Features to keep in mind when purchasing your next set of rims

The look is the first feature that comes to your mind when buying a new set of rims for your rig. While aesthetics matter, they should not be the only factor you evaluate. Load rating, width, and offset are other aspects to consider. Here is a deeper look into them and why they are important considerations when buying rims.

Size

Ensuring that your car wheel rims fit perfectly is the key to better performance. Keep in mind that the size of the wheel rims has a significant impact on your car’s handling. While giant diameter fuel rims can boost responsiveness for steering and better adherence to the road, do not go too far.

Too big wheel rims reduce the stability of your vehicle and suspension resulting in poor steering control. In contrast, too small wheel rims do not support a car properly. There are two ways to customize rims to suit your vehicle:

  • Inching up makes the wheel rim diameter larger while aligning the tire to maintain the same height. That results in better performance, traction, and easy maneuvering.
  • Plus sizing- this increases the size of the inner line diameter except for the outer line, and it provides you with more stability and control of the steering.

If you opt for bigger rims than your car has, ensure they do not come into contact with the stationary parts of your vehicle, as it could lead to unwanted friction and impact car handling.

Weight

The weight is another consideration when buying rims. The material of the rims determines their weight. Your car’s suspension cannot counteract the rim’s weight, so more weight reduces its agility. Steel rims often have a lower load than cast aluminum rims, while forged wheels have the highest load rating. Light rims are ideal no matter how much the aesthetics mean to you.

Width

Ideally, the wheel should be 2-3inches narrower than the tire, according to many manufacturers’ recommendations. A narrower rim helps to keep the tire at low pressure. However, too narrow a wheel can accelerate the wear on the middle of the tread.

Offset

The offset is the rim’s mounting surface relative to the wheel’s centerline. Positive offset facilitates a narrower track width, with the mounting surface being closer to the wheel’s exterior and vice versa. Therefore a zero offset places half the wheel on the sides of the mounting surface.

Backspacing

Although similar to offset, backspacing depends on the width of the wheel. It refers to the distance from the inside lip of the rim to the mounting surface. Deep backspacing is similar to positive offset, while shallow backspacing is similar to negative offset.

Center bore

The center bore refers to the hole in the middle of the rim. Typically the more extensive the bolt pattern cycle is, the larger the center bore, and it is critical when fitting over full floating axles and overlocking hubs.

The takeaway

If you don’t know how to replace your rims, it is best to consult a specialist as you don’t want your wheels to come off while you are driving.