Who doesn't like big wheels?

[Mr Gear]

TheEnd said:

HertsBiker said:

I can't stand massive wheels with low profile tyres,

Is there anything modern you do actually like?

Gears are all wrong
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Modern design is horrible
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I hate technology
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Cars have too much traction electronics
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...



There are old cars out there, all you need to do is buy one.

[xRIEx]

Tim Farquhar said:

If low profile tyre were so fantastic for performance cars, why aren't they fitted to formula 1 cars?

Because F1 cars run very trick brakes that don't need 19" wheels to fit over large brake discs.

[Poopipe]

A large part of the reason a lot of cars with big wheels ride badly is wheel weight - another part is st damping. Tyre profile shouldnt really be making a massive difference on a road car imo

[Wills2]

xRIEx said:

Tim Farquhar said:

If low profile tyre were so fantastic for performance cars, why aren't they fitted to formula 1 cars?

Because F1 cars run very trick brakes that don't need 19" wheels to fit over large brake discs.

It's also dictated in the regs as well from what I've read it has nothing to do with it being a better solution.

[HertsBiker]

TheEnd said:

HertsBiker said:

I can't stand massive wheels with low profile tyres,

Is there anything modern you do actually like?

Gears are all wrong
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Modern design is horrible
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I hate technology
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Cars have too much traction electronics
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...



There are old cars out there, all you need to do is buy one.

I start threads and try to get people talking. What point are you making with the old car comment? I'm sure there are plenty of things you don't like, should I stalk you and take notes? Try starting some discussions and stop worrying about other people. For the record I've got a comfy car with the right wheels on it now and I stand by my previous comments. Hope that's ok with you, that I've got permission etc. and I've even avoided calling you a knob despite thinking you're being one for writing what you've written. Old cars are cool, but not always for high mileage.

[jamieduff1981]

Depends on the car.

I like them on sporty saloon type cars. I don't like 22" blingers on a white Range Rover.

[IanCress]

There's an advert in our local paper every week for a new Astra GTC. 1.4T Sport or SRi or some other mildly sporty derivative. It comes with 20" wheels! On an Astra! Wouldn't want to be paying to replace all of them at the same time.

[Mr SFJ]

My old car came with 14" wheels, and the ride was lovely, a little undersprung so it rolled, but was a pleasant drive, my new car with 205/45/17 tyres a lot firmer, but the ride is still acceptable, but very firm, and does get uncomfortable and very bumpy roads. But it's a warm hatch, it's not a distance cruiser, otherwise I would buy an SE spec Beamer or Merc. Or even a Citroen.

[kambites]

My objection is more to heavy wheels than big ones, although they very often go together.

[swisstoni]

Big wheels look better. Check any concept car ever.

[Dodsy]

The wheels/tyres help a bit but mostly the issue is with the suspension. My Jag has 20" Wheels and air suspension and it glides over most stuff. I actually thought it was quite a rough ride as it has the sports version of the shockers but then I went out in my wifes Golf and you feel every bump and lump and shes on 16" wheels. She drove my Jag down one of the roads she uses a lot in the Golf and she was amazed that she couldnt feel any bumps , ridges etc.

So IME the tyre profile makes a difference where the general suspension quality is poor .

Special mention to my Merc SLK with sports suspension and 18" wheels. Fab handling but you could drive over a coin and tell if it was heads or tails its that firm. Not a car I'd want to drive long distance.

[XJSJohn]

my pickup has 16" rims and some great big doughnuts for tires wrapped around them, bounces down the road lovely, even with its cart springs at the back!!

[TurboHatchback]

Smaller wheels are better. My Golf came with the optional 18s, I swapped them for standard 17s and now it drives better, rides better, is quieter, seems a bit better on fuel and I'm less worried about curbing them.

Personally I would go for the smallest standard wheel option available on any given car. The wheels need to be big enough to fit over the brakes but any bigger usually makes things worse.

[juansolo]

Wills2 said:

You need good damping to go with big wheels Porsche manage it as do BMW on their M cars.

My old 911 and M3's were great on Yorkshire B roads, soaked up the bumps nicely.

Porsche have only managed it recently. Mine is on the smallest wheels that fit because on the big ones it came with it the ride was intolerable.

[juansolo]

Wills2 said:

xRIEx said:

Tim Farquhar said:

If low profile tyre were so fantastic for performance cars, why aren't they fitted to formula 1 cars?

Because F1 cars run very trick brakes that don't need 19" wheels to fit over large brake discs.

It's also dictated in the regs as well from what I've read it has nothing to do with it being a better solution.

The 18" wheels Pirelli tested on the Lotus were heavier than the 13" wheels. That's unsprung weight that puts gyroscopic forces on the suspension/steering. The reason Pirelli want bigger wheels is for marketing as road wheels are big. Even their press release made a big deal about how good they looked with only a small penalty in extra weight... Their definition of small I suspect might be different to Ferrari/RedBull/McLaren/etc

[V8KSN]

Big (heavy) wheels were explained to me this way....

Imagine how much slower Usain Bolt would run if he had to wear divers boots to run the 100m.

Rotational g-forces have a massive effect on unsprung weight and in turn, an effect on the damping forces required to counteract that shifting weight.

[JamesD1]

Like anything with a motor car its all down to taste and application.

O/H's car has 18" wheels, at first I thought they were huge and gouing to ruin the ride etc. now they look perfectly proportioned and doesn't ruin the ride like i'd half expected them too.

On the other hand on my last 2 sporty(ish) cars i've downsized the wheels to 16" and 15". My recent purchase has 15's and they are more than adequate.

[TheEnd]

HertsBiker said:

TheEnd said:

HertsBiker said:

I can't stand massive wheels with low profile tyres,

Is there anything modern you do actually like?

Gears are all wrong
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Modern design is horrible
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I hate technology
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Cars have too much traction electronics
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...



There are old cars out there, all you need to do is buy one.

I start threads and try to get people talking. What point are you making with the old car comment? I'm sure there are plenty of things you don't like, should I stalk you and take notes? Try starting some discussions and stop worrying about other people. For the record I've got a comfy car with the right wheels on it now and I stand by my previous comments. Hope that's ok with you, that I've got permission etc. and I've even avoided calling you a knob despite thinking you're being one for writing what you've written. Old cars are cool, but not always for high mileage.

And?
You got me talking, so wasn't that your point? Mission accomplished then?

You tend to stand out as someone spitting out the old hackneyed rose-tinted glasses stuff, everything was better in the old days, and it gets tiring to see someone moaning again and again.

[DJP]

It's horses for courses I guess. I'd expect big(ish) wheels on a performance car but they're starting to look a bit silly on the bread and butter models.

Our daily driver rides nicely on it's 16” wheels – one of the reasons why we chose it.

But when we were looking around for the car it was amazing how many basic models came with 17 or 18” wheels as standard.

Aside from anything else, who wants to pay £200 per corner for tyres on a shopping trolley?

It's madness.

[Wills2]

juansolo said:

Wills2 said:

You need good damping to go with big wheels Porsche manage it as do BMW on their M cars.

My old 911 and M3's were great on Yorkshire B roads, soaked up the bumps nicely.

Porsche have only managed it recently. Mine is on the smallest wheels that fit because on the big ones it came with it the ride was intolerable.

Can't speak for the older stuff but my 2009 C2S on 19" had a wonderful ride/handling balance, firm of course but never crashy and very well damped.