Query on Alloy wheels

[Held]

Hi,

I have come across many people saying that alloy wheels decrease the mileage of a vehicle.

Assuming that we are fitting a pure non contaminated (oxymoron though) alloy wheel to a vehicle, it will reduce the unsprung weight resulting in improved mileage.

Please let me know if I am wrong.

Regards,
Manoj

[dev]

U heared that only.
Lots of people thinking the Use/benifit's of using Alloy wheels.
if any Bhpians through some light on this topic.

thanks.

[artofzen]

It wont reduce your mileage unless you shod it with wide tyres

[Held]

I dint mean fitting wider tyres.. but for the same width will alloy wheels improve the mileage? that is my question.

[RX135]

Having less unsprung weight will improve ride/suspension. Generally, alloy wheels are lighter than OEM pressed steel wheels, which means "negligibly" better FE. Can not think of any reason for drop in FE.

[Edmund]

The general public' perception on alloy wheels is absolutely absurd........to most of the people who've spoken to me bout my cars wheels........they are taboo.....to them alloys are weak and break easy.......i didn't even bother enlightening them!!!

About your question.....your FE will not increase dramitacially......actually you wont even feel the difference but alloys have many unseen advantages.....like reducing the unsprung weight, dissipating heat generated by the tyre, Allowing efficient cooling of the brakes....and lastly.......the look good factor!!!

[lamborghini]

Alloy wheels are lighter and stronger then the steel wheels and hence do not break easily nor do they reduce the mileage but increase it by around 0.05 kmpl.
They also enhance the looks and in some cases make the car look horribly ugly.

[speedsatya]

previously i.e when there were only a few cars in the market ,what actually used to happen was that whenever anyone went for alloy rims ,they used to put wide tires as well.
but there was never an upsize which had the same overall diameter(OD) as the oe tires.
so with wider tires and increased OD,the speedo reading would change.as a result the odo would also change.
with increased OD,the speedo will show lesser speeds than actual.so when u r actually doing 100kph maybe the speedo will show 90kph.so when u have actually travelled 100kms ,the odometer will show 90kms.

now becasue of this lesser readings,everyone used to say that its because of the MAG WHEELS or alloy rims.hence the theory abt lesser FE.

u can safely go alloy rims.in addition to improving the looks,they also help in better braking efficiency.also the unsprung weight is reduced.the problem of bent rims is solved.

when u fit wider tires,try to keep the OD close to the OE tires.wider tires will slightly reduce the FE but give better handling.

FE does not reduce because of the rims.


read this http://www.chris-longhurst.com/carbi...yre_bible.html



also the right rim size is also important

http://www.tongseng.com.hk/Page/Product/G3.html

[Edmund]

While i was clearing some of my doubts about PCD i ran into this awesomely informative section on alloy wheels........check it out for any questions.
http://www.matey-matey.com/alloy-wheels.shtml

[Held]

Hi All,

Many thanks for the information. I just wanted to confirm that my understanding was correct.

Thanks,
Manoj

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by Edmund

reducing the unsprung weight

Might be a basic question, but would like to get it clarified through U guys.

What is meant by this "unsprung weight"?

I do not have any knowledge on this. I was told that the alloy wheels will easily get broken if it falls on a pit & the wheel needs to gets completely changed ( this is a sort of use and throw and cannot be repaired, if any damages occur). In addition to that this alloy wheels are meant for only foreign conditions and not for our Indian road conditions.

[drifter]

Unsprung weight is the weight of the vehicle empty that is without occupants.

Drifter

[aadix]

nope,

unsprung weight is the weight not supported by the suspension of the car.
ie the tyres in this case.

[Akkiben]

Originally Posted by drifter

Unsprung weight is the weight of the vehicle empty that is without occupants.

Drifter

The word "UNSPRUNG" weight itself is self explanatory.
The weight which is not sprung, in this case it is the weigtht of the tyre and rim.

aadix is right.

[speedsatya]

it actually means the wheels,springs and other parts of a car whose movemnets are not isolated from the road surface by the springs