What Are the Different Methods of Making Wheels?
A. In today’s marketplace, two wheel materials are most common, steel and aluminum. Steel wheels are made in two pieces; the inner piece (called the center) that bolts on to the car, and the barrel (or outer) which receives the tire. The two pieces are welded together to form the wheel. Most original equipment wheels are made this way, and so are many after market wheels—especially for trucks. Steel is a durable and less expensive material. The other material, aluminum, is by far the most popular type of wheel we sell. Its light weight, superior heat dissipation and seemingly endless design variations make it the material of choice for most buyers. Aluminum wheels can be manufactured in many ways, and each method offers advantages. • One-piece Cast Wheels A cast wheel is made by pouring molten aluminum into a mold; the metal then takes the mold’s shape as it cools and hardens. There are three types of casting methods, low pressure/gravity, counter pressure, and high counter pressure mo
