We watch cars decorated big wheels. The huge radius of the disks looks impressive, even frightening. It is obvious to everyone - there is a predator on the road. However, be aware: this is practical. How good are the large wheels, consider in more detail.

When purchasing a new “horse”, many people think for a minute, maybe they can install discs on a larger vehicle. The list of services has the ability to install a couple of inches larger radius. However, the brake system will have to change. For adequate operation of the brakes, it is necessary to modify the length of the brake pipes and hoses.

Plunge into the chronicle

If we consider the chronicle of the change of the wheel parameters, two currents will be found. At first, the wheels became smaller in size, a little later, the landing and outer radius increased actively. Let's plunge into historical reports. The cars that appeared first wore huge wheels.

You know, on the Mercedes Simplex, the “wheels” were mounted 910 by 90 and 1020 by 120 on the rear axles. The radius is almost 80 inches! The landing size was over 20 inches. This is already back in 1902.

Large wheels have a good impact flotation car. Each car was, in theory, an SUV. This is not to drive on the asphalt road! The roads, or more precisely the paths, were country, with various hummocks and pits. The wheels were previously with thin rims. Wide wheels will begin to manufacture much later. Profile height will remain at least 70 percent of the width. Until then, as long as the diagonal tires will not take the place of the radial.

Wheels on such cars were, of course, made of wood. Only in the latest issues there was an innovation - a stamped steel disc. Some time has passed. The shiny spoked wheels became popular.

Half a century later ... In the 50s, cars drove on thin narrow wheels. The diameter has become smaller. Passenger cars were no longer required to wade along such broken paths. Car Moskvich 402 rode wheels 5.6 to 15. The same applied to many models of the car "Lada". The smallest radii of the wheels went to cars from the 70s to the 90s. The diameter of the landing was smaller - 13-14 inches. The dimension of the tire section slowly decreased to 75, and later to 65 percent.

After a while there is steady increase in wheel size. Tire radii have become larger and on the smallest cars - up to 30 inches. The most popular disc diameters are 16. There is no way to say that the obvious destruction of the roads has become the reason, but because of the need to increase the traffic. Maybe it just became fashionable?

One fashion can not explain the focus on increasing the size. A car with large wheels looks spectacular and attractive. At least, it looks more like designer sketches than a typical copy. Developing a beautiful disc design in such a situation is much more interesting. There are, however, reasonable grounds for the growth of the wheels.

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You probably know about cars called "lowrider". They are famous for their lowered modified suspension. So, the installation of large wheels is not an expensive and simple transformation, which allows to reveal the accent of the lowrider style.

Often elevated wheels need increased wheel arches. Especially if the wheels work together with a lowered suspension. Sometimes large wheels put decorative rims arches with a metallic sheen. It looks extremely impressive. At the same time, larger wheels require thinner tires. It is fashionable to decorate decorative frames of arches with cool design solutions, according to the type: futuristic or strict form of arch bulge or airbrush.

Is the wheel with the maximum outer diameter better?

On the one hand, yes. Because the contact area of ​​the tire and road will increase. Even without making the tire softer, it is possible to expand the plane of contact with the road surface, reducing the curvature of the wheel itself at the point of touch. You may not feel the difference, but this solves two problems:

1. Improved traction wheels and tracks. Reduced braking distance will increase the driving safety in general.
2. Increased profitability. You can use the tire with high pressure and not be afraid of deterioration of traction with the track of the wheel.

In turn, increasing the operating pressure of the tire will allow more precise driving. Coordination machines will be better. The breaking of the sidewall of the machine wheel will decrease. But this is the main problem of pneumatic tires. Increased lateral load on the machine wheels leads to a curvature of the contact patch, deterioration of the optimal tread shape. Strength deteriorates, in this situation, when part of the tire simply loses contact with the plane of the road.

Under the term "Breaking down" implies a situation in which the sidewall of the tire due to overload loses its shape. In this case, the tire comes in contact with the track by the side, the treadmill is not practically not put into operation. The wheel is depressurized with a tire. As a result, road grip is almost completely lost.

Patency is also getting much better. This is due to the increased length of the wedge seal. This is the name of the zone, within which the loose ground of the road does not fly apart in the axles, but gains strength by bending under the wheel. Ground clearance and visibility also increases due to larger wheels.

The disadvantages of a large outer wheel diameter

Unfortunately, it is impossible to simply increase the size of the wheel to improve grip. Dwell on effects of increasing diameter. First of all, now the wheels will become heavier than usual, standard ones. Consumption of rubber and metal will also increase.

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The weight of the wheel and parts of the suspension arms will increase. Such a mass is called "unsprung." All this makes uncomfortable grip with the track. In the back of the reserve will take much more space, creating along the harmful air turbulence. The big wheel is actually softer than usual.This negatively affects the car’s handling.

With drawbacks active struggle is quite possible.

The seat diameter of the tire continues to grow.

It’s clear that a larger wheel has advantages in grip, only if the side surface does not break and does not lose shape in a turn, the rigidity of the rim helps to avoid its bending under the influence of the lateral load. In other words, the negative effects of a wheel's mass increase will most likely not be able to outweigh the positive ones.

By reducing the height of the tires, we found a way out. This was the reason to make more landing diameter. Opposition to transverse forces was better due to the fact that the height of the sidewall was minimized. The wheel is tougher, unlike rubber. The light-alloy disk, in turn, has a stiffness greater than steel. So the total weight of the tire + disk will be slightly less.

In addition, increasing the size of the internal diameter of the tire, namely the diameter of the disk, is extremely optimal for the brake mechanism. Because of the design features, disc brakes are most often placed inside the wheel disk. The size of the disc, as a result, imposes restrictions on the dimensional parameters of the brake disc as well as the caliper. The cooling of the brakes is faster and better, due to their size. In addition, it will provide a smooth slowdown, among other advantages.

Low profile tires. Disadvantages…

There are no perfect technical solutions. Lowering the profile of the tire, and increasing the bore diameter, we acquire our disadvantages of such a solution. Rolling stiffness and vibration are waiting for us while reducing the cross section of the “rubber layer”. The body of the car and the suspension have much more jolts and blows.

Affects and increase the pressure of the machine wheel in the work. From this it will be tougher. The tire will cost more due to the increased demands on the strength of the sidewall and the difficulty of retaining the shape of a wide machine tire with low sides.

With the minuses of rubber low profiles cope new suspension and modern shock absorbers. However, the fact is indisputable: high profile provides the car with the best comfort.

Expensive factory big wheels

Service centers offer the option to install a larger wheel drive. However, the cost of such pleasure is extremely high. Why, then, the price of a set of branded disks from a reseller costs less. Why so and where is the catch?

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The fact is that the service also includes adjustment of the suspension parameters, as well as the brake system. Put the brake systems and shock absorbers, made specifically for the wheels, heavier than usual. Put the winter set with discs a couple inches less on this car will not work. Smaller tires won't fit such a caliper.

Let's sum up

Advantages of large wheels:

• The car will increase handling.
• The dynamics of acceleration will be better, and the stopping distance will be less on the road.
• Attractive and bold exterior car.
• By increasing the outer diameter of the tire, the throughput becomes much better.
• The brake system is replaced by the one that is more powerful.
• Review from the driver's seat will be much better.

Disadvantages of large wheels:

• Load on the part of vibrations. The smoothness of the course is clearly getting worse.
• Holding the steering wheel, you will notice that the vibrations and noises have become more.
• Possible decrease in the dynamics of the car with a weak engine, deterioration of tire contact with the road surface on uneven surfaces The suspension and the wheel are much easier to do damage.
• Cost a pretty penny. The cost of such a disk and tires more than usual.

Popularity gained recently discs. According to the technology we are all familiar with, the wheel rim is made. But on the vintage, obviously, strengthens the special durable plastic. Plastic is completely transparent. All the stuffing can be seen through such a veil. Some even manage to push there LED wiring, turning the wheel turns a luminous pattern. Like translucent plastic, the diode can be installed in a color that you like.

Large wheels on the car look very nice, especially with decorative rims arches. There are many different ideas to decorate the new large wheels of your favorite car.

Whatever you choose to put your wheels, remember, the main thing is a safe ride!

And if you still continue to dream of having the biggest wheels in the world, then watch this video and think about whether you are trying in vain: