Construction Techniques and Wheel Types:
Relative wheel strengths are as follows: 1 - Piece Forged > Multi - Piece Forged > Die (high-pressure) Cast > Vacuum Cast > Low Pressure Cast > Gravity Cast. The strengths are only relative because weight (or actual mass) affects a wheel's strength, as does the actual design.
Multi-Piece Wheels: This type of wheel utilizes two or three components assembled together to produce a finished wheel. Multi-piece wheels can use many different methods of manufacturing. Centers can be cast in various methods or forged. The rim sections for 3-piece wheels are normally spun from disks of aluminum. Generally, spun rim sections offer the ability to custom-tailor wheels for special applications that would not be available otherwise. The rim sections are bolted to the center and normally a sealant is applied in or on the assembly area to seal the wheel. The great ting about these is that you can replace any separate component of the wheel if it gets damaged. Lets say you bend your wheel or get some curb rash from parking. All you have to do is to replace one of the 3 damaged parts; thus, paying much less then getting a full replacement wheel.
There are now many options for 2-piece wheels in the market. The 2-piece wheel design does not offer as wide a range of application that a 3-piece wheel allows, however they are more common in the market and the prices start well below the average 3-piece wheel. Some 2-piece wheels have the center bolted into a cast or cast/spun rim section and other manufacturers press centers into spun rim sections and weld the unit together. On the high-end of the 2-piece wheel market you can find wheels using forged rims and forged centers. Since these are only sold in small volume and due to the high development and production costs associated with the forging process, they tend to be on the high end of the price scale.
Steel wheels |
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Pro:
- cheap to build
- strong enough for most consumers
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Con:
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some flex
- heavy
- not terribly attractive |
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| One-piece cast alloy wheels |
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Pro:
- much lighter than steel wheels
- stronger than steel wheels
- dissipate heat from brakes
- good looks
- very wide selection of styles |
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Con:
- not as light or strong as forged wheels
- no custom fitments |
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| Two / Three-piece forged and billet wheels |
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Pro:
- very light
- very strong
- almost unlimited fitments
- can be repaired |
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Con:
- can be more expensive than one-piece wheels
- usually need to be custom ordered |
Source: Grasroots Motorsports Magazine
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