Wheels: How Big Is Too Big?

摘要

The general rule is to only use as big a wheel as you need to clear brakes and suspension components. The weight of an average car for road racing usually requires brakes that are too big to fit inside 15-inch wheels, so larger ones are used. So the question becomes what is the best size wheel to use? It's natural for us to think that bigger is better, and it's true that the general public prefers the look of larger wheels, but don't let that trick you. Oversized wheels will slow you down. It all comes down to moment of inertia. The excess weight of a larger wheel is an important issue, but the diameter of it is a much more important factor. The effect of a 10-pound weight at the end of a 12-inch string is much less than a 10-pound weight at the end of a 36-inch string. The larger-diameter wheels are not only heavier, but are much harder to control the rate of rotation like the weight at the end of the string.