Casting or stamping - choosing the best wheels

As long as cars will exist, the discussion between connoisseurs of stamped and alloy wheels will last as long. The ratings portal will draw its conclusions and reconcile the parties for a while.

Types of discs

Wheel disks are classified into several categories - production technique, load, and many other parameters. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Deciding which drive is better is within the power of every driver. But it is important to understand that quality discs cannot be very cheap.

By the type of production, discs are divided into cast, stamped and combined. The latter category combines the advantages of both of the above categories. And alloy wheels, in turn, are divided into forged and actually cast.

About alloy wheels

They are made from light alloys of various materials. But do not rejoice and think that they are light and will run comfortably along the road. Alloy wheels must be heavy to withstand bumps on asphalt roads. The average weight for a 13-inch product should be as follows:

• Steel stamped - 8 kg.
• Light alloy - 6 kg.
• Forged - 5 kg.

At cost, cast light-alloy ones benefit due to the speed of manufacture. Forged ones require separate dies for each variety and expensive equipment for blacksmiths.

Advantages and disadvantages

Alloy wheels create a wide field for a variety of looks. If you put them even on an old foreign car, then the cost of a car in the eyes of others increases dramatically.

These solutions also reduce the stress on the vehicle's suspension. Due to the dignity, inertia when driving, acceleration and deceleration times in the range of 0-100 km / h are reduced. Wheels of this type are popular among luxury and sports car manufacturers, where dynamic performance is important.

They are not without drawbacks. The products bend and crack very much when racing on the tracks. The European Union, when testing them for impact resistance, does not think about the existence of the main problem outside the union - the Russian road network, which melts every year after the snow melts. But on the other hand, if the casting is cracked or deformed, the driver is obliged to hand it over to the scrap metal collection point and purchase new ones in return.

Russian Kulibins easily weld and eliminate the deformation of the foundry industry. The service costs 550-1000 rubles, depending on the region and the severity of the case.

Journalists of the Main Road program on the NTV channel conducted tests together with MADI specialists. Impact on unevenness is identical in strict calculations to the impact of a load of 900 kg. from a height of 21 mm. A serviceable original disk in a serviceable condition received a degree of deformation after such an impact of 0.43%. Then he was sent to a car service, where he was treated with a sledgehammer. The repaired product was subjected to a similar test. The result turned out to be sad - already more than 2%.

This phase shift is fraught with serious trouble. It becomes more difficult to fit the tire and correctly position the fasteners. Hence the reason for the frequent reports of the wheels being torn off while driving.

Another unpleasant moment is the obvious imbalance of the wheels. There are two reasons for this incident - violation of the balancing weights and off-road driving. The balancing weights on the inside are often peeled off independently without the participation of the driver. For prophylaxis, it is recommended to carry out periodic inspection of the wheels at the same time as routine maintenance.

Another contraindication for alloy wheels is off-road and pits on the roads. During transition periods, limit your speed to 30 kilometers per hour and be careful when approaching the curb.

Steel stamped

Drivers call them indestructible and are willing to pay extra for quality. They have no equal on domestic roads. And all thanks to spot welding and separate stamping of the rim and disc. But these are not their only advantages.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of steel stamping products:

1. Resistance to deformation upon impact. Stamping can withstand loads more than casting. In this case, the probability of a crack tends to zero.
2. The price of such discs is much lower than one-piece cast and forged combined.
3. Such parts are easier to repair and restore. The only exceptions are completely crumpled elements. In other cases, straightening, welding processing comes to the rescue.

Of the shortcomings, they note the massiveness and premature wear of the suspension due to the massiveness. But it is this factor that saves motorists on our roads, because shock absorbers do everything to soften the collision of a car with an obstacle.

But the main trouble with the rim is corrosion, which slowly eats up the wheel. Rust formation intensifies in winter and spring, when traces of anti-icing reagents remain on the tracks. Therefore, before conservation, winter wheels must be returned for repair if they are planned to be used or sold.

Instead of completion

You can buy all discs in the online store or Yandex.

There are no perfect things. Making a choice between these types, you have to sacrifice something. Alloy wheels are lighter and louder, but after the first serious incident they will have to be thrown out. And massive stamped ones can cause suspension repairs ahead of schedule. But in any case, do not be lazy to purchase reliable wheels from an authorized dealer of the auto brand.