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What is an Alloy Wheel?
Alloy metals provide superior strength and dramatic weight reductions over ferrous metals such as steel, and as such they represent the ideal material from which to create a high performance wheel. In fact, today it is hard to imagine a world class racing car or high performance road vehicle that doesn't utilize the benefits of alloy wheels.
The alloy used in the finest road wheels today is a blend of aluminum and other elements. The term "mag wheel" is sometimes incorrectly used to describe alloy wheels. Magnesium is generally considered to be an unsuitable alloy for road usage due to its brittle nature and susceptibility to corrosion.
When creating a Winter Tire & Wheel Package you can choose either an aftermarket alloy wheel or a steel wheel for your vehicle.
Use the descriptions below to help determine the best choice for you.
Alloy Wheels
Alloy metals provide superior strength and dramatic weight reductions over ferrous metals such as steel, and as such they represent the ideal material from which to create a high performance wheel. In fact, today it is hard to imagine a world class racing car or high performance road vehicle that doesn't utilize the benefits of alloy wheels.
The alloy used in the finest road wheels today is a blend of aluminum and other elements. The term "mag wheel" is sometimes incorrectly used to describe alloy wheels. Magnesium is generally considered to be an unsuitable alloy for road usage due to its brittle nature and susceptibility to corrosion.
When creating a Winter Tire & Wheel Package you can choose either an aftermarket alloy wheel or a steel wheel for your vehicle.
Use the descriptions below to help determine the best choice for you.
Alloy Wheels
• Enhance the look of your vehicle
• Are manufactured to precise standards to meet exact fitment and performance needs
• Weigh less than steel wheels and have superior strength
• May be the preferred option for your vehicle based on fitment requirements
• Will allow for better brake clearance (depending on wheel style and brake components installed)
• Require proper maintenance as finish damage may result in the harshest winter climates where salt and sand are routinely used
• Are manufactured to precise standards to meet exact fitment and performance needs
• Weigh less than steel wheels and have superior strength
• May be the preferred option for your vehicle based on fitment requirements
• Will allow for better brake clearance (depending on wheel style and brake components installed)
• Require proper maintenance as finish damage may result in the harshest winter climates where salt and sand are routinely used
Steel Wheels
Bolt Paterns
The bolt pattern or bolt circle is the diameter of an imaginary circle formed by the centers of the wheel lugs. Bolt patterns can be 4, 5, 6, or 8 lug holes. A bolt circle of 4x100 would indicate a 4 lug pattern on a circle with a diameter of 100mm.
The diagram indicates the proper measuring methods. 6 lug wheels are measured like the 4 lug wheels.
Centerbore
The centerbore of a wheel is the machined opening on the back of the wheel that centers the wheel properly on the hub of a vehicle. This hole is machined to exactly match the hub so the wheels are precisely positioned as the lug hardware is torqued down. Keeping the wheel precisely centered on the hub when it is mounted will minimize the chance of a vibration. Some wheels are vehicle model specific and will come from the factory with a bore machined to match that vehicle. Some wheels are designed to fit multiple vehicle models and will use a centering ring system to reduce the bore size to match the hubs of different vehicles. These rings keep the wheel precisely positioned as the lug hardware is torqued down.
Some wheels are non-hubcentric by design. These are known as lug-centric wheels. With these wheels it is critical to torque the lug hardware with the vehicle on jack stands, off the ground. This allows the nuts or bolts to center the wheel and torque down without the weight of the vehicle pushing them off center.
Finishes and Care
Once your new wheels and tires are installed, step back and take a good look. The new, sharper appearance will accent your vehicle splendidly. They look great now; but unfortunately, your wheels are often the dirtiest part of your car because they are constantly exposed to the elements (corrosive brake dust, ocean or road salt, stones, cinders and sticky tar).
Here are a few tips on how to maintain a wheel's original splendor:
Before you install them, a coat of wax will help protect your wheels and make them easier to clean.
Treat the finish of your wheels as you would the finish of your car. Most alloy wheels today feature a painted and/or a clearcoat finish. The best way to take care of wheels without damaging their protective finish is by frequently washing them with a mild soap and water solution. Using a tar and bug remover can prevent permanent tar staining. Periodic waxing will protect the wheel's finish from the elements.
Never use abrasive cleansers, steel wool pads or polishing compounds.
Beware of automatic car washes. Some washes use acid cleaners either before or during the wash to remove dirt and grime. Others use stiff brushes for cleaning wheels and tires. Both of these processes could harm your wheel's finish. Ask the employees or manager of the car wash about their equipment and procedures before entering the wash.
Never allow your wheels and tires to be steam-cleaned. Hot steam can dull the paint and clearcoat finish on your wheels.
Don't clean hot wheels; wait until they cool. Water dries much faster at higher temperatures. Thus, cleaning wheels while they are hot may cause your mild soap solution to dry too quickly leaving spots or a film of soap on your wheels.
Clean your tires and wheels first, one at a time. Tires and wheels tend to be the dirtiest parts of your vehicle and have a variety of surfaces to clean. So you will want to use the full strength of your hose to initially rinse away all loose dirt and to finally rinse off your soap solution. If you clean your tires and wheels first, you won't expose your washed car to the over spray as you rinse them. Cleaning one at a time focuses your attention and ensures that the soap doesn't dry on one wheel while you're cleaning another. Be sure to use a different sponge on the rest of the car's body to prevent scratching the paint from the particles that may have collected during the wheel cleaning process.
Clean wheels on a regular basis. Remember, they're often the dirtiest part of your vehicle because they are constantly exposed to the elements (corrosive brake dust, ocean and road salt, paint-chipping stones and cinders and sticky tar).
Your new tires and alloy wheels are like any other valuable investment. You should protect them. Clean them as you would the rest of your car. Care for them as you would care for your entire vehicle.
Offset
The offset of a wheel is the distance from its hub mounting surface to the centerline of the wheel. The offset can be one of three types.
Zero Offset
The hub mounting surface is even with the centerline of the wheel.
Positive
The hub mounting surface is toward the front or wheel side of the wheel. Positive offset wheels are generally found on front wheel drive cars and newer rear drive cars.
Negative
The hub mounting surface is toward the back or brake side of the wheels centerline. "Deep dish" wheels are typically a negative offset.
If the offset of the wheel is not correct for the car, the handling can be adversely affected. When the width of the wheel changes, the offset also changes numerically. If the offset were to stay the same while you added width, the additional width would be split evenly between the inside and outside. For most cars, this won't work correctly. We have test fitted thousands of different vehicles for proper fitment. Our extensive database allows our sales staff to offer you the perfect fit for your vehicle.
• Meet the basic needs of drivers who want the convenience of a winter tire package without the additional cost of an alloy wheel
• Typically available in black or silver finish depending on the application
• Basic styling can often be updated with wheel covers
• Cost less than alloy wheels due to ease of manufacturing and lower material costs
• Typically available in black or silver finish depending on the application
• Basic styling can often be updated with wheel covers
• Cost less than alloy wheels due to ease of manufacturing and lower material costs
Bolt Paterns
The bolt pattern or bolt circle is the diameter of an imaginary circle formed by the centers of the wheel lugs. Bolt patterns can be 4, 5, 6, or 8 lug holes. A bolt circle of 4x100 would indicate a 4 lug pattern on a circle with a diameter of 100mm.
The diagram indicates the proper measuring methods. 6 lug wheels are measured like the 4 lug wheels.
Centerbore
The centerbore of a wheel is the machined opening on the back of the wheel that centers the wheel properly on the hub of a vehicle. This hole is machined to exactly match the hub so the wheels are precisely positioned as the lug hardware is torqued down. Keeping the wheel precisely centered on the hub when it is mounted will minimize the chance of a vibration. Some wheels are vehicle model specific and will come from the factory with a bore machined to match that vehicle. Some wheels are designed to fit multiple vehicle models and will use a centering ring system to reduce the bore size to match the hubs of different vehicles. These rings keep the wheel precisely positioned as the lug hardware is torqued down.
Some wheels are non-hubcentric by design. These are known as lug-centric wheels. With these wheels it is critical to torque the lug hardware with the vehicle on jack stands, off the ground. This allows the nuts or bolts to center the wheel and torque down without the weight of the vehicle pushing them off center.
Finishes and Care
Once your new wheels and tires are installed, step back and take a good look. The new, sharper appearance will accent your vehicle splendidly. They look great now; but unfortunately, your wheels are often the dirtiest part of your car because they are constantly exposed to the elements (corrosive brake dust, ocean or road salt, stones, cinders and sticky tar).
Here are a few tips on how to maintain a wheel's original splendor:
Before you install them, a coat of wax will help protect your wheels and make them easier to clean.
Treat the finish of your wheels as you would the finish of your car. Most alloy wheels today feature a painted and/or a clearcoat finish. The best way to take care of wheels without damaging their protective finish is by frequently washing them with a mild soap and water solution. Using a tar and bug remover can prevent permanent tar staining. Periodic waxing will protect the wheel's finish from the elements.
Never use abrasive cleansers, steel wool pads or polishing compounds.
Beware of automatic car washes. Some washes use acid cleaners either before or during the wash to remove dirt and grime. Others use stiff brushes for cleaning wheels and tires. Both of these processes could harm your wheel's finish. Ask the employees or manager of the car wash about their equipment and procedures before entering the wash.
Never allow your wheels and tires to be steam-cleaned. Hot steam can dull the paint and clearcoat finish on your wheels.
Don't clean hot wheels; wait until they cool. Water dries much faster at higher temperatures. Thus, cleaning wheels while they are hot may cause your mild soap solution to dry too quickly leaving spots or a film of soap on your wheels.
Clean your tires and wheels first, one at a time. Tires and wheels tend to be the dirtiest parts of your vehicle and have a variety of surfaces to clean. So you will want to use the full strength of your hose to initially rinse away all loose dirt and to finally rinse off your soap solution. If you clean your tires and wheels first, you won't expose your washed car to the over spray as you rinse them. Cleaning one at a time focuses your attention and ensures that the soap doesn't dry on one wheel while you're cleaning another. Be sure to use a different sponge on the rest of the car's body to prevent scratching the paint from the particles that may have collected during the wheel cleaning process.
Clean wheels on a regular basis. Remember, they're often the dirtiest part of your vehicle because they are constantly exposed to the elements (corrosive brake dust, ocean and road salt, paint-chipping stones and cinders and sticky tar).
Your new tires and alloy wheels are like any other valuable investment. You should protect them. Clean them as you would the rest of your car. Care for them as you would care for your entire vehicle.
Offset
The offset of a wheel is the distance from its hub mounting surface to the centerline of the wheel. The offset can be one of three types.
Zero Offset
The hub mounting surface is even with the centerline of the wheel.
Positive
The hub mounting surface is toward the front or wheel side of the wheel. Positive offset wheels are generally found on front wheel drive cars and newer rear drive cars.
Negative
The hub mounting surface is toward the back or brake side of the wheels centerline. "Deep dish" wheels are typically a negative offset.
If the offset of the wheel is not correct for the car, the handling can be adversely affected. When the width of the wheel changes, the offset also changes numerically. If the offset were to stay the same while you added width, the additional width would be split evenly between the inside and outside. For most cars, this won't work correctly. We have test fitted thousands of different vehicles for proper fitment. Our extensive database allows our sales staff to offer you the perfect fit for your vehicle.