If the tires are like our shoes, the wheels are our feet. Novice friends of this part seem to not pay much attention, but there is a lot of knowledge on the “foot”. Today, the editor is here to popularize some basic wheel knowledge for everyone, which is very helpful for buying and using a car.
Wheel hubs are also called rims and tire bells, because they are cylindrical metal parts that support the tire on the inner profile of the tire and are centered on the shaft. They are different in design, material use, and size.
01
Where did the wheel come from
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, rims, hubs, and spokes began to be integrated through the casting process, and the style of the hub began to change, followed by the steel hub that we will use now. The characteristics of steel wheels are that they look very heavy and simple, and have a single color. With the development of the automobile industry, they appear to be incompatible with the exterior design.
In the 1930s, German technological breakthroughs laid the foundation for the development of aluminum alloy wheels; in 1958, integrally cast aluminum alloy wheels appeared, and now most models on the market are equipped with aluminum alloy wheels. Aluminum alloy wheels are characterized by diversified shapes and light weight, which is a qualitative leap compared to steel wheels.
Interspersed with some interesting things about steel wheels, although it is simple and practical, its appearance is really low, and it does not match the appearance of many models, so someone invented a “beauty” tool-wheel cover, the effect of installing it is immediately different. With the popularity of aluminum alloy wheels, now the wheel covers are only equipped on some entry-level low-profile models, and they are simply not suitable for pickups or micro-faces. Nowadays, there are endless patterns of wheel hubs, and there are many changes and advancements from process technology to styling design. We have prepared dry goods for everyone at the end of the article, let us continue on first.
02
Components of the wheel hub
Okay, after introducing the wheel knowledge, let’s have some advanced knowledge of “installing X”. We looked at all kinds of wheels and found them to look good, but about the composition of the wheels, the meaning of the information points marked above is not clear. Here I will give you a detailed chat. At present, the steel wheels and aluminum alloy wheels used in most models on the market are composed of different metal materials.
Except for the different design styles and types, the components of the hub are the same, mainly composed of the rim and the spokes. The wheel hub contains many parameters, such as side groove level, weighing level, hole distance, offset, width and so on.
Wheels and tires have the same parameters, but the parameters of the wheels are generally displayed on the inside. You need to observe carefully. If you understand these parameters, you will understand how to choose your tires. The main factors are the width of the wheel (which determines the tire width) and the wheel offset ( The smaller the offset, the more the rear wheel hub will deviate from the outside of the car; if the offset is too large, the friction vehicle suspension system will appear), the size of the center hole (determining whether the wheel can be installed stably), and the hole distance (determining whether the wheel can be installed Bottom) Four parameters are determined.
There are generally three situations when car owners upgrade their tires:
1. Keep the diameter of the wheel hub and only change the width of the tire.
2. Keep the tire width and only change the diameter of the wheel hub.
3. Widen the width of the tire while increasing the diameter of the wheel hub.
The corresponding value can be calculated through the formula: wheel diameter x 25.4 + tire width x aspect ratio x 2 (the rim diameter is in inches, which needs to be converted to millimeters mm, 1 inch = 25.4mm). You can refer to the corresponding table of wheel width and tires. The hub is replaced. Only after correct calculations can the right tire be selected.
In the purchase of wheels, in addition to paying attention to the corresponding parameters, you should also try to choose brands that are on the right track. Those low-priced Taiwan-made and high-imitation wheels that are purchased online cannot be trusted. After all, it is not good to look good, but high quality. In addition, the models on the market will be equipped with a variety of wheel hubs based on configuration differences. Some car brands can also provide personalized options to meet consumer needs. Of course, the price will not be too low, but at least the original manufacturer.
03
Wheel technology
At present, aluminum alloy wheels are the most widely used on the market. In terms of the process and technology of the wheels, they are developing rapidly. The technology of aluminum alloy wheels can be divided into casting (gravity casting, low pressure precision casting) and forging.
The shape of the cast wheel hub can be changeable, the manufacturing cost is low, and the strength is not very high after being impacted, and it is easy to bend and not easy to break.
Forged wheels are better than cast wheels because they are more rigid and lighter, and are more helpful for acceleration, deceleration, cornering, fuel consumption and suspended loads.
Speaking of this, I have to mention the in-wheel motor technology.
In-wheel motor technology can be regarded as a black technology. In-wheel motor technology was born in 1900. It is also called wheel-mounted motor technology. It integrates power, transmission and braking devices into the hub. It can be said to be a “modern version of Hot Wheels.” “However, this technology is still under development. In the future, new energy vehicles will be an important area for it to play.
Its biggest advantage is to save space in the car, because many components have been integrated into the wheel hub, which will greatly simplify the structure of the vehicle; the second is to form a hybrid vehicle with traditional EMU models.
Of course, the advantages and disadvantages always coexist. At present, there are still a series of problems in the development of in-wheel motor technology: firstly, it requires a larger wheel hub, which needs to be 18 inches or more; secondly, it integrates many components on the wheel hub, and the durability is not guaranteed. There are also high-speed vibration, noise, and optimization of braking and suspension.
04
Wheel maintenance
Small scratches and bumps are inevitable when driving on weekdays. The same is true for the wheel hub, which is often damaged, which affects the appearance, and the accumulation of time will also affect the driving. But the wheel hub with the wheel hub cover is much simpler, and it is OK to change the cover.
Aluminum alloy wheels are a little more troublesome, and it is best to repair them immediately if they are slightly scratched. If the scratching is more serious, it needs to be repaired immediately, otherwise it will be impossible to repair, and you can only pay for new wheels.
In addition, depending on the size of the damage to the hub, the repair method will be different, and the repair of the rear hub generally needs to be dynamically balanced. If you are not familiar with repairing wheels, it is recommended to find a professional store to solve it.