Trendy oversize wheels tread on driver safety

[NFS4]

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0403/22/a01-99238.htm

 

[fs5]

wtf.. in the picture is says larger wheels can add up to 200 lbs? who the hell wrote this article?
not to mention they're stating the obvious:

But the stylish swagger afforded by these accessories also compromises driving safety, vehicle maintenance and ride comfort.

who ever modifies their rides without knowing the risks involved are idiots anyhow.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: fivespeed5
wtf.. in the picture is says larger wheels can add up to 200 lbs? who the hell wrote this article?
not to mention they're stating the obvious:

But the stylish swagger afforded by these accessories also compromises driving safety, vehicle maintenance and ride comfort.

who ever modifies their rides without knowing the risks involved are idiots anyhow.

Think about it...going from 15" or 16" wheels to 20-24" wheels that are both larger and wider...the lbs can pack on I dunno about 200 lbs, but it does start adding up

 

[fs5]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Think about it...going from 15" or 16" wheels to 20-24" wheels that are both larger and wider...the lbs can pack on I dunno about 200 lbs, but it does start adding up

I don't think it would add 200 lbs per wheel... unless you're adding dubs made out of cast iron! That article is hilarious.
They even have an ebonically challenged section!

A glossary of key terms:
Dubs: any 20-inch wheel; also a brand name
Dub-twos: a 22-inch wheel
Dub-fours: a 24-inch wheel
Spinners: ornate wheel with a windmill-like attachment that continues to spin even after vehicle comes to a stop
Floaters: similar to spinners, but feature a plate-like disc instead of the windmill-like attachment

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: fivespeed5

Originally posted by: NFS4
Think about it...going from 15" or 16" wheels to 20-24" wheels that are both larger and wider...the lbs can pack on I dunno about 200 lbs, but it does start adding up

I don't think it would add 200 lbs per wheel... unless you're adding dubs made out of cast iron! That article is hilarious.
They even have an ebonically challenged section!

A glossary of key terms:
Dubs: any 20-inch wheel; also a brand name
Dub-twos: a 22-inch wheel
Dub-fours: a 24-inch wheel
Spinners: ornate wheel with a windmill-like attachment that continues to spin even after vehicle comes to a stop
Floaters: similar to spinners, but feature a plate-like disc instead of the windmill-like attachment

They were talking about 200 lbs in total. Not per wheel.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

somebody explain to me the connection between rim size and hydroplaning

also whos the idiot that thinks a couple hundred pounds of unsprung weight is going to tear up brakes? now if they were putting larger tires on that would put the brakes at a mechanical disadvantage but this artice isn't talking about that. if anything adding unsprung weight to SUVs makes them safer by lowering the center of gravity.

 

[lowfatbaconboy]

yea just my regular 16'' are 40+ lbs per rim and wheel (together)

so i could see increasing to huge rims and huge tires could get somewhere close to 200 more lbs

 

[vi edit]

Yet more empirical proof that too many people have more money than brains.

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
somebody explain to me the connection between rim size and hydroplaning

Larger rims = more rubber on the road = more rubber that can contact the surface of the water. Take a piece of paper and it'll float on the surface of the water, but if you ball it up, it'll sink. More surface area means a higher chance of hydroplaning (when the tire essentially skims the surface of the water without breaking the plane).

 

[vi edit]

somebody explain to me the connection between rim size and hydroplaning

It wasn't wheel size, it was tire profile. Typically, a wide low profile is nothing more than a glorified water ski on wet pavement.

 

[Zenmervolt]

By "200 pounds" I think they meant in total. I.e. 50 pounds per wheel. That would still require an extreme situation I would think; like trying to put 24 inch wheels on a Geo to replace the stock 13 inch wheels...

ZV

 

[LAUST]

16x8 Weld Typhoons + 285/75/R16 Yokahama AVS = 82lbs

 

[fs5]

Originally posted by: MrBond

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
somebody explain to me the connection between rim size and hydroplaning

Larger rims = more rubber on the road = more rubber that can contact the surface of the water. Take a piece of paper and it'll float on the surface of the water, but if you ball it up, it'll sink. More surface area means a higher chance of hydroplaning (when the tire essentially skims the surface of the water without breaking the plane).

not to mention low profile tires are often performance tires that aren't suitable for use when it rains.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

Originally posted by: MrBond

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
somebody explain to me the connection between rim size and hydroplaning

Larger rims = more rubber on the road = more rubber that can contact the surface of the water. Take a piece of paper and it'll float on the surface of the water, but if you ball it up, it'll sink. More surface area means a higher chance of hydroplaning (when the tire essentially skims the surface of the water without breaking the plane).

i don't see how moving form a 28x7x15 tire to a 28x7x22 tire is going to increase the surface area at all.

 

[fs5]

Originally posted by: NFS4

They were talking about 200 lbs in total. Not per wheel.

I thought it meant per wheel because of the diagram.. but 200 lbs is still very extreme.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

i'm not sure but i may have just made myself look like an idiot. i just got out of the E.R. and wasn't in the mood to fully read the article.

 

[beatle]

I'd like to avoid going to larger wheels, but I may have to bite the bullet anyway. I have 14" wheels on my Miata. I may have to go to 15s soon as many manufacturers don't make summer tires in 14" size anymore, and if they do, they cost more! :|

 

[LordSnailz]

With the additional weight, wouldn't it be harder to "float" on the surface of the water?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
somebody explain to me the connection between rim size and hydroplaning

also whos the idiot that thinks a couple hundred pounds of unsprung weight is going to tear up brakes? now if they were putting larger tires on that would put the brakes at a mechanical disadvantage but this artice isn't talking about that. if anything adding unsprung weight to SUVs makes them safer by lowering the center of gravity.

Increasing "rim" size does nothing. Increasing the wheel diameter does. They require the fittiment of lower profile tires that do not have a tread design suitable for anything but fair weather driving on smooth roads.

Adding unsprung weight is much more of a problem than adding sprung weight. The wheels are heavier than the tires, even if the brake is not losing leverage, it is losing mechanical advantage because there is more weight at the outside of the diameter. Also, rotational mass must be decelerated both linearly and rotationally. Adding one pound of rotating mass is equivalent to three to five pounds of non-rotating mass. So adding 200 pounds total of rotating mass can be the equivalent of 600-1,000 pounds of non-rotating mass as far as acceleration and deceleration are concerned. Unsprung weight has severe effects on a car's handling abilities, it is a universal truism that if you reduce unsprung weight, you improve a car's handling. This is why companies like Porsche use wheels with hollow spokes to save weight.

ZV

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: LordSnailz
With the additional weight, wouldn't it be harder to "float" on the surface of the water?

Uhhhhhh how about noooooooo.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: LordSnailz
With the additional weight, wouldn't it be harder to "float" on the surface of the water?

No. Water does not compress, and if the tire's tread pattern cannot disperse enough water, then regardless of the weight of the vehicle, the automobile will hydroplane.

ZV

 

[OrganizedChaos]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
somebody explain to me the connection between rim size and hydroplaning

also whos the idiot that thinks a couple hundred pounds of unsprung weight is going to tear up brakes? now if they were putting larger tires on that would put the brakes at a mechanical disadvantage but this artice isn't talking about that. if anything adding unsprung weight to SUVs makes them safer by lowering the center of gravity.

Increasing "rim" size does nothing. Increasing the wheel diameter does. They require the fittiment of lower profile tires that do not have a tread design suitable for anything but fair weather driving on smooth roads.

Adding unsprung weight is much more of a problem than adding sprung weight. The wheels are heavier than the tires, even if the brake is not losing leverage, it is losing mechanical advantage because there is more weight at the outside of the diameter. Also, rotational mass must be decelerated both linearly and rotationally. Adding one pound of rotating mass is equivalent to three to five pounds of non-rotating mass. So adding 200 pounds total of rotating mass can be the equivalent of 600-1,000 pounds of non-rotating mass as far as acceleration and deceleration are concerned. Unsprung weight has severe effects on a car's handling abilities, it is a universal truism that if you reduce unsprung weight, you improve a car's handling. This is why companies like Porsche use wheels with hollow spokes to save weight.

ZV

thanks for the info, i stand corrected

 

[LAUST]

It's not "Rims" it's WHEELS sure the outside of the Wheel is the Rim but thats it

 

[fs5]

Originally posted by: LAUST
It's not "Rims" it's WHEELS sure the outside of the Wheel is the Rim but thats it

"Rims" sounds like a Cholo-mobile term

it's not dubs it's 20's....

 

[Squisher]

Seems NFS4 is spending more and more time reading my Wednesday Detroit News Auto section.

For a paper that you would think would have a decided domestic bias, they play it pretty fair and square in their reviews.