Golf Cart Wheel Sizing Explained

 

 

 

A massively popular aftermarket golf cart accessory, wheels and tires are the ultimate upgrade for golf cart owners.

When purchasing a new set of wheels and tires, the golf cart wheel is the thing people most often look at and use to decide what to buy.

Although many people say "golf cart wheel" when referring to the whole wheel and tire combo, the wheel is technically just the aluminum (or sometimes steel) part of the combo apart from the tire.

Golf cart wheels come in various sizes and styles, making them a highly customizable component. Although the most critical sizing metric for golf cart owners to be aware of is the overall height of a wheel and tire combo, the size of the golf cart wheel is not something to overlook.

This article will walk you through the most common golf cart wheel sizes and how the combination of your golf cart wheel and tire will impact your overall cart performance. Let's go!

Popular Golf Cart Wheel Sizes

The most common golf cart wheels will come in one of five sizes: 8", 10", 12", 14", or 15" diameters. Once again, this is referring to the wheel only and not the overall combo.

The size of your golf cart wheel, coupled with your tire choice, is what makes up the overall height of the complete wheel and tire combo and will impact whether or not you need a lift kit. Let's break down each of the common wheel sizes below!

8" Golf Cart Wheels

Eight-inch wheels are the standard OEM golf cart wheel size on Club Car, EZGO, and Yamaha golf carts. 8" wheels are typically steel, with only a few aluminum wheels on the market.

These are the smallest golf cart wheel you can purchase and, as a result, are often coupled with tire combos that work with non-lifted golf carts.

For example, OEM wheels and tires with 8" wheels will measure 18" in overall diameter with this size working on any golf cart without requiring a lift kit.

The typical 8" golf cart wheel color pattern is white or black.

For more information on 8" golf cart wheels, check out our 8-inch wheel and tire guide!

10" Golf Cart Wheels

The next step up in size, 10" golf cart wheels are most commonly manufactured out of aluminum and are available in various colors and styles.

Similar to 8" wheels, these are usually paired with tires that allow for the combo to be installed on a non-lifted golf cart, but there are plenty of lifted combos available for sale as well.

These wheels pair well with street/turf tires and off-road golf cart tires. One of the main benefits of 10" wheels is that they allow for more tire/air to pocket and surround the wheel, which gives your golf cart a smooth and cushioned ride.

The most popular 10" golf cart wheel and tire combo sold on the market today is the 205/50-10 street/turf combo. This combination measures 18" in overall height, which, as stated above, works with all golf carts.

Here are other popular 10" golf cart wheel combos and their corresponding overall diameters:

• 10" wheel with 18x9.5-10 tires: 18" overall diameter
• 10" wheel with 20x10-10 tires: 20" overall diameter
• 10" wheel with 205/65-10 tires: 20.5" overall diameter
• 10" wheel with 22x10-10 tires: 22" overall diameter
• 10" wheel with 22x11-10 tires: 22" overall diameter

12" Golf Cart Wheels

A true "middle of the road" wheel, 12" golf cart wheels still allow you to find combos for non-lifted carts while at the same time also being paired with tires that reach the maximum golf cart wheel and tire height of 23".

This wide range of wheel and tire combo sizes gives you great flexibility in how you want to style your ride. Similar to 10" wheels, twelve-inch golf cart wheels are manufactured out of aluminum and have a vast array of styles and colors to choose from (like the beautiful blue wheel you see above.)

Here is a list of standard 12" golf cart wheel combos and their corresponding overall diameters:

• 12" wheels with 215/35-12 tires: 18" overall diameter
• 12" wheels with 215/40-12 tires: 18.5" overall diameter
• 12" wheels with 215/50-12 tires: 20.5" overall diameter
• 12" wheels with 20x10-12 tires: 20" overall diameter
• 12" wheels with 22x10-12 tires: 22" overall diameter
• 12" wheels with 22x11-12 tires: 22" overall diameter
• 12" wheels with 23x10-12 tires: 23" overall diameter
• 12" wheels with 23x10.5-12 tires: 23" overall diameter

14" Golf Cart Wheels

14" wheels are some of the largest golf cart wheels available on the market today. Many customers like 14" wheels on their golf cart due to how prominent the wheel design is and how that can change the look of a golf cart.

The one important thing to note with 14" golf cart wheels is that for all stock Club Car carts and certain Yamaha golf carts, a 14" wheel will require a lift kit to be installed- regardless of what tire you choose.

The reason is that the smallest combo available with 14" wheels has an overall diameter of 20", which is too large for Club Car and G-Series Yamaha carts (G1-G22 models).

However, suppose you have an EZGO golf cart, Yamaha Drive, or Drive2. In that case, you can still install a 20" combo without needing a lift kit.

Exactly like 10" and 12" golf cart wheels, 14" wheels are made of aluminum and come in the same variety of styles and colors.

As we stated above, the large wheel, coupled with a unique style, can appeal to some customers. Here is a list of typical 14" golf cart wheel and tire combo sizes:

• 14" wheel with 205/30-14 tires: 20" overall diameter
• 14" wheel with 22x10-14 tires: 22" overall diameter
• 14" wheel with 23x10-14 tires: 23" overall diameter

15" Golf Cart Wheels

The new kid on the block, 15" golf cart wheels are some of the most prominent wheels you can add to your buggy.

A 15" golf cart wheel gives you a truly "stand out" product and gives your golf cart a look that will make your neighbors jealous.

It is important to note that the smallest wheel and tire combo you can get with a 15" wheel is 21.5" in overall diameter, which means you will need a lift kit installed for these wheels to work, regardless of your golf cart make and model.

Because 15" wheels are relatively new to the market, there isn't as wide of a variety of wheel styles and colors to choose from, but as these continue to grow in popularity, so will the options. Here is a list of 15" golf cart wheel and tire combo sizes:

• 15" wheel with 205/35-15 tires: 21.5" overall diameter
• 15" wheel with 215/40-15 tires: 22" overall diameter
• 15" wheel with 23x10-15 tires: 23" overall diameter

All this talk about golf cart wheels got you curious? Click the button below to check out the best online selection of golf cart wheels and tires!

Closing Thoughts

Well, there you have it! At this point, you should understand golf cart wheels well and how the various sizes impact the overall height of different wheel and tire combos. If you still have questions, drop those in the comments below, or feel free to reach out to us! 

P.S- Now that you have golf cart wheels under your belt, be a real expert and check out our golf cart tire sizing article!