This article's introduction section may not adequately summarize its contents. To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points. (July 2009)

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2007)

Alloy wheels are automobile (car, motorcycle and truck) wheels which are made from an alloy of aluminium or magnesium metals (or sometimes a mixture of both).

Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Aftermarket wheels 2.1 Aftermarket brands 3 Magnesium alloy wheels 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Characteristics

Alloy wheels are different from normal steel wheels because of their lighter weight, which improves the steering and the speed of the car, however some alloy wheels are heavier than the equivalent size steel wheel. Alloy wheels are also better heat conductors than steel wheels, improving heat dissipation from the brakes, which reduces the chance of brake failure in more demanding driving conditions.

Alloy wheels are prone to galvanic corrosion if appropriate preventive measures are not taken, which can in turn cause the tires to leak air. Also, alloy wheels are more difficult to repair than steel wheels when bent, but their higher price usually makes repairs cheaper than replacement and even severely damaged wheels can often be repaired to like new, though this depends on how badly the owner wishes to salvage the wheel and its intrinsic worth or availability.

For passenger vehicles, alloy wheels are not only for improved driving performance, they are also for cosmetic purposes. The alloy wheel itself is shiny and/or has an intricate design, so there is no need for paint or wheel covers. By contrast, steel wheels either have to be painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut, or be hidden with plastic wheel covers.

Alloy wheels are more expensive to produce than standard steel wheels, and thus are not included as standard equipment on base models of many non-luxury vehicles, instead being marketed as optional add-ons or as part of a more expensive trim. However, alloy wheels have become considerably more common since the 2000s, now being offered on economy and subcompact cars, compared to a decade ago where alloy wheels were often not factory options on inexpensive vehicles. Alloy wheels have long been included as standard equipment on higher-priced luxury or sports cars, with larger-sized or "exclusive" alloy wheels being options. The high cost of alloy wheels have made them attractive to thieves; to counter this, automakers and dealers have issued wheel locks where one of the wheel nuts require a special key to remove.

There are different types of alloy wheels. Some are cast, which are the most commonly seen on the road, while others are forged. Forged wheels are lighter and stronger, yet much more expensive than cast alloy wheels. Forged wheels are typically purchased by enthusiasts, luxury/sport vehicle owners, or the affluent.

[edit] Aftermarket wheels

A sizeable selection of alloy wheels (sometimes called "mags"—see below) are available to automobile owners who want lighter, prettier, rarer, and/or larger wheels on their cars, in order to increase performance, manipulate handling and suspension, and/or signify luxury, sportiness, or wealth. These wheels have become a part of pop culture (as with "dubs").

[edit] Aftermarket brands

Many aftermarket wheel brands include NAD Wheels, R2 Wheels, Lowenhart, DONZ, Rennen, Rial, Orobica Line, M.B Italia, Toora, G.M.P Italia, Vellano, MOZ, Wolfhart, Wolfrace, Panther Wheel, American Racing Wheels, Motegi Racing Performance Wheels, Weld Racing, BBS Wheels, CMS, 5Zigen, Volk Racing, Konig Wheels and Rimstock. Most aftermarket wheels are cast, while only a few above are forged, such as DONZ forged, Vellano, and Weld. Many companies have been formed over the years (some recently) due to the increasing demand from street racing enthusiasts and the rising demand for larger diameter wheels.

Cast aftermarket wheels have also been oversaturated due to the vast influx of inexpensive chrome wheels from China. India, through Synergies Castings Ltd. and other companies, of late have also emerged as a major supplier of alloy/chrome wheels. They manufacture products to global scale due to primarily cheap but highly skilled and qualified labour.

American Racing, which owns Motegi Racing and Weld Racing among other brands such as TIS, TIS Modular, is the oldest aftermarket wheel company dating back to 1956. The oldest British company is Wolfrace who was the first company to offer a polished alloy wheel in Europe and to achieve TUV approval. Wolfrace also provided the wheels for thrust SSC and the UK's land speed record bid. A recent trend in the industry includes joint venture partnerships being formed between offshore manufacturers and local importers/distributors such as PDW Wheels which started in Australia in 2006, amongst a few others. Most wheel brands are ultimately sold through dealers such as RhinoTuning.

Some "aftermarket" alloy wheels are/were also available as Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) fitments, with BBS being a notable original equipment supplier to Volkswagen.

[edit] Magnesium alloy wheels

Magnesium alloy wheels, or "mag wheels", are sometimes used on racing cars, in place of heavier steel or aluminum wheels, for better performance. The wheels are produced by one-step hot forging from a magnesium alloy known as ZK60, AZ31 or AZ91 (MA14 in Russia). Cast magnesium disks are used in motorcycle wheels.

The mass of a typical magnesium automotive wheel is about 5–9 kg (depending on size).^[1]

Magnesium wheels are flammable and have been banned in some forms of motorsport in the UK following fires which are very difficult to extinguish. Mag wheels have been known to catch fire in competition use after a punctured tire has allowed prolonged scraping of the wheel on the road surface.^{[citation needed]} Some variants of Magnesium alloy wheels may have low corrosion resistance.

They have the disadvantages of being rather expensive and not practical for most street vehicles. Aluminium wheels are often mistakenly called "mag wheels".

[edit] See also

• Wheel
• Wheel sizing
• Hubcap

All cars have a different PCD offset which you need to check when purchasing a set of alloy wheels. For more information visit the alloy wheel pcd guide http://www.maxxdirectory.co.uk/pcd-offset-guides.php

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• SEMA (Specialty Equipment Marketing Association)
• Alloy Wheel Guide - Useful UK article on Alloy Wheels.
• Tire Rack Article: What is an Alloy Wheel?