Alloy wheel
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Alloy wheels are automobile (car, motorcycle and truck) wheels which are made from an alloy of aluminum or magnesium metals (or sometimes a mixture of both). Alloy wheels differ from normal steel wheels because of their lighter weight, which improves the steering and the speed of the car, however some alloy wheels are heavier than the equivalent size steel wheel. Alloy wheels are also better heat conductors than steel wheels, improving heat dissipation from the brakes, which reduces the chance of brake failure in more demanding driving conditions. Alloy wheels are more expensive to produce than standard steel wheels, and thus are not included as standard equipment on many vehicles, instead being marketed as optional add-ons or possibly included as standard equipment on higher-priced "luxury" or "sport" models. Alloy wheels are prone to Galvanic corrosion if appropriate preventive measures are not taken.
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[edit] Aftermarket wheels
A sizeable selection of alloy wheels (sometimes improperly called "mags," a term for magnesium wheels) are available to automobile owners who want lighter, prettier, rarer, and/or larger wheels on their cars, in order to increase performance, manipulate handling and suspension, and/or signify luxury, sportiness, or wealth. These wheels have become a part of pop culture (as with "dubs").
[edit] Aftermarket brands
Many aftermarket wheel brands include Lowenhart, Rial, Orobica Line, M.B Italia, Toora, G.M.P Italia, Vellano, MOZ, Wolfhart, Wolfrace, Panther Wheel, American Racing Wheels, Motegi Racing Performance Wheels, Weld Racing, BBS Wheels, 5Zigen, Volk Racing, Konig Wheels and Rimstock. Many companies have been formed over the years (some recently) due to the increasing demand from the street racing and the rising demand for larger diameter wheels (including 34" wheels that are now produced by Twenty Inches Strong).
Aftermarket wheels have also been oversaturated due to the vast influx of inexpensive chrome wheels from China. India, through Synergies Castings Ltd. and other companies, of late have also emerged as a major supplier of alloy / chrome wheels. They manufacture products to global scale due to primarily cheap but highly skilled and qualified labour.
American Racing, which owns Motegi Racing and Weld Racing among other brands such as TIS, TIS Modular, is the oldest aftermarket wheel company dating back to 1956. The oldest British company is Wolfrace who was the first company to offer a polished alloy wheel in Europe and to achieve TUV approval. Wolfrace also provided the wheels for thrust SSC and the UK's land speed record bid. A recent trend in the industry includes joint venture partnerships being formed between offshore manufacturers and local importers/distributors such as PDW Wheels which started in Australia in 2006, amongst a few others. Most wheel brands are ultimately sold through dealers such as RhinoTuning.
Some "aftermarket" alloy wheels are/were also available as OEM fitments, with BBS being a notable original equipment supplier to Volkswagen.
[edit] Magnesium alloy wheels
Magnesium alloy wheels, or "mag wheels", are sometimes used on racing cars, in place of heavier steel or aluminum wheels, for better performance. The wheels are produced by one-step hot forging from a magnesium alloy known as ZK60, AZ31 or AZ91 (MA14 in Russia). Cast magnesium disks are used in motorcycle wheels.
The mass of typical magnesium automotive wheel is about 8–12 kg (depending on model).
Magnesium wheels are flammable and have been banned in some forms of motorsport in the UK following fires which are very difficult to extinguish. Mag wheels have been known to catch fire in competition use after a punctured tyre has allowed prolonged scraping of the wheel on the road surface.[citation needed] Some variants of Magnesium alloy wheels may have low corrosion resistance.
They have the disadvantages of being rather expensive and not practical for most street vehicles. Aluminium wheels are often mistakenly called "mag wheels".
