You Can’t Just Slap Any Old Wheel on a Rally Car and Here’s Why

In the automotive performance realm, there are a lot of things to consider if going fast as your endgame. While it might not seem like it on the surface, your wheel selection is incredibly important for those looking to be the best performers come race day. Regardless of if you are drag racing, drifting, or heading on a rally course, the wheels rolling underneath you are of the utmost importance. Different types of wheels with different amounts of rubber can make life a lot easier for all kinds of different situations that you will find your car in. This time, we get the rundown on exactly what the ideal wheel setup looks like for a rally car and why other setups might not be quite as effective.

While you’re beating on a machine in an off-road racing situation, wheels and tires definitely take a lot more abuse. Just think about it from even the most basic perspective possible. As the car gets thrown into the air and through the dirt, the wheels are left to absorb most of the collision, meaning that if they aren’t sturdy enough to stand up to the task, they’ll be sure to shatter and send you for a ride that you most certainly will never forget in the worst way possible. That’s not what you would want to be tangled up in when you hit a jump, moving at any reasonable amount of speed, only to be left with no control of your car as it tumbles out of control, tearing through the elements.

Check out the video below as we get a complete rundown on the dos and do-nots of what you’re going to look for when you want to run a rally wheel. After watching this one, you’ll probably know more than you had ever thought to be possible about wheel selection in this kind of motorsport.