First and foremost, you must know the parameters disks your car
Before heading to the store, you need to study the “materiel”. Namely: to remember which disks are and which of them in the parameters or operating conditions are suitable specifically for your car.
This was told by a leading expert of the service Mr Klodnicki.
Get lost in the varieties of the wheels difficult. There are only three basic types – whole, composite, and steel. Last we specially select in a separate class, even though they are structurally and belong to the composite disks.
Steel wheels
Despite the fact that steel (or forged) wheels are, frankly, unsightly appearance in the automobile world, they are very high demand. “Stamping” put on the budget of the complete set of available vehicles, as well as a motley of commercial vehicles (trucks, construction equipment, buses, etc.) and it is quite logical: steel wheels with high strength have low price tag. Plus, after falling into the pit damaged “stamping” can be easily and cheaply repaired (steel disk is not destroyed, and bends). However, there are also disadvantages: stamped discs are heavy, very susceptible to corrosion and poorly balanced.
Pressed CD are doing, as you can guess, by using equipment for stamping and welding (see video above). To “blind” drive, the two workpieces. This “plate” where the holes for the hub and rim.
One-piece wheels
And here are the most popular discs one – piece (one-piece) having a monolithic structure (read – from one piece of metal). They are manufactured from aluminum with necessary additives, and from various alloys based on magnesium or titanium. These wheels are almost not afraid of corrosion and the technology of their production allows to experiment with the most daring design solutions.
If you look deeper, we can distinguish two kinds of whole disk — cast and wrought. If the first are made by casting into molds and the subsequent machining, the forged – with the help of hot stamping. This technological method adds rigidity and durability of forged wheels, making them lighter and, of course, expensive. But also whole drives to pick on you. In particular, after injury to rule them highly undesirable, as it changes the structure of the alloy and the geometry of the disk and, accordingly, deteriorate the performance of the wheel.
However, there are monolithic disks for the production of which metal is not needed. For example, carbon. They are made from carbon fibre so-called vacuum forming, followed by baking in an oven. The output is strong, and most importantly, very easy (50% compared to forged) wheels. Unfortunately, carbon doesn’t like point a can be split into several parts. As you know, a disk restore will not succeed. And are such wheels are very expensive. So, for example, carbon wheels manufactures and puts on his hypercar (at an approximate cost of $1.5 million), a Swedish company, Koenigsegg.
Composite wheels
With regard to the compound (composite or component) drives, originally they were developed for racing in the early 70-ies of the last century. Usually such wheels are assembled from two or three parts and are fastened together by bolts. With each part of the drive may have a different material and production method (casting, forging, milling, etc.). Such approach allows to increase the strength of the disk, about half to reduce its weight (relative to solid) and to increase maintainability.
Tips when choosing wheels
First of all, be sure to check the disk settings to match your car. This center hole diameter (DIA), diameter raspaltsovki, number of holes, the flight of the disc (ET) and its width and diameter. This information can be easily found on the Internet, look in the instruction manual of the car or to read the engraving on the disc itself. On top, the choice definitely need to try drives to the tyres in the so-called tire online calculators, which is full on the Internet. Just remember, the disc should not be too broad or too narrow.
Often motorists are faced with a situation where the original wheels don’t like, and drives with exactly the same departure (ET) is not found in the assortment of other brands. In this case, the allowable error can be considered to be ± 2 mm. ideally, of course, branded drive should be spelled out in the catalog of applicability of the manufacturer.
“If you for some reason decided to update only one wheel, then buy the same or change just four. In any case, do not put on the same machine different diameter or fly drives. It is not only illegal, but extremely unsafe,” shared Council Mr Klodnicki, expert auto repair “the Guys”.
Plus don’t forget that there are a lot of counterfeit goods disgusting quality. And then there are two ways how “not to swallow”: first, do not buy a very cheap product, and, secondly, choose the disks in the stores with a good reputation. There sell discs that have passed the mandatory certification. Don’t be lazy and ask the seller regulatory documents, confirming compliance with all safety requirements during operation.
New discs from the store is good. But every person (especially in the current crisis) is the desire to save money and purchase used rims. And, for example, for cars in the age of new disks it is simply impossible to buy anywhere. How in this case competently to approach to buy?
The main thing — do not rush and with all responsibility to approach to checking for defects. In the secondary market is full of offers from the cheaters that put drives like new, and in fact they are brewed, laminated and repainted a hundred times. These wheels are likely to have violated the geometry, which not only can ruin suspension and steering, but also cause a serious accident.
“Used CDs should not have any traces of alterations, repairs (welding seams, patches) and other visible damage. Plus, if the product is sold with wearing them on rubber, it is necessary to ressortiront wheel and the disks are checked for integrity from the inside, – says Vladimir. — You then need to set each disk on the balancer to check for imbalance, and correct geometry. And don’t forget to choose the disks without serious damage to the paintwork, as the colour of each disc will cost dearly”.
© 2017, paradox. All rights reserved.
