[tamiyatim]

Hey, does anybody know when or why Hotwheels changed the monster jam wheels to those stupid big rims?
The older monster jam trucks look SOOOOO much more realistic than the new ones... makes me want to buy up some junk older castings just to swap the wheels over to the old ones...

Here's what I'm talking about....



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Liv N Low]

You will only get speculations here as who really knows what Mattel does and why they do what they do?????

You can try the HWC board and see if Chris can answer but you may get many answers in why from many members
who only collect and have really no clue as in why. Do I have a clue ? No ... If I had to guess, I would guess Mattel
wanted them to look more cartoonish for the kids.

 

[Hobie-wan]

Phat dubz on my skyroller yo!

Yeah, I dunno. Wouldn't surprise me if some test showed kids preferred the ones with the larger cartoony wheels.

 

[Trolleydodger]

They probably cost less to make.

 

[CraigO]

These are for kids, after all, and bright and shiny and cartoony sell...

 

[1976Cordoba]

Some kid probably choked on the old wheel.

 

[STUTZ]

Remember this version of Bigfoot?

 

[duncan]

Sorry, but when the tires and wheels get to that point they look cartoonish to me anyway, so I don't see where the change - changed anything.

 

[markkaz]

It may be cheaper to have more plastic rim and less rubber-like material
or maybe the tire stays on better in this style.

 

[Full Flaps!]

Can't say I ever noticed a difference. They've been like that for a long time haven't they?
I don't see the current wheels as too much of a deviation.

 

[CraigO]

Remember this version of Bigfoot?

i wonder what the height is to the bottom of the door and you got to love the bug guard on the hood, i think he'd more have to worry of low flying ducks and geese

 

[Full Flaps!]

i wonder what the height is to the bottom of the door and you got to love the bug guard on the hood, i think he'd more have to worry of low flying ducks and geese

The tires themselves are said to be ten feet tall, and weigh 2,400 pounds each without wheels. They were originally used by the US Army on a land train in Alaska during the 50's.

You have to wonder what kind of power it takes to get those massive rollers moving with enough motivation to entertain a crowd. Especially when they doubled it up with four of those tires on each axle!