April 2022

The wheels on our cars are offered with either steel wheels or alloy wheels. While both these types of wheels influence the looks of a car to a great extent, not many people know that they play a significant part in the car’s performance as well. We explore what exactly are alloy and steel wheels, and which one is more suitable for your needs.

What are Alloy Wheels?

Scientifically, an alloy is a mixture of two or more elements among which at least one is a metal. The purpose of making alloys is to increase strength, corrosion resistance and decrease the cost. For the in-fashion alloy wheels in automobiles, some light metals are mixed aluminium, nickel, magnesium, to name a few, are used to achieve the desired structural integrity.

Note: – As we are comparing alloy wheels and steel wheels, it’s worth noting that Steel is also an alloy and made by mixing Iron and Carbon.

Advantages of Alloy Wheels

Stylish appearance:

The better looks are the most apparent advantage of the alloy wheels. You may have heard the names “Diamond Cut alloys” and “Laser-edged alloys” in many cars’ advertisements. In India, alloy wheels are separately mentioned by automakers, and come mostly in higher variants. Marketed as “Diamond Cut”, “Laser edged”, the basic makeup remains very much the same.

Lighter weight:

This is one of the primary purposes behind making alloys. Their lighter weight helps to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle which further leads to better fuel economy, braking, acceleration, and longer tyres life.

Enhanced vehicle performance:

Due to their light weight, alloy wheels help the vehicle steer easily. Since wheels are independent of the suspension system, the reduced unsprung weight of the alloy wheels transmits lesser inertia to the coil spring. This translates to better ride quality.

Free from corrosion

The aluminium alloys are famous for their ability to resist corrosion. Similarly, the alloy wheels in automobiles are immune to rust.

Disadvantages of Alloy Wheels

Costly

As we have already mentioned, alloys aren’t pure metals, they are expensive to manufacture, buy, and repair. This is why alloy wheels are mostly offered in the higher trims of a car. Moreover, to own the car with alloy wheels you need to pay considerably higher than you would for the trim with steel wheels. For example, the ex- showroom price of Hyundai i-20 with steel wheels ₹6.98 lakhs is and with alloy wheels is ₹7.88 lakhs.

Less durable

Unfortunately, the alloy wheels are not as strong as steel wheels and they are more susceptible to failure, cracks, dents, and curb rashes. So, one needs to be very careful about alloy wheels, especially while off-roading.

What are Steel Wheels?

As the name suggests, steel wheels are made of steel which is the most robust form of Iron available in the automotive world. Due to its strength and durability, the steel has been used in major constructions, railway tracks, building endoskeletons, foundations, etc. In automobiles, steel wheels have been there for ages and still are highly preferred for their promising nature.

Advantages of Steel Wheels

Lower price

The manufacturing of steel wheels is considerably easy which makes them cheaper to buy. The steel wheels cost approximately 70-80% less than alloy wheels.

Fantastic durability and easily repairable

Since steel wheels are stronger, you’ll find them in rugged SUVs known for their off-roading capabilities. Moreover, steel is relatively more malleable and ductile which makes it easy to repair.

Disadvantages of Steel Wheels

Increased weight

Since steel wheels are relatively heavier, they increase the unsprung weight of the car and degrade the ride quality a little. On the other hand, increased weight does have a positive side to it as it offers better traction and stability.

Corrosion

Steel is quite prone to corrosion and a humid atmosphere can take its toll if given a chance. However, modern painting technology and dedicated paints can make the steel wheels resist corrosion to a great extent.

While alloy wheels look more stylish and enhance fuel efficiency and ride quality to some extent, there are some rugged traits of steel wheels that you can’t turn away your eyes from. Hopefully, this article will help you make a more informed decision while choosing the perfect car.

Source: spinny.com

 

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