Question

Hi guys,

Need a fairly lengthy description the other factors (type of criteria) a car wheel needs to meet other then dimensional compatibility and structural integrity.

Answer 1

Wheel—Pneumatic tires are mounted onto wheels that most often have integral rims on their outer edges to hold the tire. Automotive wheels are typically made from pressed and welded steel, or a composite of lightweight metal alloys, such as aluminum or magnesium. There are two aspects to how pneumatic tires support the rim of the wheel on which they are mounted. First, tension in the cords pull on the bead uniformly around the wheel, except where it is reduced above the contact patch.Second, the bead transfers that net force to the rim.Tires are mounted on the wheel by forcing its beads into the channel formed by the wheel's inner and outer rims.

Wheel alignment helps prevent wear by having the tire rotate in a direction, other than the path of the vehicle. When mounted on the vehicle, the wheel and tire may not be perfectly aligned to the direction of travel, and therefore may exhibit irregular wear. If the discrepancy in alignment is large, then the irregular wear will become substantial if left uncorrected. Wheel alignment is the procedure for checking and correcting this condition through adjustment of camber, caster and toe angles. The adjustment of the angles should be done as per the OEM specifications.

Because of rolling resistance wheel inflation is used.