2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42
Correctly and well-chosen wheels for a car are not only your safety and concern for passengers, but also low fuel consumption along with extended transmission life and a fascinating look of a stylish car.
Let's try to figure out how to choose the right alloy wheels and use them correctly. The opinions of intelligent experts in this field and the recommendations of popular manufacturers of light alloy products will be taken into account.
Types of discs
All wheels can be divided into two groups - steel and light alloy (cast). The design of stamped wheels is simple and uncomplicated. Sheet steel is punched out and the individual parts are joined together by spot welding. Then the disc is painted and sent to the store or to the conveyor.
This way of equipping a car with discs is simple and inexpensive. A significant mass of cars coming off the assembly line have just such wheels. The casting installation is already an additional option, for which you need to pay a decent amount.
Before choosing alloy wheels instead of steel ones, in favor ofthe latter, we can say that they have a greater impact strength, which means that after strong impacts they do not crumble and do not crack, but only deform. This feature allows you to recover the disc even if the edges are badly wrinkled.
A significant disadvantage of stamped products, which is critical for many motorists, is the mass. Moreover, it cannot be reduced, because insufficient wall thickness significantly reduces the strength indicators of the entire wheel. In addition, steel models are susceptible to corrosion if the integrity of the protective coating is compromised. This also includes a monotonous and bored appearance, difficulties with wheel balancing and a negative effect on acceleration dynamics.
Alloy wheels
Before you choose alloy wheels, it is useful to know some of the benefits. Alloy models have extensive design possibilities along with high precision manufacturing. They are able to remove most of the heat from the main nodes, but the most important thing is the lightness of the design. It is possible to judge the specific merits of certain models if it is known how they are cast and with what alloy. So in this case the wheel is different.
Ordinary models are made by casting or forging from stable alloys, where the basis is aluminum, titanium or magnesium. Magnesium and titanium models are much stronger and lighter than aluminum wheels. Before choosing magnesium-based alloy wheels, be aware that they are less resistant to corrosion, which means you have toconstantly take care of the multi-layer protective coating. As for titanium, this is already an elite group, which is equipped with very expensive, sports and simply prestigious cars. For everyday driving on our roads, titanium models are simply a pity to use. Despite the strength of such products, they are prone to scratches.
Difficulties in choosing
Before you choose alloy wheels for your car, remember that the purchase should be determined by your needs and, of course, the amount in your wallet. If your path is megacities and large cities, then magnesium or aluminum casting would be ideal. Do you have free funds? Please, titanium models are beautiful, ultra-reliable and will be a great addition to the elite surroundings.
If you value reliability, often drive outside the city on bad roads and do not attend secular parties in your car, then it is better to stop at steel, stamped or forged products. In this case, they will not only be more practical, but will also save you the lion's share of the family budget.
How to choose the right alloy wheels for cars
In order to correctly select one or another wheel model for your car, you need to clearly clarify some critical parameters. First of all, we find out the width and diameter of the disk. Then we specify the location of the mounting holes and their number. Next, pay attention to the diameter of the hub of your car and the departure rate. All main mounting dimensions can be found in the catalogs of tire and wheel manufacturers ormeasure everything yourself with a special tool. Before choosing alloy wheels for a car, and if you suddenly have any doubts, it’s better to go to a smart tire shop and figure everything out there, drawing all the dimensions and parameters that interest us on a piece of paper.
Disc diameter
This parameter is selected according to the recommendations of the manufacturer of your car. It must exactly correspond to the landing diameter of the wheel. Recently, there are more and more extreme people who seek to increase the mounting diameter. For example, a 15-inch fit is rolled under 16, 17, or even 18-inch wheels.
All this is done to install low-profile tires, which, on the one hand, increases driving performance for the better, and on the other, increases the load on the main suspension units. And the comfort of driving on such tires is not the best. Before choosing alloy wheels of one diameter or another, you must decide for yourself what is more important - sporty performance or driving comfort?
Rim width
If the manufacturer's recommendation for your rims for mounting diameter does not exceed 14 inches, then the width of the rim will fluctuate between 0.5-1.0 inches. For mounting diameters larger than 15", the width will be slightly higher - 1.1-1.5" for the rim.
Which alloy wheel you choose is up to you, but a factory-width one is a better and more practical option. Operation non-standard for yourvehicle wheel models are subject to changes in the design profile of the tire, resulting in a significant deterioration in the basic driving characteristics (pull resistance, steering response and lateral stiffness).
Wheel offset
Departure is the distance between the mounting plane of the wheel and the longitudinal plane of the rim (symmetry). Wheel offset can only have three values: zero, positive, and negative. The indicator is indicated by a numeric or alphabetic value. For example, ET40 (mm) is a positive offset, and ET-40 is already negative, so do not get confused and take the minus sign for a dash or hyphen. The literal value is usually denoted by the words OFFSET and DEPORT.
It is worth noting separately that the greater the offset, the deeper the car sits in the wheel grooves. And the smaller this figure, the more the wheel sticks out of the niche. Most car owners tend to reduce this figure. In general, it is not entirely correct to deviate from the standard values that were set on the factory conveyor, but sometimes, due to certain circumstances (frequent driving on bumpy or, conversely, perfectly flat roads), you can adjust the offset in the right direction for a more comfortable ride.
Recommended:
What to choose for your car: stamped or alloy wheels?
Any owner of a car at least once thought about what wheels would be optimal for his "iron horse". Of course, cast models will provide the car with a bright, memorable look. However, connoisseurs say that stamped discs have their advantages, and the choice should be based on personal feelings
How to choose the right car color?
Let's try to figure out how to choose the right car color. It is necessary to take into account not only the individual wishes of the owner, but also a lot of other equally important nuances. Let's take a look at some of the most popular colors as an example
Three-wheeled scooter: two wheels in front or two wheels in back
Ten years ago, unusual motor scooters suddenly rolled out onto the roads. The three-wheeled scooter had a truly revolutionary design, where two wheels were located not in the back, but in front. Who came up with this first is unknown. But the first models, after the decline of surging emotions, did not cause much enthusiasm among consumers. New attempts are on the way. The same scooters look much more familiar, but, as expected, with two wheels at the back. Let's talk about some and other models in order
What is a clutch basket and how to choose the right one?
The clutch basket is the most complex technical detail, without which no car can do, be it 5 or 20 years old. It is she who, together with the transmission, performs the function of shifting gears in the car. But, as is typical of any mechanism, the clutch sometimes fails. The best repair option is to buy a new product. Replacing this part is a very lengthy and time-consuming process, which is subject only to a qualified mechanic
Music in the car - the key to a good mood, or How to choose the right acoustic in the car
In this article we will talk about how to choose good acoustics in your car. Consider the most popular models of modern car acoustics, as well as look at their price tags
