Light-alloy wheels are a worthy decoration for car wheels and a source of pride for connoisseurs of auto-tuning. They are beautiful and original. Experts assure that such wheels have both their obvious advantages and disadvantages. And they must be taken into account when making a purchase decision.
Light alloy wheels (or, as they are called in common parlance, casting) are wheels made of lightweight materials. Most often they are based on aluminum, but sometimes there are options made from magnesium. They are also often divided according to the manufacturing method into cast and forged. Casting is cast in a shape discs, and forged discs are manufactured by industrial hot stamping.
Benefits of alloy wheels
Alloy wheels are distinguished by their special beauty and originality. Their design is completely varied and it will not be difficult to find suitable options for your car.
In addition, alloy wheels are 15-30% lighter than standard stamping. This improves vehicle handling, helps the car become more stable on the road, improves acceleration dynamics and reduces fuel consumption. A light wheel quickly returns to its original position after hitting a pothole or hole. This results in an improvement in suspension performance. Turn a wheel with a light rim with less effort.
Aluminum casting has protective properties when, due to the formed oxide film, it is protected from corrosion. And so that this film does not spoil the appearance of the wheel, it is specially treated with a multi-layer varnish coating.
Alloy discs, due to the fact that they have high thermal conductivity and high-quality airflow, perfectly cool the car's brake system, protecting the pads from overheating.
Disadvantages of alloy wheels
The main disadvantage of light-alloy wheels is traditionally called their excessive fragility. They do not deform upon impact, but immediately crack and break. Naturally, we are talking about very strong blows that happen if, for example, at high speed you hit a hole. The stamping in this situation simply bends, and the light-alloy wheel is sent for replacement.
It is worth considering this fact and trying to drive more carefully, because when a disc is destroyed, you are actually left without one wheel in your car, and this is a very serious problem that leads to loss of vehicle control.
You also need to understand that if you have to change everything in the event of the destruction of one disk, especially if initially you chose the most original and unusual ones. In addition, you cannot drive on cast wheels in combination with low-profile tires in winter. First, due to snow drifts, the likelihood of lateral damage to the curb increases. And this will immediately ruin the entire appearance of the disc. Secondly, the snow disc gets clogged, gets dirty and loses all its attractiveness. Thirdly, the reagents that are generously sprinkled on the streets have a negative effect on the condition of the paintwork. Also, low profile tires are not the best option for riding on ice and snow.
Experts say that due to the prevalence of alloy wheels and their popularity, it is easy to buy a fake. Therefore, it is better to choose casting in a company with a knowledgeable person who will help you choose the highest quality and most reliable wheels.
