Alloy wheels or rims differ from steel-plated wheels in that they are made from aluminium or magnesium. Rims are stronger, yet lighter, lowering the overall weight of the vehicle. They also conduct heat better, allowing for improved braking. One such benefit of using alloy wheels or rims is that it reduces the unsprung weight of the vehicle, resulting in improved cornering and reducing overall fuel consumption.
Additionally, rims are very aesthetically pleasing and will improve the overall look of your car! Clean your wheels frequently to maintain the appealing look.
Conversions
The principle of conversion: The larger the rim, the larger the tyre. This inversely lowers the tyre profile, because the original rolling radius of the car cannot be changed (rolling radius is the distance it takes for the rim to make 1 complete revolution). In other words, if a car has a rolling radius of 2.050mm, after changing the rims and tyres the radius needs to remain 2.050mm. The whole car from brakes, suspension and the gearbox is set up for this. If a change occurs the car will experience mechanical problems but more importantly features like ABS won’t work correctly. You could even have the speedometer indicating 120km/h but in reality you’re driving at 140km/h! Using this principle you can upgrade your rims yet remain as close as possible to your original technical specifications. Never convert to a smaller size than the original fitted on your car.