22 Inch Rims – Size Does Matter

People around the world have had a love affair with the automobile for at least as long as it’s been around. Probably the very first men and women to put a wheel on anything, even before the car, took a step back and thought that the cart or the buggy or the machine might look a little better with the right sort of wheels. It’s no different today, when adding 22 inch rims to your automobile seems to be all the rage.

History

The history of the wheel or the “rim,” as it’s known out on the urban streets where it makes its home, has been joined at the hip with the idea of transportation. From the days when the first wheel made its appearance on a chariot sometime around 3500 BC, it’s been a vital part of our lives. In fact, it’s probably one of the most important things ever invented by humans.

Wheels on cars

Naturally, when the first mechanics began tinkering with engines of all types they soon hit on the idea of taking a carriage and motorizing it. This is where the term “horseless carriage” came from, before the word “automobile” came into wide use to describe these contraptions around 1896 or so.

Sizes of wheels

Wheels for cars, or automobiles or whatever word you want to use to describe wheeled vehicles, come in all sizes and types. Originally, the wheels found on the new “horseless carriages” back then were simply the same buggy wheels that could be found on any other carriage.

Engineers got it

But engineers even then understood the relationship between the size and width of a wheel and the handling or performance characteristics that could be affected by that wheel when it was on a vehicle. This is where the fascination with wheel sizes nowadays becomes so important.

To “bounce” or not to “bounce.”

For most of the last hundred years, as the automobile took its place as the king of all transportation, at least in the United States, wheel sizes were mostly a matter of what engineers felt the proper size of the wheel needed to be to give the car its best mix of handling, fuel economy, and overall performance. Over the last 15 years or so, the idea of customizing “rim” size has come more and more to prominence, especially in urban areas, where a custom or tricked-out car can be an expression of art. A custom rim of a larger size can help a car’s “bounce.” If you don’t know what that word means, look it up in any online urban dictionary.

Bouncing big

Gradually, typical wheel sizes on cars that have been “tuned” or “tricked” have gone from 16 inches up to 22 inches and larger. Today, it’s not uncommon to see 22 inch rims on just about any tuned or tricked car worth its salt. And they can be chromed, polished, multi-colored and with flashing lights.the possibilities are endless. Some of the most popular “dubs” (20 inch and larger rims) are called “spinners.”

Endless Choices

The wheel has had a long history. In today’s urban car tuning world, 22 inch rims seem to have the strongest grip on the popular imagination. And the endless selection of wheel styles and sizes available just add to their attraction. For more information visit http://www.hubcap-tire-wheel.com.