There are three types of manufacturing methods for aluminum alloy wheels: gravity casting, forging, and low-pressure precision casting. 1. In the gravity casting method, aluminum alloy solution is poured into a mold using gravity, and after forming, the product is processed and polished on a lathe to complete the product. The manufacturing process is relatively simple and does not require precision casting technology, resulting in low cost and high production efficiency, but it is prone to bubbles (blow-through), uneven density, and insufficient surface smoothness. A significant number of Geely models, mainly early production models, are equipped with wheels manufactured in this way, and most new models have been replaced with new wheel hubs. 2. Forging method: The whole aluminum ingot is directly extruded into the mold by a thousand-ton press, which has the advantages of uniform density, smooth and delicate surface, a thin wall of the wheel hub, lightweight, and the highest material strength. Although it is more than 30% more expensive than the casting method, it also requires advanced manufacturing equipment and has a yield of only 50-60%, resulting in higher manufacturing costs. 3. Low-pressure precision casting is a method of precision casting under a low pressure of 0.1Mpa, which not only has good formability, clear contours, uniform density, and smooth surfaces but also achieves high strength and lightweight. , it is also possible to reduce costs and improve. With a yield rate of over 90%, this is the mainstream manufacturing method for high-quality aluminum alloy wheels. [1]
Wheel size refers to the diameter of the wheel, and we often hear about 15-inch wheels and 16-inch wheels, but 15 inches and 16 inches refer to the size (diameter) of the wheels. In general, in automobiles, the larger wheel hub size and higher tire profile provide a better visual tension effect and also improve the stability of vehicle control, but also increase fuel consumption. this. [1]
Wheel hub width is also commonly known as J-value. Wheel hub width directly affects tire selection. If tires of the same size have different J values, the selected tire's profile and width will also differ. different. [1]
The technical name of PCD is pitch circle diameter, which refers to the diameter between the fixing bolts in the center of the wheel hub. Most common wheel hub holes have 5 and 4 bolts, but the distance between the bolts is 4X103, 5X114.3, 5X112 and other names mean that, taking 5X114.3 as an example, this wheel hub's PCD is 114.3mm and the hole is 5 bolts. When choosing wheels, PCD is one of the most important parameters, and considering safety and stability, it is best to choose wheels with the same PCD as the original car when upgrading. [1]
The English name is Offset, commonly known as ET value, and it is the distance between the fixing surface of the hub bolt and the geometric center line (center line of the hub cross-section). Simply put, it is the distance between the fixing surface of the hub bolt and the center line of the hub cross-section. That's it. The center point of the wheel hub and the center point of the entire rim To put it simply, if you modify the wheel hub, it will either retract inward or protrude outward. For regular cars, the ET value is positive, but for some vehicles and some jeeps, it is negative. For example, if your car has an offset value of 40, replacing it with an ET45 wheel will visually shorten the wheel arches compared to the original wheels. Of course, the ET value is not only related to changes in appearance, but also to the vehicle's steering characteristics and wheel alignment angle, and if the offset value is too large, it can easily cause abnormal tire wear and bearing wear, and in some cases, it can cause failure. In some cases, it may be. Installation (brake system and wheel hub rub against each other and cannot rotate normally), most often the same brand, same style wheel hub will have different ET values. Comprehensive factors must be considered. The safest situation is to keep the modified wheel hub's ET value the same as the original without changing the brake system. [1]
