Alloy wheels

[Tackle man]

Can anyone tell me if wheel covers help preserve the alloys?
I know they help protect tyres.

 

[DBK]

Can anyone tell me if wheel covers help preserve the alloys?
I know they help protect tyres.

Doubt it, and any damp trapped would make the corrosion worse. But I suppose it would prevent uv degrading the varnish - so perhaps it might! But why get alloys only to cover them up?
Personally I find many alloys just look twee at best and positively vulgar at worst! The black ones with shiny almost chrome bits on them are the worst but probably OK if you live in Essex and want to blend in.

And while I am in moaning mode why do people with VW vans put low profile tyres on skinny spoked alloys on them? Don't they realise it's just a van?

 

[Popeye]

I have a genuine question..... other than vanity what is the actual point of alloy wheels?

The whole point of Magnesium alloy wheels is to reduce the unsprung weight.

Anything on the road end of the springs or suspension is unsprung weight and it is this that reduces road holding.

So ventilated discs low weight alloy parts including wheels lowers the unsprung weight and increases road holding.

I can't imagine how one would tell in 3.5 / 5tonne vehicle but you sure as hell can in a half tonne track car.

 

[34127]

Is it not the case that those with alloys think they look great, those with steel wheels look at the cost of upgrading to alloys and then decide that the steels look better.

 

[DBK]

The whole point of Magnesium alloy wheels is to reduce the unsprung weight.

Anything on the road end of the springs or suspension is unsprung weight and it is this that reduces road holding.

So ventilated discs low weight alloy parts including wheels lowers the unsprung weight and increases road holding.

I can't imagine how one would tell in 3.5 / 5tonne vehicle but you sure as hell can in a half tonne track car.

Given the weight of a typical MH tyre I suspect the percentage saving of a complete alloy wheel with tyre fitted over steel is marginal. And I suspect a ventilated disc is probably heavier than a solid one or at least of similar weight. They are not fitted for weight saving.
So I'm with Choc's!

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[Tackle man]

It's all down to personal choice, like everything else in life.
And I'm not from Essex!

 

[Scout]

Is it not the case that those with alloys think they look great, those with steel wheels look at the cost of upgrading to alloys and then decide that the steels look better.

tiss true, I like my alloys, but if i had steels I would not unpgrade unless I had too because my steels were damaged and the alloy replacements were not much more in price than steels.

A thing to watch, on autotrails the factory fit units steels are 15" and alloys are 16" wether this is true for other makes I dont know.

 

[trekkin]

I have a 6 wheel motorhome factory fitted with alloys, however only the four outers that are visible are alloy the two inner rears are steel.

My conclusion from that is it is purely aesthetically. If there was any real advantage to alloy wheels the factory would have fitted six.

 

[Chockswahay]

And while I am in moaning mode why do people with VW vans put low profile tyres on skinny spoked alloys on them? Don't they realise it's just a van?

Much to my humiliation try telling that to my 30 y/o T5 owning son! He spent the equivalent of an arm and two legs for a set of black alloys with fat tyres....... good job he's in the medical profession

But hey, that's modern yoof

Me? steel wheels all the way. Low tech, cheap and easy to maintain. They have a job to do and they do it well

 

[Popeye]

Given the weight of a typical MH tyre I suspect the percentage saving of a complete alloy wheel with tyre fitted over steel is marginal. And I suspect a ventilated disc is probably heavier than a solid one or at least of similar weight. They are not fitted for weight saving.
So I'm with Choc's!

I didn't say it wasn't marginal but any reduction reduces unsprung weight.

You suspect ventilated discs are heavier says that you DON'T know that they are heavier, because they are in fact lighter for the reasons I attempted to explain.

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This is a lightweight disc and it has not been produced for it's surface area breaking efficiency it has been done to reduce the unsprung weight.

You like many others might fit alloys to satisfy your vanity but please do not attempt to convince me that I'm wrong when I'm not.

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[DBK]

I didn't say it wasn't marginal but any reduction reduces unsprung weight.

You suspect ventilated discs are heavier says that you DON'T know that they are heavier, because they are in fact lighter for the reasons I attempted to explain.

Broken Link Removed
This is a lightweight disc and it has not been produced for it's surface area breaking efficiency it has been done to reduce the unsprung weight.

You like many others might fit alloys to satisfy your vanity but please do not attempt to convince me that I'm wrong when I'm not.

Gosh, you're easily wound up! I wasn't referring to solid disks with holes in them but the sort of ventilated discs fitted to typical cars which I suspect are heavier or virtually the same as an equivalent solid one, assuming both were made out of the same material. And of course reducing unsprung weight is a good thing but the point was for a MH why bother? Unless you are looking for a technical excuse to justify the expense!

 

[Deleted34567]

My rational for alloys on mine :
The alloys were on it when I bought it, simple as that. If they weren't on it I wouldn't have fitted them.
And too boot, I have the facility to refurbish them, no contest.

 

[hilldweller]

I have a genuine question..... other than vanity what is the actual point of alloy wheels?

Originally, around the 50s ( earlier ? ) they became common in racing cars because they were lighter, which is good. BUT the emphasis is on racing, they were light and they were only just strong enough to last on smooth tarmac. Some idiots used them on the road and they collapsed. So road alloys were made that ended up as heavy as steel to take the knocks of the road.

It's a bit laughable to consider trying to enhance the handling of a MH by fitting allows.

 

[Tackle man]

Much to my humiliation try telling that to my 30 y/o T5 owning son! He spent the equivalent of an arm and two legs for a set of black alloys with fat tyres....... good job he's in the medical profession

But hey, that's modern yoof

Me? steel wheels all the way. Low tech, cheap and easy to maintain. They have a job to do and they do it well

Big money in VW transporters. I bought my 71 original VW Devon Moonraker camper for £2,225.00 fifteen years ago and sold it in May 2014 for £20.000.
P.S. .. I'm old yoof.

 

[tjay]

Just sold mine and put on steel wheels with nice easily / cheaply replaced wheels trims !! no worries about kerbing them and requiring costly repairs to look nice !! Sorted. Btw did same on my Vw crafter too !!

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[Reallyretired]

My MH has alloys that came as standard with it. They do look nicer but I would not consider getting them if they were steel wheels. A previous MH had steel wheels with some really smart bolt on plastic wheel trims (white) and looked great.

 

[PAT N PAUL]

ive fitted these alloys on my fiat ducato very please with them, only problem i have is they stick out more than my arches, had an adisory on MOT so im on the look out for some wheel arches any ideas ?
regards

 

[pappajohn]

When i did breakdown recovery i lost track of the number of times i had to get underneath a car with a block of wood and a 2lb lump hammer to knock the wheel off the hub.

A little copperslip on the hub flange makes all the difference.

 

[TheBig1]

ive fitted these alloys on my fiat ducato very please with them, only problem i have is they stick out more than my arches, had an adisory on MOT so im on the look out for some wheel arches any ideas ?
regards

you could buy a set of after market flares for a 4x4 and cut & join them to fit. saw a van with a set of them fitted before and although obvious, looked alright

to do the job properly, a bodyshop would cut and flare the arches then weld in extra metal, fill and spray to match. much more expensive though

 

[MisterB]

i know this is an old thread, but it shows the benefit of the forum and being able to access previous posts. In my uninformed opinion, i thought that fitting alloys would reduce the road weight considerably and allow me to carry more weight in the MH. it looks like i was wrong and trust me, its not the first time i have been wrong ......

but at least i have saved a bob or two

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[pandas]

Originally, around the 50s ( earlier ? ) they became common in racing cars because they were lighter, which is good. BUT the emphasis is on racing, they were light and they were only just strong enough to last on smooth tarmac. Some idiots used them on the road and they collapsed. So road alloys were made that ended up as heavy as steel to take the knocks of the road.

It's a bit laughable to consider trying to enhance the handling of a MH by fitting allows.

we had steel on our previous home, always looked a bit tired and not that easy to clean, alloys came with alloys and look great - so far. Agree that it might not enhance the handling but they do add to the overall look of our tip top motorhome.