Who doesn't like big wheels?

[HertsBiker]

I can't stand massive wheels with low profile tyres, they just don't work well off track. Infact I'd reckon they work less well on track in most cases. Can we have a campaigne to get back to at least 50 section tyres please, preferably 60! Rubber bands round cotton reels is a juvenile hot wheels look. Time for a change back to more sensible, comfortable, cheaper, greener, tyres and wheels?

[Axionknight]

A few weeks ago a friend and I scooted off into the Highlands in our cars, for a weekend of fun - he has a Civic Type R, FN2, on factory option 19" alloys, and on the bumpy, rutted backroads they really made things hard work, the ride was so st that it really dented any confidence I had in the car when we swapped motors, he felt the same will be swapping them out asap

Depending on the application, I do like 'em, but for pressing on and having fun on our crappy British B roads, nah, they aren't good enough.

[V8forweekends]

Who doesn't like big wheels?

Me.

In fact, I prefer steelies, too.

[Tim Farquhar]

I'm not a great fan of big wheels, coupled with low profile tyres. As has been mentioned before, our roads are falling to pieces, and any aid to the suspension system is welcome to me. If low profile tyre were so fantastic for performance cars, why aren't they fitted to formula 1 cars?

[Triumph Man]

I dont like overly large wheels.

[Big Fat Fatty]

Tim Farquhar said:

I'm not a great fan of big wheels, coupled with low profile tyres. As has been mentioned before, our roads are falling to pieces, and any aid to the suspension system is welcome to me. If low profile tyre were so fantastic for performance cars, why aren't they fitted to formula 1 cars?

Pirelli are currently developing 18" tyres for F1, although whether or not they're used depends on the powers that be wanting to use them.

The Formula-e things are already running them.

[Wills2]

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.

[farbbm]

I've gone off them since buying an used E70 BMW X5 with 20 inch wheels on it. Nightmare....they only last 12,000 miles, cost a fortune and are a magnet for any curb in the near vicinty.

A definite case of fashion over function.

[MRobbins1987]

Axionknight said:

A few weeks ago a friend and I scooted off into the Highlands in our cars, for a weekend of fun - he has a Civic Type R, FN2, on factory option 19" alloys, and on the bumpy, rutted backroads they really made things hard work, the ride was so st that it really dented any confidence I had in the car when we swapped motors, he felt the same will be swapping them out asap

Depending on the application, I do like 'em, but for pressing on and having fun on our crappy British B roads, nah, they aren't good enough.

Mine came with 19's horrible things, I swapped for some lighter 18's still horrible, best option is 17's with new suspension or a better car...

[Watchman]

I've deliberately gone up at least one profile number on both of my most recent cars. Can't stand how cars crash along roads on their rubber bands. Stupid fashion on "regular" cars.

[InductionRoar]

Very few scenarios where they look or perform better over their smaller counterparts.

[DUMBO100]

I've hot a Type R FN2 on 18's and the ride is poor but the 19's would upset me. Lots of cars today are designed for the big wheel look. I think it's the designers that need to start being sensible

[TheEnd]

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.

[inabox]

My daily driver runs 10" wheels and the first thing I did with my Clio cup was swap down to 15s. More tyre is generally better in this country IMO.

[m444ttb]

Hand on heart I'd say they mostly look better although now we're going past 18s on a hatchback then they are looking silly a little more often.

When it comes to driving I much prefer a little more tyre. My BMW e36 came on some non-standard 18s running 225/40 tyres. Promptly swapped them back to the standard 16s. This week we've been down in Cornwall in my wife's 2006 Focus ST. A car that would look just as nice but be a lot more pleasant on a set of 17" wheels rather than 18s.

[InductionRoar]

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.

[sjabrown]

14 inch 185/60 on my 205 and it rides the rural roads round here brilliantly.
17 inch 235/45 on my Passat but no option to go down to 16.

[CR6ZZ]

Definitely dislike them. IMHO there is no real justification for wheels over 18 inches. Problem is, as a previous poster has said, we need designers to start going smaller again, or change the fashion. The difficulty with the proliferation of huge wheels on cars, especially performance cars, is that tyre manufacturers cease production of higher profile tyres to fit smaller diameter rims. Try finding a good choice of reasonably priced road legal very wide (295 -335) performance tyres to fit 15" rims these days.

[rallycross]

I agree have had lots of cars with over sized wheels when you put them back to standard they usually drive much better especially if with run flat tyres. Bmw owners seem to be the worst for having too large wheels!

[Olivera]

sjabrown said:

14 inch 185/60 on my 205 and it rides the rural roads round here brilliantly.
17 inch 235/45 on my Passat but no option to go down to 16.

You do realise the height of the sidewall in both cases is roughly the same (within ~5mm). Any difference in ride quality will be primarily due to stiffer springs and damping in the Passat.