Know More About Your Metal Wheels Well

Know More About the wheels of your vehicle is very essential. It helps you know how the wheel functions, and in case of a malfunctioning, you can tell the part of the wheel from which the problem is generating.

The wheel is the circular part of the vehicle found at the bottom that rotates and keeps the vehicle in motion. It supports the body of the vehicle and lifts it off the ground. Any vehicle cannot move without the use of the wheel. Most vehicles have 3 to 24 wheels.

Wheels serve a number of purposes and are useful to the vehicle in a number of ways. The wheel with the help of an axle on which it is attached to enables efficient movement of the vehicle in conjunction with some bearings. The bearings help in the reduction of friction. Were it not for wheels, transportation, be it of light or heavy luggage would be difficult and almost impossible. This is what makes the wheel an important component of a vehicle.

The wheel itself is not one complete component. It is made up of various components where each plays a major role in the complete functionality of the wheel. These include the rim, the hub, spokes, rod, wire and tires.

You need to know the role played by each one of them and how the absence or the presence of one affects the functionality of the other.

The rim

This is the outer metallic part of the wheel that holds the tire in place. Most rims are shiny whereas others have dull coats applied on them. The rim is made of strong metal fabrics that provide the strength to hold the tire in place. The rim has a center hole and surrounding holes where the center hub and the lugnuts are attached. The type of rim to be used on a vehicle depends on the type of the vehicle and the tire to be used. Large and small vehicles have different rims based on the purposes they serve.

During purchase, you should be careful on the rim size that you choose. Rims that are wider in relation to the width of the tire cause vibration which in turn results to uncomfortable rides whereas rims that are narrower than the tire will cause friction on the tires resulting into rapid wear and tear. This is why a lot of care should be taken and the right size of rims bought for the right tires. Rims are made from various materials and this makes wheels to be of different types. For example, there are steel wheels and metal alloy wheels. You can look at different rims on the Moto metal wheels page.

The Hub and spokes

The hub is the central point of the wheel found on the rim which holds a bearing. The spokes meet at this point. A spoke is one of the rods that extend from the hub to the outer edge of the rim. It joins the hub to the round surface of the rim. The purpose of the spokes is to make the wheel stronger. A fewer number of spokes could make the wheel weaker. As the number of the spokes increase, the strength of the wheel increases too. This however does not mean that they should be overcrowded. Spokes can be made of wood, metal or synthetic fiber. Those of vehicles are most made of metal, thus making up the Metal wheel.

The Tire

The tire or tyre is the outermost ring-shaped covering that goes all round the rim of a wheel. Most tires are dark in color. Tires can be made from natural or synthetic rubber. Tires are important in that they protect the rim as well facilitate enhanced vehicle performance. This, the tire does by providing a pad that take in shock as well as maintain the wheel in a close contact with the ground. The part of the tire that comes into contact with the ground is called the tread. The tread ensures that the tire does not wear out quickly by reducing friction. Tires are inflated with pressure to allow the rotation of the wheel.

All these components plus some other minor ones make up the wheel. They work hand in hand for the efficient performance of the wheel. All metallic wheels are made of these components. Now you know and understand your wheel better.