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trfourtune
Jedi Knight
Offline
With the latest discussions on minilite style wheels, i would like to make the following points to consider:
1. aluminum style wheels are stiffer and deflect less than wire wheels and steel wheels around corners which quickens up the steering response.
2. as the width of the wheel changes, the offset requirement changes to give the same distance from the face of the wheel hub to the inside wheel edge (the critical clearance to suspension-usually).
ie for a 4.5" wide wheel with zero offset, the distance from the mounting face to the inside wheel edge is approx. 2.25". For a 6" wide wheel with a zero offset, that distance would be 3".
3. Wheel price is usually directly related to the quality of the wheel. Quality has a number of criteria besides the common tolerances of production (how round and perfectly square it is-runout etc). Many wheels (most) are cast aluminum. Casting quality varies with different manufacturers (air bubbles in the casting). The actual process makes a difference as well as the consistency and quality of the metallurgy.
Quality can also be how light the wheel is and how strong it is. Forged wheels typically have stronger material and can be made lighter because of the stronger material. These are typically the best wheels. Avoid a really light weight cast aluminum wheel-no strength or brittle. Light weight aluminum wheels are not cheap.
Magnesium wheels typically are very light and have good strength BUT they require proper care. They MUST be coated/painted and should be crack checked on a regular basis. If you scratch them, they should/must be paint touch-up coated asap. Magnesium pits/corrodes badly when not coated and can fail because of it. These are for racing and VERY diligent owners. They are expensive and most manufacturers strongly reccomend not using them on the street.
4. you get what you pay for. Let me say that again-you get what you pay for!
If you don't know who made the wheels, you have no idea what you have. Many if not most wheels are made for looks-junk! If they cannot or will not supply the specifications of the material and strength of the material in the wheel-walk away.
5. Relly good light weight wheels improve the handling of your car. Most aluminum wheels weigh the same as the steel wheels on you car. they will be stiffer, but that may be all.
Light weight wheels reduce the unsprung weight on you car which improves the ability of the wheel/tire to follow the road surface-better grip. Light weight wheels can improve the smoothness of the ride because of the unsprung weight reduction.
6. light weight wheels can reduce the total weight of your car by 20+ lbs. Well thats not much you say, but thats unsprung weight.
7. Curbs are the death of lightweight wheels. If you run your lightweight wheels against a curb parallel parking-you just ruined the wheel. They can take some abuse but be warned.
8. lightweight wheels for a triumph can be 10lbs or less depending on size. Most aluminum wheels for triumphs are around 16-20lbs. I have seen 15x5.5" wheels as light as 8 lbs each.
Have a good day
Rob
1. aluminum style wheels are stiffer and deflect less than wire wheels and steel wheels around corners which quickens up the steering response.
2. as the width of the wheel changes, the offset requirement changes to give the same distance from the face of the wheel hub to the inside wheel edge (the critical clearance to suspension-usually).
ie for a 4.5" wide wheel with zero offset, the distance from the mounting face to the inside wheel edge is approx. 2.25". For a 6" wide wheel with a zero offset, that distance would be 3".
3. Wheel price is usually directly related to the quality of the wheel. Quality has a number of criteria besides the common tolerances of production (how round and perfectly square it is-runout etc). Many wheels (most) are cast aluminum. Casting quality varies with different manufacturers (air bubbles in the casting). The actual process makes a difference as well as the consistency and quality of the metallurgy.
Quality can also be how light the wheel is and how strong it is. Forged wheels typically have stronger material and can be made lighter because of the stronger material. These are typically the best wheels. Avoid a really light weight cast aluminum wheel-no strength or brittle. Light weight aluminum wheels are not cheap.
Magnesium wheels typically are very light and have good strength BUT they require proper care. They MUST be coated/painted and should be crack checked on a regular basis. If you scratch them, they should/must be paint touch-up coated asap. Magnesium pits/corrodes badly when not coated and can fail because of it. These are for racing and VERY diligent owners. They are expensive and most manufacturers strongly reccomend not using them on the street.
4. you get what you pay for. Let me say that again-you get what you pay for!
If you don't know who made the wheels, you have no idea what you have. Many if not most wheels are made for looks-junk! If they cannot or will not supply the specifications of the material and strength of the material in the wheel-walk away.
5. Relly good light weight wheels improve the handling of your car. Most aluminum wheels weigh the same as the steel wheels on you car. they will be stiffer, but that may be all.
Light weight wheels reduce the unsprung weight on you car which improves the ability of the wheel/tire to follow the road surface-better grip. Light weight wheels can improve the smoothness of the ride because of the unsprung weight reduction.
6. light weight wheels can reduce the total weight of your car by 20+ lbs. Well thats not much you say, but thats unsprung weight.
7. Curbs are the death of lightweight wheels. If you run your lightweight wheels against a curb parallel parking-you just ruined the wheel. They can take some abuse but be warned.
8. lightweight wheels for a triumph can be 10lbs or less depending on size. Most aluminum wheels for triumphs are around 16-20lbs. I have seen 15x5.5" wheels as light as 8 lbs each.
Have a good day
Rob
