2021 Dodge Challenger
The 2021 Dodge Challenger is a roaring muscle car with so many different levels to choose from. The base SXT and GT sit at the bottom of the rung, equipped with a 3.6L Pentastar V6. From there, the R/T, SRT, Scat Pack, Super Stock and Hellcat all use HEMI V8 engines, with the latter using a supercharger to push out 707 horsepower right off the showroom floor. With a minimum of 400 lb-ft of torque across the V8 lineup, the 2021 Challenger will easily burn rubber.
Getting Proper Grip
R/T Scat Pak, Hellcat and SRT Super Stock models are factory equipped with high-performance tires that are ready to rocket down the dragstrip. The rest of the Challenger models, however, are equipped with a variety of all-season or mild street performance tires. Upgrading the tires on your 2021 Challenger can have a three-fold effect.
- Improved acceleration
- Better cornering
- Reduced braking distances
Thus, knowing that, selecting the right tire for your application is crucial to how your Challenger will perform. All-season tires: These tires feature a harder compound and moderate asymetrical tread that make them versatile in both wet and dry conditions. They offer good longevity however do not offer particularly special performance in any category. Steet performance: Much better suited for a 2021 Challenger than all-season, street performance tires have softer compounds for better dry-surface grip, yet retain large lateral and circumfenterial groves to deal with wet weather. General performance tires are capable of working in cooler weather. A sub-category, called summer, exists, where the tire compound is even softer and formulated specifically to work in warm weather. Any performance branded tire, due to their softer compound, will wear down at a greater rate than a more traditional all-season or touring tire. Track performance: Reserved for Challengers that need the best performance at the track, a drag radial is a super soft tire with sufficient tread and groove density to make them street legal. With stiffer sidewalls over an all-out slick, street radial tires can get you to the track and back, but they aren't meant for hard cornering, cold weather or wet weather operation. They are intended for excellent performance down the quarter-mile.
Picking Big Wheels
Factory Challengers come with a range of wheel sizes, ranging from 18x8 all the way up to 20x11 inches. The latter is only found on Widebody Challengers, as the fender flares on those models extend out far enough to house an 11-inch wide wheel. Otherwise, the next biggest wheel found on a factory 2021 Challenger is a 20x9.5. Don't take this to mean you are limited to only these sizes. As the aftermarket often does, they have figured out ways to cram huge wheels and tires into the wheel well, giving these already musuclar looking cars an even more menacing appearance. When selecting an aftermarket wheel, style is quite important, and so is fitment. In regards to the latter, it is imperative you double check that the wheel that has caught your eye will actually fit. Select brake and suspension packages can change the room available in the wheel well and thereby affect the fitment of a wheel. Improper geometry may have the wheel rub or not sit properly on the hub at all. One last area to address is weight. Larger wheels do weigh more, which can indeed effect how the car accelerates. However, a lot of this is mitigated by the recent use of aluminum in wheel construction. Previously, wheels were often made of magnesium, but now more and more we are seeing aftermarket manufacturers switch to aluminum wheels. This saves weight yet retains the strength necessary to support the car. Further, the natural properties of aluminum make it impervious to rust and resistant to corrosion, thereby making them a great choice when considering longevity.
