Choosing New Wheels For Your Car

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Brand new wheels can completely transform the look of your car or truck. If you've been looking for a way to give your ride new life, working with a wheel supplier may be an affordable and effective option. It is important, however, to know what you're looking for and how to get the right wheel for the car you have and the look you're after. Here are several things you need to consider.

The Type Of Look You Want

One of the things that many people don't realize is how many different wheel styles there are. You can choose from sleek, smooth, and understated rims or even bold, flashy, and race-inspired wheels. You can even choose from different sizes of wheels so that you can deviate from the factory size. Whether you want to add wider tires or even lower profile ones, there are options. Look at several different styles before you settle on what you find to be the right one for your car.

The Material You Prefer

Most wheels are crafted from either aluminum or steel. Many aluminum wheels are finished with a chrome plating. If you're looking for something easy to clean, then aluminum with the chrome finish is often the best investment. The finish helps to keep things from sticking, but it is vulnerable to pitting and scratching, so you'll want to be attentive to that. Steel wheels, on the other hand, are more durable and less vulnerable to scratches and surface damage. Steel isn't as flashy or polished as the chrome-finished aluminum wheels, though.

The way that you drive is as important a consideration as the appearance. If you drive in an area that's subject to a lot of dirt, salt, and debris, you'll want to choose a more durable material like steel for your wheels. If you're in an area with less risk of this or you have lots of time to keep up with polishing and washing and other care, you should be able to preserve the shine of an aluminum or chrome-finished wheel.

The Specs Of Your Car

When you reach out to a local wheel shop to explore your options, you'll need to provide them with some specifics about your car. For example, you'll need the year, make, and model of the car to help them determine what type of rim will fit. You'll also need to know what size tire is on the car or what size you're getting ready to put on it. This is particularly important if you're investing in bigger tires as a result of a suspension lift or something similar. If you want a wider wheel than what's already on there, you'll need to test-fit it to be sure it isn't going to rub in the wheel well. Put the wheel on by itself first so you can see how it fits without a tire mounted on it. Turn the steering wheel in each direction to check for rubbing and clearance issues.

The Car's Bolt Pattern

Depending on the type of car you have and the wheel hubs it's fitted with, the bolt pattern of the car can vary. Bolt pattern refers to the design of the wheel studs, including how many there are and how far apart they are placed. Bolt patterns can vary widely from car to car, so it's important that you know what yours is. For example, a bolt pattern of 4x4.5 refers to a hub with four wheel studs spaced around a circle with a diameter of 4.5 inches.

These tips will help you choose the best wheel for your car no matter what the reason for the change. For more information, go to sites like the one linked to here.

 


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