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Big Rims & Balance

Big Rims & Balance

Does placing extra large rims on a car take away from the stability of the car while driving?

Balance and Rims Big

Any time you add bigger rims to any vehicle you taking away its stability. The standard tires that come with the vehicle are designed to give the vehicle its best performance and control.

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I agree the rims it comes with are the most likely designed for it. One thing you must keep in mind the larger rim does not mean a bigger tire but a lower profile on the rubber keeping the same or close to it outer diameter.

The real risk you run with the larger rim is hitting a bump and blowing a tire.

The instability comes from mounting issue to the ration of rim contact with the rear drum especially. You could end up trying to put a drum up against a rim that is not specifically shaped for it thus decreasing the amount of contact with the drum and risk warping one of the two pieces. Or wheel wobble had been known to occur.

So ask you manufacturer what rims are the right ones. often there are several options available though it might not be the rims you really desire.

Balance and Rims Big

When you say larger do you mean wider or going with a rim with a bigger diameter/radius? If it is wider you mean, then yes the car is stabler meaning it wouldn't flip over easily but turner is harder. The car also 'feels' steadier when driving straight but as mentioned earlier, the damage it can do to your car is not worth it for me. Remember these cars were not meant to take that extra weight on the drums, arms, bearings etc.

If you mean a larger radius, going from 14" rims to say 16" or 17" rims, then I would say that no it doesn't get stabler, in fact it may lose some stability but not too much to be a problem really. The problem comes when the tire becomes thinner to accommodate the increased size in the rim or a lower profile as you would say. Tires also function as shock absorbers so when the tire is thinner, you are really taking away some buffer to the car. Besides feeling every bump in the road, the drum, arms and everything underneath there gets a bigger impact of the blow. So as far as stability goes it doesn't make a difference really but it puts more wear and tear on the car.

Unless the car is designed to fit these larger rims (either way you chose it) it is not really advised. Some of these sports cars come with 20" rims but these cars are designed to have them and all the suspension, braking and steering are adjusted to accommodate the negative effects mentioned earlier.

Balance and Rims Big

I was talking diameter my self with out adjusting the rest of the components to match the increased rim size. I think by law you can vary 3% on tire (not rim size) size up or down from the manufactures specs for the rim.

Yes a wider rim does stabilize the car as long as you do not interfere on turning radius. (assuming summer driving not winter as that will destabilize as well due to lack of tracking in snow and on ice.)