieve this and many show car owners employ them both.
Body Kit and Spacers
Firstly you can get spacers. These are thick metal disks which bolt on to the hub and push the wheel out a little further. A spacer will help provide clearance for brakes in situations where the offset does not match the car. The second method is by fitting wheels which are physically wider. The more adventurous enthusiast may even alter the hubs and fit a wider rear axle.
Often the next size car up with provide a suitable donor. Remember that when changing the geometry of the wheel you should get the suspension realigned and set up correctly. You also need to check that there is sufficient clearance around the wheel when the bodykitis fitted although a wide body kit will usually improve the clearance issue.
Fitting Wide Body Kits
Wide body kits come in parts which have to be seamlessly attached to the car [3]. Typically you can rivet them on or apply fixing studs and then finish with a smoothing compound. Front arches can also be purchased as replacement panels making the job as easy as bolting on a new wing. The last thing you want though is to scrape the side of the car on a post or wall so keep the body kit at least in line with the width of your mirrors. If you do scratch the car, you can get professional vehicle paints for scratches on the bumper without having to respray the entire car, so it isn’t the end of the world.
You could always fit wider mirrors and you will appreciate the marker your mirrors give you. Some kits require skirts to be fitted first, others require the arches first and some will require the removal of the front and rear bumpers. Take your time, lay out the parts and plan every aspect of the job in detail.
