Why do some new cars have steel wheels ?

Iceweasel

I agree - alloy wheels look horrible when they are corroded - but in my experience they only corrode if they are neglected after being scuffed against a kerb.

Steel wheels rust of course - but I suppose you could hide that behind a set of wheel trims.

But it does seem there is a rend for people who buy steel wheels (because they are cheap) for their winter tyres - to not cover them with trims.

I don't like the look of bare black steel wheels at all.

[Deleted User]

G4S meter readers bomb around in C1/107's with black steel wheels with no wheelie trims on.

DigForVictory

Not sure if it's off topic or not but alloys can adhere to wheel hubs making changing a tyre challenging.
Perhaps the high spec squad are fed up with having to wait for roadside assistance to arrive with the big rubber mallet & so have gone back to steel?

AdrianC

DigForVictory wrote: »

Not sure if it's off topic or not but alloys can adhere to wheel hubs making changing a tyre challenging.
Perhaps the high spec squad are fed up with having to wait for roadside assistance to arrive with the big rubber mallet & so have gone back to steel?

There's a far simpler solution. Slacken the nuts, drive ten-twenty metres. Works every time.

Or use a bit of copaslip on the hub before you put the wheel on...

Iceweasel

DigForVictory wrote: »

Not sure if it's off topic or not but alloys can adhere to wheel hubs making changing a tyre challenging.
Perhaps the high spec squad are fed up with having to wait for roadside assistance to arrive with the big rubber mallet & so have gone back to steel?

You're right about alloys sticking to the hub - and Adrian has given the solution to that.

I've never had a problem removing a wheel that i put on myself - same applies to the wheel nuts/bolts.

Most people seriously overtighten alloy wheel nuts - best to use a torque wrench - every now and again Lidl have a decent one on special offer.

As for the high-spec squad I think that the real driving enthusiasts among them have 2 sets of high-spec tyres - which is what I think the OP spotted.

The badge-buying posers on the other hand will fit the cheapest rubber they can find as all they want is the image - that's why they regularly buy the cheapest engined model and remove the badges.

They are also the types that give many brands a bad name and feature high in the poll on another thread for inconsiderate drivers.

londonTiger

colino wrote: »

Simply cheaper and the fitting of alloys was brought about from sound engineering principles, to reduce unsprung weight. However most alloys are now for style only and weigh considerably more than their pressed steel equivalent.

is hear this myth being perpetuated every now and again, having handled lots of wheels as a DIYers I have never come across any alloys that are lighter than steels.

Even the "speciality" lightweight alloys like oz racing superleggera (sic) or team dynamics pro race 3 come close to steel wheel weight. But steelies are always lighter.

most alloys are thick and heavy, they're meant for looks only, the steelies are better for unsprung weight.

AdrianC

londonTiger wrote: »

is hear this myth being perpetuated every now and again, having handled lots of wheels as a DIYers I have never come across any alloys that are lighter than steels.

Umm, did you read the bit you replied to? He said exactly the same.

londonTiger

AdrianC wrote: »

Umm, did you read the bit you replied to? He said exactly the same.

yes i did, he said they were introduced because they weighed less than steels originally. my arguement is they were never introduced for weight benefit because they were always heavier than steels. They were brought about purely because they look better than steel and the fact that they allow brakes to cool better. So for high performance, it's much better to have heavier alloys with big gaps between the spokes to cool the brakes than have light steel wheels that block out air.

Chris75

I think that alloy wheels were introduced on competition cars because they could be made lighter and helped with brake cooling if life expectancy/ kerbing etc was not a problem and on lorries -particularly in the USA - because they dissipated heat better.


Alloy wheels on passenger cars are purely a styling exercise & personally I would choose not to have them.

AdrianC

Originally, non-steel wheels WERE fitted for unsprung weight - but they tended to be alloys of magnesium, rather than aluminium. Even aluminium alloy wheels can be significantly lighter than steel, but at the price of fragility and easy bending/cracking in road use.

(As a side issue, brake cooling would be even better behind wire wheels than alloys, or even with minimal ducting inside the wheel.)

I won't go near your comment about how even lightweight alloys come near to steel wheel weight, but steels are always lighter. I'll let you figure the problem there out on your own. Then I'll let you come round and try the weight of a 7x16" steel rim that I've got sat about, sans tyre, at the moment. It's ridiculously heavy.

BTW, are you comparing size-for-size?