n the last couple of years, rim sizes have been blowin’ up like Tyra Banks’ waistline. And while nobody’s debating whether big is beautiful, the question begging an answer is; How far will it go?
As the current manufacturer to top, Lexani now boasts 32-inch and 34-inch offerings for many of their current wheel styles. Having first rolled ’em out at SEMA 2006, the 32s are available paired with Yokohama tires, but the 34s still wait on rubbers big enough to wrap them up safely. You see, it’s not as simple as just making a tire that fits, it must be approved by the Department of Transportation, which can be a grueling process. So while the rim manufacturers are not very limited on how big they can go, the max size will be dictated by the tire companies.
But there is more than just the actual rim and tire to worry about. Can your car actually handle the added stress from the phenomenal rotational mass of a rim so big? “We honestly designed these for the truck market, like H2s,” explains Mike Kim, Lexani’s Art Director. “But we love to see that the [hi-rise] guys have embraced them as well.” And so does DB&B, but if you are riding in a throwback, you need to be smart and beef up your suspension parts, upgrade your brakes and step up your drivetrain.
So, are 40-inchers really that far off? Probably not, but Kim wouldn’t comment on whether anything bigger is in the works. “A few years ago, we thought 28-inches was going to be the end—now we’re six inches past that already.” W.G.
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