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Steel Wheels Vs Alloy


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#1 luismx123

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Posted 17 November 2018 - 08:50 PM

Hey all

Just wondering what weight difference one would have if you were to use alloy wheels compared to steels?
Hypothetical 10*6 Wellers Vs 10*6 mini/super/ultra-lites?

Spoke to a guy today who said one should steer clear from steels as the unsprung weight is quite a lot and it's better to have less weight down there.

Let me know you experiences and thoughts on the matter. Need to decide what I want to get :/

#2 sonikk4

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Posted 17 November 2018 - 08:53 PM

Are you racing the car, if not then its not critical.

 

And some alloy wheels are seriously heavy. All because they are aluminium does not make them always lighter due to strength to weight issues.



#3 KTS

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Posted 17 November 2018 - 09:51 PM

the weights thread lists some steel and alloy wheel weights, and you'll see there's not a massive difference...

 

Wheel 1275 GT Steel 10” x 4.5” (without tyre): 4.090 kg*
Wheel Cooper S Steel 10" x 3.5" (without tyre): 3.520 kg*
Wheel Cooper S Steel 10" x 4.5" with 165/70 x10" Tyre: 9.000 kg*
Wheel Cooper 12" x 4.5" with 145/60 x12" Tyre: 9.200 kg*
Wheel Minilite Alloy 10" x 5" (wheel only): 3.770 kg
Wheel Minilite Alloy 12" x 5" (wheel only): 4.570 kg
Wheel Minilite Alloy 13" x 6" (wheel only): 6.510 kg
Wheel Minilite Magnesium 10" x 6" (wheel only): 2.925 kg*
Wheel Sports Pack Alloy 13" x 6" (wheel only): 6.760 kg



#4 timmy850

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Posted 17 November 2018 - 09:52 PM

I changed from 10x4.5 steel wheels to 10x5 alloy wheels and the weight difference in my case was significant. You can feel a difference with lighter wheels. Because of the reduced mass they are quicker to turn, accelerate, etc.
Reducing unsprung rotating mass is one of the best ways to drop weight on a car

#5 luismx123

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Posted 17 November 2018 - 09:58 PM

I'm stuck between going for 10s, basically a Weller 10*6 or a jbw w8 10*5.5 or going to 12s but then sticking to jbw superlites 12*6. Wondering which one weighs more.
Thanks for the list above. Helps a lot :)

#6 nicklouse

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Posted 17 November 2018 - 11:52 PM

IIRC the 6x10 wellers were way lighter that the 6x10 alloys when i had them.



#7 Wiggy

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Posted 18 November 2018 - 12:45 AM

Back in the day Alloy Wheels were more about weight saving. But as time progressed they were more about style and cost.

People wanted the look rather than the weight saving. Ergo cheaper, heavier materials were used.

My Sportspack Wheels weigh a flipping tonne.

#8 luismx123

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Posted 18 November 2018 - 11:20 AM

IIRC the 6x10 wellers were way lighter that the 6x10 alloys when i had them.

how are they when it comes to balance? Id expect a alloy to be better centered and weight distributed?



#9 nicklouse

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Posted 18 November 2018 - 12:08 PM

no idea. no one said anything. 



#10 DeadSquare

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Posted 18 November 2018 - 12:50 PM

Back in the day Alloy Wheels were more about weight saving. But as time progressed they were more about style and cost.

People wanted the look rather than the weight saving. Ergo cheaper, heavier materials were used.

My Sportspack Wheels weigh a flipping tonne.

 

The best early 'non steel'  wheels were Magnesium, but were expensive.

 

Thin cast Magnesium is a bit brittle and heavy contact (such as a pot hole) can crack a bit off, so eu decided that alloy wheels must be made of a thick enough kind of material that will distort on impact rather than break.



#11 carbon

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Posted 18 November 2018 - 05:14 PM

 

IIRC the 6x10 wellers were way lighter that the 6x10 alloys when i had them.

how are they when it comes to balance? Id expect a alloy to be better centered and weight distributed?

 

I've found that original steel dunlop wheels run true. But I cannot say the same about many of the period alloy wheels - some have had the stud holes drilled offcentre by up to a couple of mm, which makes them impossible to balance.

 

I used to run alloy 5x10 with 165 tyres, went back to factory 4.5x10 with 145 tyres and found this set-up was much better for road use.



#12 luismx123

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Posted 20 November 2018 - 02:53 PM

Just incase this gets searched in the future - for whatever reason - I just got an answer from John Brown wheels.
 

6x12” Superlights – 4.3 kg

5.5x10 W8” – 4.5kg

So yea, steels are slightly heavier, however one would have to offset the difference as a 10x5.5 vs a 12x6 will have less material, hence the weight being very similar. If it was a 12x6 steel, Im guessing it would weigh a bit more.



#13 nicklouse

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Posted 20 November 2018 - 03:05 PM

Just incase this gets searched in the future - for whatever reason - I just got an answer from John Brown wheels.
 

6x12” Superlights – 4.3 kg

5.5x10 W8” – 4.5kg

So yea, steels are slightly heavier, however one would have to offset the difference as a 10x5.5 vs a 12x6 will have less material, hence the weight being very similar. If it was a 12x6 steel, Im guessing it would weigh a bit more.

so from the weights pages

Wheel 1275 GT Steel 10” x 4.5” (without tyre): 4.090 kg*

Wheel Cooper S Steel 10" x 3.5" (without tyre): 3.520 kg*

 

and I would say the old Weller 8 spokes not much heavier. but can not find any weight info for them anywhere.



#14 luismx123

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Posted 20 November 2018 - 04:28 PM

 

Just incase this gets searched in the future - for whatever reason - I just got an answer from John Brown wheels.
 

6x12” Superlights – 4.3 kg

5.5x10 W8” – 4.5kg

So yea, steels are slightly heavier, however one would have to offset the difference as a 10x5.5 vs a 12x6 will have less material, hence the weight being very similar. If it was a 12x6 steel, Im guessing it would weigh a bit more.

so from the weights pages

Wheel 1275 GT Steel 10” x 4.5” (without tyre): 4.090 kg*

Wheel Cooper S Steel 10" x 3.5" (without tyre): 3.520 kg*

 

and I would say the old Weller 8 spokes not much heavier. but can not find any weight info for them anywhere.

 

 

Basically every inch of width = 0.5 kg on 10s. 



#15 r.tec

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Posted 21 November 2018 - 07:02 PM

slightly off-topic, but..... perhaps you remember the 1300cc Peugeot 205 Rallye. Fitted from works with steel wheels.. why? Because they are lighter, they said...and steel is more forgiving especially on rough ground...






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