Tires

[SyntheticTrust]

Will putting rims on a car make the handleling any different?

[Inygknok]

yea. bigger rims (if not measured correctly and such) might make the transmission work harder and have longer revs (or shorter but im sure its longer).

if the rims are thicker (to put it simple), then u will have more ground contact, which will provide better grip.

[fudge]

I thought wheels already have rims on them

[SyntheticTrust]

Not mine, mine are hubcaps

[bigdaveangell]

bigger rims wont make the car handle better its better tires that will make the car handle better

[glagon1979]

Originally Posted by fudge

I thought wheels already have rims on them

huh? wheels and rims are the same thing! wheel is the correct term.

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by glagon1979

huh? wheels and rims are the same thing! wheel is the correct term.

Good thing the Hobo isn't here. Do a search on "rims" and look at vwhobo's responses.

The rim is the outer part of the wheel (even though long time companies call the whole thing "rim" depending on what industry you're in).

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by bigdaveangell

bigger rims wont make the car handle better its better tires that will make the car handle better

This is the key. The rubber is where EVERYTHING done to your car makes a difference. Without the right rubber, no suspension settings of modifications OR power modifications will do any good. Those 4 little patches of rubber on the ground is what controls everything else that the car does.

Bigger wheels (in diameter) allow for larger brakes, but even if you're not using larger brakes, it means using tires with smaller sidewalls. Short sidewalls on the tire mean less deflection when cornering or changing direction, making for more stable handling (though it also means less warning when they do lose grip and more difficulty in regaining grip)

Wider wheels means you can use a wider tire. This means that the lateral direction of the contact patch is increased, along the force vector created when cornering. Again, increasing grip.

In all cases, you're trying to optimize the tire contact patch and tire deflection by going with larger wheels, if you're looking for performance gains.

If you don't NEED performance gains, then larger wheels fill up the fenderwels better and make a car look less like it was drawn by a 5 year old. You just have to watch clearance.

Yes, large wheels weigh more and can in fact slow you down slighly. But on a primarily street driven car, the differnce is usually unnoticeable, or at least insignificant.

[BanffAutoSpa_ap]

hey chris you said the rim is the outer part of the wheel, ? is this true, i thought rims were the inner parts and tires or tyres or rubber were the outer part, and a "wheel" is the tyre on the rim in one package, if im wrong please tell me

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by BanffAutoSpa_ap

hey chris you said the rim is the outer part of the wheel, ? is this true, i thought rims were the inner parts and tires or tyres or rubber were the outer part, and a "wheel" is the tyre on the rim in one package, if im wrong please tell me

The tire is not part of the wheel. The WHEEL is the metal part, the tire is the rubber part. The rim is the outer part of a wheel to which the tire is attached.

[BanffAutoSpa_ap]

no im really confused

[Legion5]

Also don't forget, the wider your contact patch, on anything besides unimaginably well preprared road surface, will mean more dust on the wheels, REDUCING traction.

Pretty much stick with what you have, it's the fastest combination, 9 times out of 10 huge rims SLOW DOWN your car.

[car_crazy89]

RIM:


WHEEL:


TIRE:

[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by Legion5

Also don't forget, the wider your contact patch, on anything besides unimaginably well preprared road surface, will mean more dust on the wheels, REDUCING traction.

Where did this info come from? More dust on the wheels reducing traction?

Sorry guy, but that's just made up hogwash.

[Inygknok]

i still dont even get wtf hes talking about.....