How Does Wheel Size Affect Car Performance?

Today, PitStopArabia is going to explain it in ample detail to its customers of the relationship between while size and the car’s performance. The article will be addressing this relationship and to what you should opt for considering comfort, ride quality and performance. A lot of people do not know that the size of a wheel affects the performance of the car.

It is not only the performance that changes from wheel to wheel, in fact, but noise, vibration and even the comfort of the car are also affected when you change your wheels. Now, if you never knew it before and if you are thinking about upgrading your wheels, then this article is a must-read for you.

Before we start, you might have noticed that we are using the word ‘wheel’ instead of tyre. This is not a mistake but done deliberately. The article refers to not just the tires (its various components included) but the rim as well.

Stability

Choosing a bigger wheel will increase the vehicle’s stability. For one, your braking distance will be shortened considerably. A smaller wheel will require a larger stopping distance. We all know that shorter the braking distance, better it is.

Speed

A large diameter wheel means that the speed of the vehicle will be compromised. The reason is that a larger diameter wheel means that the tire will be heavier. Hence, the speed will be compromised during acceleration.

Comfort

A larger wheel size means that you are compromising on your comfortability. Larger tires are harder. Thus, you will be feeling extra bumps during your drive. Also, they produce more vibrations and noise.

Suspension

Also, the suspension will be at risk in case you have larger wheels. The reason is that larger wheels are heavier. Thus, they create a more significant impact on the road surface. In turn, your suspension is likely to be affected. If you went for smaller wheels, you would not be facing this issue.

Fuel Performance

If you increase the wheel size, you are likely to see an increase in the vehicle’s fuel consumption. The reason is that it will take more power to roll the tyres along the surface. However, with improvements in tyre technology, fuel consumption has drastically improved across all tyre ranges.

Cornering

If you are looking to take sharp turns, larger wheels are not the right option. In fact, you might risk overturning your vehicle while making sharp turns at high speeds. Go for smaller wheels if taking sharp turns is a regular part of your driving.

Load Capacity

Larger wheels mean more load capacity. Load capacity is the maximum weight a tyre can hold.

Last Thoughts

In simpler words, before you make changes to the wheels, make sure about what you want. If you want less noise and less vibration, then you should opt for smaller wheels, but if you are looking forward to shorter braking distance and stability, then you should go for upsizing your wheels. Do not worry; they look aesthetically pleasing too.

This is all that you should know about wheel size and how it can affect the performance of your car. We hope that things are now clear to you so without waiting any further, identify your needs and make a decision. Just make sure that the wheel you choose is as per the requirements of the car.