I Tested the World's HEAVIEST 19" Wheel!

Product Reviewed:

• The video focuses on testing the performance impact of extremely heavy 19" wheels, specifically comparing three sets of 19x10 ET25 wheels:
  • Apex wheel (lightest) at 20 lbs
  • Vulk T37 replica at 38 lbs
  • An extremely heavy custom wheel at 52 lbs (per wheel, excluding tires)
• All wheels were fitted with the same Bridgestone Potenza RE71 RS tires, a highly regarded 200 treadwear track-focused tire.

Main Features & Testing Setup:

• Wheel sizes are identical (19x10 ET25) to isolate weight as the variable.
• Tires used are consistent across tests for fairness.
• Tests conducted: acceleration (50-140 km/h), braking, and handling on two circuits with two different car setups (stock and upgraded).
• Vehicle: BMW M3 (with aftermarket upgrades for handling tests including MCS 3-way dampers, upgraded brake rotors, engine tuning, and ABS remap).
• Additional tool used: OBD113 scanner/programmer for vehicle coding and disabling unnecessary systems during testing.

Key Findings:

Acceleration:

• Despite large weight differences, acceleration times were closer than expected:
  • Apex (20 lb): 5.76 sec
  • Vulk (38 lb): 5.93 sec
  • Heavy wheel (52 lb): 6.07 sec
• Difference between lightest and heaviest was only 0.31 sec (5.47%).
• Adding 130 lbs of static weight to the vehicle resulted in faster acceleration than the 38 lb wheel setup, indicating rotational mass has a significant penalty.
• Overall, heavier wheels add roughly 0.25 seconds to 60 mph and 0.5 seconds to 100 km/h acceleration times.

Braking:

• Braking performance differences were minimal and inconsistent due to surface conditions.
• Theoretical explanation: braking force depends mostly on tire-road friction, which is not heavily affected by wheel weight.
• Heavier wheels add slight stopping distance (~0.5 meters or 2 feet), negligible compared to tire differences.

Handling:

• Lap time differences were about 1.5 seconds between lightest and heaviest wheels, smaller than expected.
• Subjective experience showed significant differences:
  • Light wheels offered better steering feedback and front axle communication, making the car feel more "danceable" and predictable.
  • Heavier wheels dulled feedback, making it harder to sense grip limits, especially mid-corner and corner exit.
  • Rear axle behavior was different; heavier wheels made slides less sudden and easier to control once sliding.
• On stock suspension and curby tracks, heavier wheels felt smoother over curbs, possibly due to mass inertia, but this advantage disappeared with upgraded dampers.
• Heavier wheels caused tires to overheat faster, reducing tire life and grip longevity.

Additional Insights:

• Rotational unsprung mass is more detrimental than static weight; roughly 1 lb of wheel weight equates to 1.75 lbs of static vehicle weight in performance penalty.
• Wheel stiffness and engineering quality likely have a greater impact on performance and drivability than a few pounds of weight difference.
• Lighter wheels effectively provide "free horsepower" by reducing rotational mass, comparable to adding ~15 hp in the tested M3.
• Smaller diameter wheels (e.g., 18" vs 20") can have significantly lower rotational inertia, outperforming heavier larger wheels even if lighter.
• The reviewer values well-engineered wheels that minimize flex under cornering over ultra-lightweight wheels that might compromise stiffness.

Pros & Cons of the Heaviest 19" Wheel (52 lbs):

Pros:

• Slightly smoother over curbs on stock suspension.
• More stable rear axle behavior when sliding.

Cons:

• Significant increase in steering effort and duller feedback.
• Tires overheat faster and lose grip sooner.
• Heavier rotational mass penalizes acceleration noticeably.
• Subjectively harder to drive and less confidence-inspiring.
• Handling and lap times only marginally worse but with less driver engagement.

Overall Verdict & Recommendation:

• The performance difference between extremely heavy and very light 19" wheels is smaller than commonly believed, especially in straight-line acceleration and braking.
• Handling differences are more pronounced subjectively, with light wheels offering superior feedback and driver confidence.
• Investing in a well-engineered, stiff, and reasonably light wheel (like the Apex 20 lb wheel) provides the best balance of performance and drivability.
• Ultra-heavy wheels, while not disastrous, degrade the driving experience and tire longevity, making them a poor choice for performance driving.
• For racing and endurance events, lighter wheels offer cumulative benefits in lap times and component wear.
• Smaller diameter wheels can outperform larger, heavier wheels.