A sweet set of wheels can make a boring car look cool in an instant. Before you plunk down your hard-earned cash on a set, find out the different types of car rims.
Manufacturers have methods for producing their rims. Casting metal is an old method that has been used for centuries. It means melting down metal and pouring it into a mold. When the metal cools, it will take the shape of the mold. The process is quick, which saves the producer and the customer money. Shabana Motors has been delivering exceptional used cars to the Houston community for over 35 years. With a great selection and in-house financing option, they've been Houston's trusted used car dealership since Privacy Terms of use.
Powered By:. General: Sales: Types and Materials Wheels and rims come in three basic materials: steel, aluminum, and chrome. Steel rims are kind of old school. Most standard wheels used to be made of steel, but manufacturers are moving to lighter metals to boost fuel efficiency. Aluminum wheels are much lighter than steel.
They are typically alloyed with some nickel. Aluminum or magnesium alloy rims are durable, reasonably priced, and very popular. They are lighter than aluminum-nickel alloys, making them the lightest rims on the market.
Chrome rims were trendy from their inception in the s through the early part of this century. They are a little heavier than other rim choices, but they resist rust. However, they can scratch easily; severe weather is hard on them. Also, some chrome finishes used some hazardous chemicals, so they have been banned in some states in the U. Spinners originated in the s and were popular through the early s.
They were available in different colors and spin motions, but are not as common as they used to be. Common colors were white, black, and red, often to match the color of the vehicle. Manufacturing Wheels and Rims Wheels and rims are manufactured in three different ways.
Casting involves pouring molten metal into a wheel-shaped mold. Chrome adds nothing to increase performance, but gives the wheel a shinier finish.
Chrome wheels can scratch easily, so use chrome wheels in sunny and dry weather, and have a back-up set of rims for snow and rain. To make rims more eye catching, a colored finish can be added or the rims can be made to spin.
Colors such as white, black and red are commonly used to match the wheel to the car's color. Spinning wheels will spin while the car is moving and for a short period once the vehicle has stopped.
Other cars that are popular with boomers for similar reasons are the Volvo XC90 and the Nissan Rogue. Boomers are into sustainability, so those who can afford them may drive zero-emission Teslas. This generation is in the heart of the married-with-kids years, and affordable sedans are very popular with this group. The list of the most popular cars for this generation includes only the Jeep Cherokee in the SUV category and the Ford truck as the only pickup.
These younger car-buyers lean toward used cars, if they can bring themselves to buy a car at all. Those who must drive to work instead of biking or taking Ubers tend to opt for less expensive, used import sedans.
Gen Z has endured tough economic times, growing up during the Great Recession while taking on burdensome student loans. Millennials and Gen Zers are concerned about value and have good reasons to be frugal. Aftermarket manufacturers recognize the importance of J certification as a mark of quality. This quality and testing standard set forth performance and testing guidelines, including sampling parameters, for aftermarket wheel manufacturers. It addresses:. The standard requires that wheels be subjected to a defined number of cycles and load settings based on the size and style of the wheel.
This ensures that tests run a sufficient number of cycles at sufficient loads to truly test the performance of the wheel and its design. A manufacturer can use its own lab or contract with an external testing facility as long as they have, or their test facilities use, the right kinds of machines for the three types of testing. The tests include:. Another applicable standard is ISO —a quality assurance standard that manufacturers use to demonstrate that their quality management system results in products that meet regulatory and customer expectations reliably and consistently.
If you could call a log a wheel, then their history goes back as far as the Paleolithic Era Stone Age , when someone figured out that large, heavy objects were easier to move if they rolled on logs. The ancient Egyptians figured out the first spoked wheel, and the Greeks took it a step further by inventing the H-type wheel with a crossbar. The Celts added iron rims around the wheels around B.
Wheels kept growing and changing with the different uses of coaches, wagons, and carts, but the general design stayed pretty much the same for hundreds of years. Wire spokes emerged in , when G. Bauer got a patent on a wire tension spoke that threaded through a wheel rim and attached to the hub. These turned into the kinds of spokes used for bike wheels.
Rubber pneumatic tires came along around , invented by R. John Dunlop improved upon tires by using a different kind of rubber that gave a smoother ride to bicycles.
Most car historians agree that modern auto wheels first appeared in , when Karl Benz created wheels for the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. That three-wheeled vehicle used spoked wire wheels and hard rubber tires that looked a lot like bike wheels. Tires improved over the ensuing years, when the Michelin brothers began using rubber for cars, and then B. Goodrich added carbon to rubber to extend the life of car tires. In , wheelmakers used rolled and stamped steel to make steel disc wheels. These wheels were heavy but easy to produce and repair.
When the Ford Model-T came out, it used wooden artillery wheels. Ford changed these to welded steel spoke wheels for and models. The white carbonless rubber tires for these wheels only lasted about 2, miles and often would go only 30 or 34 miles before needing repair. These tires had tubes, and they were easily punctured and sometimes came off their rims.
The evolution of the car wheel continued in , when drop-center steel rims, where the middle of the wheel was lower than the edges, came out. This drop-center design made mounting tires easier. Aluminum wheels are older than you may think—very early sports cars used aluminum wheels. The Bugatti Type 35 bore aluminum wheels in From through , Cadillac offered hybrid steel-aluminum wheels featuring finlike stylized aluminum spokes riveted to a steel rim. These were usually chrome plated, but in Cadillac went all out and offered a gold-anodized finish for their Eldorado.
These were still welded to a steel rim, but in Ford made a one-piece cast-aluminum ten-spoke wheel available. In , Pontiac followed the lead of Panhard and Cadillac models, using a wheel with an aluminum center riveted to a steel rim with chrome-plated nuts. These wheels had to use a manufacturer-supplied adapter to fit wheel balancing machines of the day.
The wheels also featured a large center cap that covered the lugs. Pontiac made these flashy wheels available through ; they were expensive and are now rare and sought after by car collectors. Porsche entered the alloy-wheel world in , when they made an alloy-wheel standard on the S.
Porsche continued to use alloy wheels on the for many years in different-size versions and also deployed them on its , , , and models. Ferrari brought out its first alloy wheel, a magnesium version for road versions of its GTB, in That same year, Chevrolet introduced a Corvette model with available Kelsey-Hayes aluminum center-lock wheels, which Chevy replaced in with bolt-on types.
Active wheels are for electric cars only. Even though they are sturdy and dependable, current wheel designs can still suffer damage from curbs, potholes, rough roads, and collisions. You might need to replace your wheels to keep your car running safely with good handling and fuel efficiency. We can help you find the right replacement wheel for your car that will give the same fit and match the original wheel both in design and materials. Car manufacturers traditionally provided steel wheels, until weight and looks become more of an issue for car owners.
Nickel or some other combination of these light metals are also common. In addition to their light weight, the benefits of alloy rims include:. Alloy wheels lighter weight means better steering and handling. The lighter weight puts less stress on the suspension, too. Less weight means better gas mileage. With tighter fuel economy standards, automakers have tried to find every possible part to lighten up in weight and using aluminum alloys to make the wheels is one of the main ways they do it.
Alloy wheels cool off faster than steel wheels, and as a result, cause less heat stress on the brakes. Steel rusts, even if it has a protective coating. The slightest scratch can allow water to get under the coating and start the oxidation of iron in the metal, resulting in rust that then spreads. Road salt will eat away at the aluminum oxide, though, so powder coating alloy wheels is another option to consider. Aluminum alloys are easier to cast in stylish designs compared to steel.
You can paint an alloy wheel or coat it with chrome for a shiny look. Alloy wheels offer many advantages in handling, style, fuel economy, and less wear on steering and suspension; however, there are a few drawbacks. Thankfully, most cars now come with some kind of alloy wheel as a standard part, and the benefits of alloy rims in reduced wear and better handling might offset the greater vulnerability to damage.
Whether you need to replace your Honda Accord wheels or any of a long list of other makes and models, the WheelerShip has you covered. We can explain the different wheels and materials available to fit your car. They called their first car the DAT and rolled it out in The new entity produced cars and trucks under the name Lila. The Datsun Type 11, a smaller car, came out in In , the Nissan Group, then an auto parts and foundry company, took over DAT motors as its first auto manufacturing operation.
During wartime, Nissan ceased production of cars and switched over entirely to producing trucks and other military vehicles. When the war ended in , the Allied occupying forces permitted only one plant to resume auto production. This began a burst of production and global expansion, including the advent of plants in countries other than Japan.
Through the decade, Nissan produced over 20, Austins. The history of the Nissan took a major step forward in , when the company began exporting cars to the US. Nissan merged with the Prince Motor Company in , adding models to its line, and developed a new engine design called the Nissan L in Nissan built on the success of the , creating the Z sport car.
Nissan began production of Datsun cars in Australia in The oil crisis of the s saw Americans seeking cars with better fuel economy. Global economic conditions, the resilience of American car brands, and a failure to predict US consumer preferences for value and innovation set Nissan back. Lexus eclipsed Infiniti.
It became a leader in electric vehicles with the Leaf and sold more than , of them by the first half of For example, Nissan introduced a completely redesigned Sentra in with a sleeker, modernized look. The company continued to refine styling for the Sentra through the rest of the decade. You still drive it because you love it. It looks cool and it has taken good care of you, so you want to take good care of it.
Get the steering and suspension checked and change or refresh steering and brake fluids regularly. Brake pads wear down—replace them every 25, miles. Rotate your tires every 7, miles and use that as an opportunity to check for wear not only on the tires but the wheels themselves. Older cars have seen their fair share of roadways and have encountered a few curbs and potholes in their time. Damaged wheels or wheel bearings could cause uneven wear on our tires, or worse, blowouts and handling problems.
The WheelerShip offers replacement wheels for many older makes and models, such as Pontiac G6 wheels going back as far as models. Windshield wipers and seals around windows, doors, and sunroofs can become brittle and crack as your car ages.
The timing belt, that is, every to thousand miles. Ignore this at your peril—if your timing belt goes, your car will stop, and it might not go again. This is usually an expensive repair, but worth it if you want to keep that vintage vehicle running. Check for oil leaks—are there spots on your garage floor or driveway?
Replace coolant every 25,, miles. Check all hoses for leaks and drips, and replace any worn ones, including water pump hoses and heater hoses that carry the hot coolant back to a radiator inside the car. Transmission fluid and differential oil in your older car may also need attention.
Dings and scratches that chip the paint are invitations for moisture to take up residence, and for rust to form. Take care of the paint job. Once it starts on an older car, rust spreads quickly.
Vacuum the interior and clean it with gentle cloths and cleaners. Keep it out of direct sunlight to keep it from fading or taking on a foggy look. Thinking about how to care for your older vehicle will prod you to take care of small problems before they become big ones. Toyota become the tenth largest company in the world by revenue in December Producing more than 10 million cars and trucks a year since , Toyota has become the worldwide leader in sales of hybrid electric vehicles.
The company produces vehicles under five brands, including Lexus; it also holds an interest in Subaru and operates jointly with car companies in China, India, and the Czech Republic.
How did this global company achieve its place in the worldwide auto market? Learn more about the history of the Toyota brand here. Toyota grew out of a family business, the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. In , the Toyota Motor Corporation was created as a division of the Automatic Loom Works, producing its first car in The next year, the carmaker incorporated as Toyota Motor Company, Ltd.
The company briefly stopped production after the war, but it was back in operation by the s. American drivers thought the Toyopet, which came on the market in , was too expensive and not powerful enough. Toyota went back to the drawing board and released its Land Cruiser, which was met with greater success. By , Toyota had reinvented the Toyopet and renamed it the Corona.
That model was more successful, with beefed-up power, factory air, and automatic transmission. The 60s and 70s were decades of expansion and acquisition as Toyota grew its exports and purchased three other Japanese companies—Hino, which made trucks and buses; Nippondenso, which manufactured electrical car components; and Daihitsu Motor Company. It released the popular Corolla to the U. The Corolla now ranks as the best-selling passenger car of all time.
Toyota achieved several milestones in the 70s, including the sale of its one millionth vehicle. It beat out Volkswagen in as the best-selling import brand in the U. Post-war regulations kept Toyota separate from Toyota Motor Sales, but the two finally merged in The 80s also saw Toyota become the first import brand to sell over a million vehicles in the U.
The two carmakers created a two-brand manufacturing facility in California in , and Toyota began production in the U. Long known as a value brand, making quality low-cost, high-fuel-efficiency cars, Toyota took a position in the luxury market by establishing its new Lexus brand, which became the number one luxury import in the U. The popular Camry followed on that success, achieving the status of the number one-selling passenger car in America in Lexus edged out Mercedes in to become the best-selling luxury brand in the U.
The company brought a hybrid into the Lexus luxury line and added a hybrid to the Camry line in Production of the Camry came to the U. After a slump related to the global recession in , Toyota came back with new, high-mileage hybrids.
Toyota persevered through recalls and penalties due to floor mats, stuck accelerators, and air bags in , retaining its brand dominance in the passenger car area with Camry and maintaining the Lexus brand as a top luxury choice.
The world watched in horror as the devastating tsunami destroyed villages and took thousands of lives. Just as production began to recover, floods stopped two plants in Thailand from operation.
But Toyota kept going, redesigning cars and adding new models to the Prius line. Amazingly, just a year after the earthquake, tsunami, and floods, Toyota won awards for customer satisfaction and dependability.
The s saw Toyota open more facilities in the U. Its Mississippi and Indiana plants reached milestones, sending out their ,th Corolla from Kentucky and their four millionth vehicle from Indiana.
Its motor manufacturing facility in Alabama produced its four millionth engine. In , Toyota announced it would establish the Toyota Research Institute to concentrate on artificial intelligence and robotics.
Toyota keeps adding to its track record of innovation, resilience, and recovery through disasters, recalls, and global competition. We hope you enjoyed learning about the history of the Toyota. With a record-setting sales history, the number of Toyota Corollas and Lexus models on the road means that OEM original equipment manufacturers will have their work cut out for them for years to come. If you drive one of those trusty, popular cars, know that the WheelerShip can help should you need to replace your Toyota Corolla rims or find wheels for your Lexus.
Our experts can match the year and trim of your car and ensure that you get high-quality replacement wheels for your vehicle. There are several basic considerations to keep your car in great shape, maintain its resale value, and get the most enjoyment out of it for as long as possible. As an example of ways to maintain a luxury car, here is a guide on how to care for your Lexus. Wash the exterior with gentle soap and use a microfiber or other lint-free cloth to wipe down interior surfaces with a gentle cleanser.
Avoid harsh bathroom cleaning products. If you have a leather interior, make sure you are using a conditioning product especially made for that material. Once the car is dry, apply a recommended wax product to keep it shiny and protected. This goes for your wheels, as well—keep them clean and apply an appropriate protective wax product to protect them from scratches.
Between regular maintenance appointments, keep an eye on fluid levels and tire pressure. Fluids that need monitoring include not just the oil, but brake, transmission, and power steering fluids. Inspect your tires regularly for damage and wear. Stains that dry may turn into stains that stay forever. As such, blot it up and get it to the dealer or the detailer right away.
Scratches allow moisture and grit to get under the paint. Address any minor damage right away before it becomes a major headache. Consult our experts to determine if you should replace your Lexus wheels with quality OEM wheels from the Wheelership.
It substantially reduces accidents on treated roads. Drivers should be grateful for the added safety, but they should stay mindful of the negative effects of road salt on cars. We address specifically how road salt affects your rims.
Rust will happen eventually whenever iron meets oxygen. Water adds more oxygen to react with iron, which accelerates oxidation. This means rust can spread, and even cause your wheels to get stuck onto your car, which makes it difficult or impossible to change a tire.
Salt is hard on all kinds of metal, and they can cause your shiny rims to crack and flake, ruining the finish on aluminum alloy wheels. The best way to deal with road salt damage is not to let it happen in the first place. Maybe your wheels had a good protective coating when you bought them. Keep your wheels clean, and apply a coat of wax before the winter season starts. Once the weather gets ugly and the salt trucks are on the move, try to avoid driving through puddles where salty water collects in higher concentrations.
Wash your car once a week and after every snowstorm. Also get the undercarriage sprayed. Knock it off, wipe it off, or wash it off; no matter you choose, get that filthy road brine off your rims as soon as you can. This will help preserve your shiny summer wheels. You should still care for the winter rims as attentively as your summer chrome or shiny alloy ones—rust is inevitable if you leave your wheels coated with a salty winter mess. Then it gets worse when you are confronted with a dizzying array of choices to replace it.
Knowing the difference between OEM and aftermarket wheels can ease the pain of decision-making. They are either made by the car manufacturer itself, or they are made by a third party for the car manufacturer according to strict standards and specifications, to be used on new cars.
OEM replacement parts are made by the same manufacturers that made the original parts, according to the same specifications. Some manufacturers of these replica wheels maintain that the wheels are just as good or better than the originals — but they cannot claim that they are identical; in fact they may have to make the replicas slightly different from the originals in order to avoid patent or trademark infringement problems.
Replica wheels are less expensive, but many do not go through any rigorous quality control processes. While wheel prices may be a concern you should consider quality above all else. Wheels are the foundation of your ride. OEM wheels come direct from the car maker or the company that makes wheels for the car maker. They are identical to the wheels that rolled of the lot with your new car.
Aftermarket or replica wheels may or may not be made of the same or similar alloys. Replicas may be easier to obtain and they may cost less than OEM wheels. However, you will want to check the warranty and confirm the certifications of the manufacturer. A reputable supplier will take the time to go through your options and explain the difference between OEM and aftermarket wheels.
Do your homework and make the choice that gives you the greatest confidence and peace of mind when replacing one of the most important parts of your car. The brand has been creating cars and even inspiring songs for more than one hundred years. Any company that has been around for over a century has seen some ups and downs and even a little intrigue. Two years later, Chevrolet becomes part of GM. This model was the first in the industry to feature a production fiberglass body.
Modern collectors understandably favor the model. Along with all these notable milestones, Chevrolet has also had its challenges despite its role as an early leader in car affordability. The later 20 th century saw several small car flops, such as the infamous Corvair, featuring a rear-mounted engine, which Ralph Nader accused of being the most dangerous car in America. Chevy had a tough time with smaller cars in the 70s and 80s, when the Vega, Caprice, Chevette, and Citation all disappointed.
GM famously filed for bankruptcy in , but unlike Pontiac and other GM brands, the Chevrolet brand weathered the storm and came back with the new Camaro in and the Cruze in The Chevy Malibu ceased production in , but it came back in and unlike the Volt, Cruze, and Impala is still being manufactured. The history of the Chevy is filled with models that became classics, from big family cars and trucks such as the Suburban to sports cars such as the Corvette. Chevy has become synonymous with Americana.
Whatever your opinion of the brand, one thing is clear: the history of the Chevy shows that Chevy is a survivor. How you spend most of your driving hours will likely determine which type of drive system to choose. Here we define the differences between 2WD vs. Two-wheel drive is exactly what it sounds like: the engine sends power to two wheels, and the other two just roll with it.
But which two wheels receive power? Most everyday passenger sedans these days have front-wheel drive FWD. This kind of system works fine for most normal types of driving in moderate climates. Rear-wheel drive RWD , on the other hand, is more common in high-performance vehicles, sports cars, and pickup trucks. RWD tends to provide better traction with heavy loads for trucks.
Plus, since the only thing the front wheels have to do is steer and roll, car makers can give more attention to front end suspension for better handling in performance cars. In short, two-wheel drive is fine for most normal driving in rain and light snow.
Either the driver manually decides or the car automatically decides when to engage four-wheel drive, depending on driving conditions. Four-wheel drive is best for off-road enthusiasts who anticipate extreme conditions, such as dirt roads with lots of rocks, gravel, hills, bumps, and mud.
Four-wheel drive vehicles may have high and low gear ranges. Some even have locking differentials, which keeps all the wheels turning at the same speed. That way, if one wheel loses traction, maximum power still goes to the other wheels. This is helpful in severe conditions such as mud, deep snow, or rocky off-road terrain.
Four-wheel drive is essentially for severe off-road conditions. AWD is always engaged, and the car decides how much power to supply to the front or rear wheels. AWD systems generally favor one set of wheels over the other; for example, some designs choose to maximize front traction during acceleration.
However, the system will adjust to redistribute power if it detects slipping in one axle or the other. AWD systems are helpful for messy or changing road conditions. If you live in a climate where rain, snow, sleet, and ice can all occur in the same day, AWD is a good choice. It can also handle light off-road conditions. All-wheel drive adds weight to a vehicle, which can boost traction but impact fuel economy. Beware of becoming over-confident with AWD. If you made a wrong turn, found yourself off-road in your 2WD sedan, and bent your rims, never fear.
Those concept cars with the big wheels at auto shows look super cool, but do larger wheels provide better performance? Larger wheels may provide better cornering and handling at higher speeds but might not work so well in wet or snowy weather. The added width and weight can also affect fuel economy and noise and may mean a bumpier ride. For example, if you go from inch to inch rims for your Honda Accord , you may have to decrease the height of your tire.
If you change the wheels without thinking about tire size, you could damage the suspension of your car. Your speedometer may even lose accuracy if you have mismatched wheels and tires because the larger wheels will rotate at a different speed than before.
Wheel size affects handling and ride at different speeds. Do you spend most of your drive time on sleepy suburban lanes or fast-moving freeways? Larger wheels have a reputation for improving handling at high speed. However, the lower profile tires that go with them have less rubber and air between you and the road. As such, the ride can be rougher over potholes and bumps. A larger wheel and bigger tire resists rolling more than a smaller tire and needs more energy to accelerate, affecting gas mileage.
That said, if you mainly drive on well-maintained highways, the extra cost of bigger rims may be worth it for the improved handling and stability.
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