Alloy wheel - pros and cons

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

At the moment, in automotive stores you can find a variety of alloy wheels from different manufacturers. With the help of them, any car owner will be able to radically change the appearance of his iron friend, emphasizing his individuality. But is it worth buying an expensive alloy wheel for your car just for the sake of design? You will learn the answer to this question in this article.

So, let's look at all the pros and cons of such spare parts. And we'll start, of course, with the positives. The main advantage of such discs is their low weight. Compared to conventional steel counterparts, this spare part has an average weight of 15-20 percent, and this has a positive effect on many processes that occur with the car. An alloy wheel with its curb weight can positively affect the smoothness of the car, while a vehicle equipped with such wheels has a lower load on the engine and spendsless fuel. Of course, by installing this spare part, you do not need to count on a 30 percent fuel saving, but after a year of operation you will noticeably feel this difference, albeit a small one. And, of course, since the wheels have a smaller mass, it means that the brake pads also have less load, the replacement resource of which also increases. By the way, unlike serial wheels that the manufacturer installs on the conveyor, 17-20-inch light-alloy wheels have more advanced characteristics in terms of ventilation, which plays an important role in the operation of brake pads (this is especially important on mountain serpentines).

As for the appearance of rust on the surface of the wheels, here alloy wheels are completely protected from corrosive effects, which cannot be said about steel counterparts. High resistance to moisture and other processes that occur with the car while driving is achieved thanks to a special oxide AL2O3, which will reliably protect your wheel from rust.

About shortcomings

There are not so many disadvantages of this spare part, but still they are. And they consist in low resistance to mechanical damage in the event of a sharp collision with unevenness. The thing is that steel analogues can well absorb a sudden blow that fell on the chassis. And in case of deformation, such a wheel can be quickly and inexpensively repaired at any service station. The alloy wheel does not have such a feature, with a strong impact, it immediately bends, after which no repairservice will not restore its original structure and strength, and if it does, then for a very expensive fee. But still, with careful handling and smooth collisions with pits (which, unfortunately, are not uncommon in our country), a car with such wheels has hope for a long life.

Summing up, we can say with confidence that an alloy wheel is not only a beautiful thing, but also a guarantee of the safety of your car. So, if you decide to purchase this tuning item, you are on the right track!