Are bigger car wheels better than small wheels? This is a question that most car owners have probably asked themselves at one point in time. The answer to this question however is not as straight forward as most people would have liked. There are very many things to consider before saying objectively that one of the two types of car wheels is better than the other. Large car wheels have their advantages and disadvantages and so do small car wheels. In order to help answer the question “Are bigger car wheels better than small wheels?” it is important to first look at the advantages of each type of wheels. We will start with the big wheels.
Advantages of Big Wheels
The easiest and most common way of customizing your car is by putting larger wheels and tyres. The large wheels will make your vehicle look trendier and more upscale. Other than the increased visual appeal that comes with large, high quality tyres. Here are some other benefits of big wheels.
– Enhanced Acceleration
For the wheel to turn it requires torque. When more torque is produced the axle of the wheel will turn harder. So when the car is starting and it is supplied with a lot of initial torque it will have greater acceleration when the wheels are large. This is because of the increased surface area that the wheel will have with the road. Vehicles that have high torque will now achieve their acceleration potential as it will not be hindered by the size of the wheels
– Better Handling
There is no better feeling than driving a vehicle with almost perfect handling. The vehicle obeys all your commands as if it can read your mind. This is the effect that large wheels have on vehicles handling. With larger wheels they permit a larger connection between the wheel and the roads and this automatically improves handling. The improved traction will reduce instances of vehicles slipping and it will improve control
-Increased Mileage
The larger the diameter of a wheel the lesser the force it requires to cover the same distance compared to a wheel of a smaller diameter. A single rotation from a larger wheel will take you much further than the rotation from a smaller wheel. This will help increase your mileage and at the same time make your fuel consumption economical.
-Better Braking
Even though it is the rotors and brake calipers that actually stop cars in motion the wheels will also play a part in this. Well this is obviously because they are the only part of the car that are in contact with the ground. Having large contact with the ground will allow you to have a very quick and short stop.
Now that we have seen the advantages of large wheels it would now be good to look at the advantages of having small wheels. Seeing the benefits of having both types of wheels will help you analyze between the two, to determine which is the better set of wheels to have on your vehicle.
The Advantages of Small Wheels
Small wheels can be found on many vehicles. In most cases you will find that people will be changing their wheels from small wheels to larger wheels. However, there are those who chose to stay with the small wheels. In some cases, though very rare, people with large wheels will downsize and get their vehicles smaller wheels.
Below are some of the benefits of having small wheels…
– They are cheap
When compared to large wheels, small wheels are very cheap. Many people can afford them even if they are on a tight budget. Large wheels on the other hand are very costly to obtain. The costs involved may also include service fee for installing the wheels. Small wheels are a very good deal considering that they serve the same purpose that large wheels do
– They give a smooth ride
A large wheel will gain a lot of kinetic energy from each small bump that it encounters along the road. This can make cruising and driving in your car very uncomfortable. With small wheels, the kinetic energy released will be very minimal. The vehicle will just glide over bumps and the occupants of the car will not even notice that the bumps were there at all. This will make the journey very comfortable and smooth.
– Higher Speed Stability
Small wheels lower the center of gravity of the vehicle. This is advantageous because it increases the stability of the vehicle and reduces chances of the vehicle rolling. When your vehicle has small wheels it will have a higher speed stability. You can drive very fast without the fear of rolling over within certain speed limits. That is why you have probably noticed that most fast cars tend to have smaller wheels. They know that the wheels can help maintain the stability of the vehicle.
– Better Efficiency
In towns vehicles with small wheels are the most economical and efficient wheels that you could have. This is because they offer better acceleration and most of the car’s fuel is consumed during acceleration. In towns the vehicles with small wheels will not require as much fuel as vehicles with large wheels to accelerate uniformly.
As you can see both large wheels and small wheels have their advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of small wheels are the disadvantages of large wheels. Generally most people usually only want large wheels installed because of the aesthetic appeal and for better maneuvering in rocky and hilly areas. Large wheels give the feeling of power and strength on the part of the owner of the car.
Owners of cars with large wheels will grab the attention of most people who see the car will notice it. Small wheels are cost effective and simply just normal. They have a couple of benefits but they may be completely useless in areas that have a rough terrain. But in cities they are the best. Vehicles with large wheels can be used both in cities and in areas with a tough terrain.
Hence the answer to the question “Are bigger car wheels better than small wheels?” is “Yes they are.”
About the author
Wendy Thompson is a car owner from Sydney, Australia.