Alloy wheels
bails87
Posts: 12,998
Comments
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lighter. therefor better acceleration and fuel economy."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
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but unfortunatly its not true, most allow wheels nowadays on your usual runabouts are much heavier and are purely for looks,.El Capitano wrote:nicklouse wrote:lighter. therefor better acceleration and fuel economy.
This.
You will have to spend a fair few quid to get light weight alloys on a car, bit like bikes really.0 -
i used to do a lot of work with the local police force and they said that they prefered driving on steel wheels because they held the road better :?
not sure whether to believe that or not0 -
VWsurfbum wrote:
but unfortunatly its not true, most allow wheels nowadays on your usual runabouts are much heavier and are purely for looks,.El Capitano wrote:nicklouse wrote:lighter. therefor better acceleration and fuel economy.
This.
You will have to spend a fair few quid to get light weight alloys on a car, bit like bikes really.
Looking at the wrong cars. agreed it is so on some cars.welshkev wrote:i used to do a lot of work with the local police force and they said that they prefered driving on steel wheels because they held the road better :?
not sure whether to believe that or not
used to be that the steel ones would take more abuse be for failing.
a steel one would bend before braking.
Just like handle bars."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
welshkev wrote:
Of course I am!
But still, on a bog standard car, choosing between standard alloys and standard steel wheels, (Not on an RS/ST/FR/GTi etc) is there going ot be any difference in weight, and would that lead to any discernable difference in performance/handling/economy?0 -
Depends on the bog standard car But basically, if alloy wheel lighter then steel, then there will be a difference - discernable or not... I dunno.
Unsprung wight also affects suspension too. Less unsprung weight.0 -
It is purely for asthetics, although alloy is generally lighter it is more brittle than steel so they have to cast more alloy to get the strength, so as weight goes there probably isn't much in it, unless as someone has said a magnesium or other exotic alloy.
Also steel will corode quicker than alloy, it can buckle more as in the main the wheels are made of steel sheet and welded rather than alloy which is cast...
It all goes back to looks, would you buy a 911 with steels and hubcaps...0 -
I have alloys on my car because it looks nicer. Dont really care about how they hold the road better or worse, or if they do 0.01mpg better, they look nice, what more do you want?0
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I prefer steel rims on my cars :shock: they take more abuse and are easily changed/replaced unlike if you break/scratch/kerb an alloy wheel.
I have winter tyres too on a set of steels I got for nothing from the scrap yard, brand new they were too
I have had alloys and there just not practical enough for me
they do look tons better though. 0 -
The steels for my year of Focus weigh pretty much the same as the alloys (and are a bit less fugly and hide the rusty drums a bit better!).Uncompromising extremist0
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I went from steel wheels to alloys on my Clio and there was a massive difference but that was down to the tyre width increase which gave more grip.
The alloys on my Accord are far lighter than either set of wheels I had on the Clio despite being far bigger.0 -
Don't think I could get steels, lol!
But from people I know, a really light set of wheels can be much more effective than an ecu map in terms of outright performance.0 -
For most people it’s the "bling" factor. Most aftermarket alloy wheels as cheap as chips and come with shocking tyres.
A good set of alloys will noticeable difference to the way the car feels, but I'd say tyres are far more important.
Want to start a “Show us your rims” thread :oops:0 -
no idea whether they really affect performance (on the car when we bought it and its just about the quickest and best handling car in its class anyway) but they DO look cool
slainte 8) rob0 -
Going to mags from alu wheels on the motorbike made a ridiculous difference... Almost crashed at the first corner Losing one of the brake discs was almost as big a difference but I don't think I'd recommend that for cars. Uncompromising extremist0
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Northwind wrote:Going to mags from alu wheels on the motorbike made a ridiculous difference... Almost crashed at the first corner Losing one of the brake discs was almost as big a difference but I don't think I'd recommend that for cars.
Mags ?? what mags ? I guess reading razzle at 50 mph would make me crash n' alll....0 -
Pudseyp wrote:Northwind wrote:Going to mags from alu wheels on the motorbike made a ridiculous difference... Almost crashed at the first corner Losing one of the brake discs was almost as big a difference but I don't think I'd recommend that for cars.
Mags ?? what mags ? I guess reading razzle at 50 mph would make me crash n' alll....
I'm guessing he means magnesium wheels, cheapskate should have gone for carbon . Now that we are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. ROMANS 15:10 -
Says the man intending to put a spoiler on an Accord.Andy wrote:bails87 wrote:Haha, no mags or carbon rims on performance cars for me, I was just referring to the standard factory wheels on a standard diesel Focus!
Just go for the dullest looking wheels you can find then. Should match the character of the car :P 0 -
Remember that when you next need to get to a bit race :P0
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Why? Am I going to have to hold onto it as you drive down the motorway? Because if so, I have to say, that would be amazing, and I wish to do it as soon as possible.Andy wrote:Remember that when you next need to get to a bit race :P0 -
That does sound like a youtube video waiting to happen...0
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Andy wrote:bails87 wrote:Haha, no mags or carbon rims on performance cars for me, I was just referring to the standard factory wheels on a standard diesel Focus!
Just go for the dullest looking wheels you can find then. Should match the character of the car :P
I was going to mock you for driving a Honda Accord. But Chris beat me to it. Also, your mum says she doesn't like it, and you've got fish fingers for tea....0
