The difference between the tallest tires that you can actually drive/steer , and the shortest you might consider, is about 10%. And that is the speed-o-meter difference as well. That might be close to 3 inches in diameter/ 1.5 in ride height. 10% just happens to also be the approximate difference in rear gear steps from 2.20s to 4.30s; with 3.73s and 4.10s being half-steps.
On a personal note;
But I'm not a fan of the looks of a short tire on a wagon, if it ends up with a huge empty space above the tire. But I do like Big-N-Littles, with only a lil rake.
As for brakes, I was referring to the fact that small tires have small contact-patches that are easy to lock up. And since the front tires are supposed to be doing about 85% of the stopping, once they are skating you can neither steer nor stop, which is a baaaad situation.
For best most reliable repeatable stopping, a long narrow patch is preferred. A same-sized wide patch is heavily dependent on the right rim width, the right air pressure, and the integrity of the braking surface. Not to mention, as soon as they are not pointed in the direction of travel, the tire rolls over and the contact-patch shrinks.
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That last one I have had lots of experience with, to the point that whatever car I am driving, when it starts to plow, heading for the curb, my arms are instinctively turning the steering wheel into the direction of the plow, before my foot smashes the brake pedal. The car WILL mount the curb, that's a given. But maybe I can save the wheel and not tear the BJ apart. Then when she hits or just before, I release the pedal and let her roll up and over the curb. If I'm lucky, I'll be driving home. But if not; tires are cheap compared to the rest.
Practice, practice, practice ..........