Visiting Ryton.....

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Just because alloy wheels can be light doesn't mean they all are. Casting an alloy wheel is cheaper than pressing and assembling a steel wheel, that's why manufacturers have started fitting alloys with wheeltrims to base models.

 

Are you sure thats right?

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

The last generation Toyota Prius had alloy wheels hidden behind hubcaps, and I believe Richard's C5 is the same.

[M'coli]

I'd be fairly sure that the profit margin on an alloy is larger, a pressed steel wheel will need 2 parts, one of which needs to be welded to itself, and then both need joining to each other, bolt holes machining and some paint, whereas an accurately die-cast alloy will need some paint. A well designed (i.e. strong, light and using the minimum of aluminium to gain stiffness parity with pressed steel and a margin for the lack of endurance limit) cast aluminium wheel doesn't need to be pretty, but will just need paint if the dies are accurate enough.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

i'd be very surprised if a cast alloy wheel was cheaper to produce than a steely with a placca disc on it. in fact i'd eat my hat.

[Guest]

Alloy wheels weigh in for something, steel wheels don't seem to. Perhaps that counts for something.

[Richard]

My C5 does have alloys with wheeltrims and somebody on here (CIH?) rattled off a list of similarly equipped cars when I mentioned it before, Mondeo is the only one I can remember. They look just like black steels but thicker and less good. They're pretty well made as alloys go, after 8 years they are still in decent condition.

[seth]

bolt holes machining

 

Bolt holes wouldn''t need machining in a steel as they're part of the forming process of the centre. They would possibly need machining on an alloy though. The hub face certainly would.

[Pete-M]

Save me some of that hat, Bolls.

 

Alloy wheels are more common because more people want them. Like electric windows, power steering, central locking and heated rear windows. It's worth the manufacturers spending an extra few quid putting alloy wheels on because they charge more for cars with 'em, and they'll sell more of the cars with alloys than without.

 

Alloys look better, so more people want 'em. Me included. I've lost track of the number of times I've heard people say "Shame that's not got alloys", but I can't remember anyone* saying "Damn, that's got alloy wheels, I want steels. They're lighter and more expensive to make".

 

Of the silly number of cars I've owned there have only been about 20 with steel wheels, and the vast majority of those were Fords with Rostyles. I don't go for cars with steel wheels as I despise wheeltrims and most steel wheels look utterly shite to me.

 

*That's anyone not on 'ere.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'd like a Rover Streetwise on steels mind, only ever seen one publicity pic of one and i've searched eBay many times for the wheels themselves (a case of 'Just in case'), has anyone ever seen one?

 

 

OMG!

[wuvvum]

I actually followed a Streetwise on my way into work last week. Made my day it did. It was on alloys though, alas.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Incredible find, I didn't know they existed.

 

 

If I owned a Streetwise, which I might do in the near future, I'd look out a set of those steels.

[seth]

Could they be steels off something else but with a small cap?

 

I suppose with the steel price being high (I assume on the basis of scrap price being high) it may now be cheaper to make an alloy due to economies of scale. But for a long time they would have just been a money making exercise where a small additional cost over steel wheels could be multiplied into a £500 or whatever option.

 

 

 

PS Was ER deleted then or summat?

[pogweasel]

They look like ones you would find on a Vauxhall "Combo" (usually coated liberally in rust)

[Guest]

If they're 14", I bet they're bubble-shape Rover 400 wheels painted silver - look just like them.

[Richard]

ER is no longer a member, I don't think you can delete yourself so he was either banned or asked to be removed.

 

 

I can accept that alloys might be slightly more expensive to make, but have a better profit margin (although that doesn't explain the alloys with wheeltrims phenomonen) and looks are subjective but they are not generally lighter or better at doing their job. They are style over substance.

[Albert Ross]

Thank fuck for that.

[chaseracer]

Thank fuck for that.

Good work. You must be so proud.

[Richard]

I'm in a bit of a bad mood tonight due to jet lag and twattery at work. I hate alloy wheels and other people like them, probably best to leave it at that.

[RedSparrow]

Of course, bullying vunerable 15 year olds via the internet is what REAL men do.

[Albert Ross]

Have you noticed this is my first post for a few days? The rest of you did your sterling work, I just spoke my mind first. And stick with my opinion.

 

I've had a REALLY shit week. But why should I bother any of you lot with it?

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I think it's a shame he had to be banned, but look at the forum, and all the threads not being derailed by ER, ending up 12 pages long and not worth reading.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

LETS NOT HAVE A FIGHT

[seth]

I'm a bit sorry I asked the question now.

 

 

I think the desire for alloys probably stems from the original use of proper light (mag) alloys on racing cars in the '60s. This lead to "go faster" cheaper but heavier aluminium alloys for road cars that I reckon could be made cost effectively in numerous designs in relatively small numbers. So alloys soon acquired a performance/special tag even if they were neither light nor special.

[Albert Ross]

Here's an alloy wheel

 

 

And here it is on the car.

 

 

 

Will that do to keep the balance?

[autofive]

i go sleep and wake up to find an alloy / steel wheel argument

 

much better than arguments about organ stops and BL mismanagement

 

 

that is all

[Mr Lobster]

^ +1

 

Banned . left, whatever. I'm just pleased he has gone.

[M'coli]

It needed to happen - it did remind me of what I as like before I used to drive, and the responses that he recieved were nothing that appeared out of the ordinary to what I recieved when I was a similarly young, annoying immature little scrote. Either that or my Dad and his friends were cunts too.

[Guest]

I tried not to be abusive towards Effluent_Dickpiece, but in the end he got to me. I like to think my responses went whistling over his head, the sanctimonious little turd.

 

Not there is some guilt there, but I find it hard to feel sympathy towards some of the slating he got. I also find a hatred of alloy wheels hard to fathom, but at least it's on topic.

[brammy777]

Thank god for that! Okay, so Ill admit for a short while I felt slightly sorry for him, but seriously, he didnt have a clue about anything and seemed to think recycled knowledge was the best way to scale the 'ranks' on this forum, but missed out on the personality (i.e. he was completely devoid of it). Roll on the days where we will all chuckle (or grimace) when a new member sees a reference to it and asks what it is about.

Someone is going to read this thread one day and end up pretty confused as well.

[seth]

Many people are going to read this forum one day and end up pretty confused as well.