Correct mounting of rims:
How does it work?
The rims are a crucial component of your vehicle. They are metal rings that support the tires and help keep your vehicle in contact with the ground. The rims also affect your vehicle’s performance characteristics such as handling, braking, fuel consumption, suspension response, and steering response.
The rims also contribute significantly to the appearance of your vehicle. Therefore, it is necessary to make the right choice and application when fitting the wheels.
Points to consider when fitting the rims
You should choose a rim that fits your vehicle. Features such as diameter, width, offset, number of holes, and spacing of the rim must be compatible with the technical data of your vehicle.
Otherwise, the rims may not fit your vehicle, and the suspension, braking system, or steering may be damaged.
When selecting a rim, it is helpful to know the following terms:
- Rim Diameter: This is the distance between the outside edge and the outside edge of the rim. The diameter of the rim is measured in inches. For example, a 15-inch rim has a circumference of 38.1 inches (roughly 1 meter). Increasing the rim diameter improves the handling and appearance of your vehicle, but increases the load on the suspension system.
- Rim Width: This is the distance from the inside edge of the rim to the outside edge. The rim width is measured in inches. For example, the width of a 7-inch rim is 17.8 inches (ca. 45 cm). A wider rim width improves the handling and appearance of your vehicle, but it also makes tire selection more difficult and increases fuel consumption.
- The offset is the distance between the mounting surface and the center of the wheel. The offset value is measured in millimeters. As the offset increases, the rim extends outward, resulting in an increase in the vehicle track width. Changes in offset decrease the width of the vehicle, and the rim moves inward. When the offset is changed, there are both positive and negative effects on handling.
- Number and spacing of holes: The number and spacing of the wheel nuts or studs that are connected to the rim. The number and spacing of holes varies from vehicle to vehicle. Example: a rim with several holes and a hole spacing of 4 × 100 mm has 4 wheel nuts or studs attached to it, the centers of which are 100 mm apart. The number of holes and the distances must be right for the rim, or the rim can’t be mounted on the vehicle.
- Cleaning the rims: You should clean them before you put them on. A residue of dirt, oil, rust, or adhesive can prevent the rim from mounting properly and can cause loosening or vibration. You can use special products for rim cleaning.
You can follow the steps below when cleaning the rims:
- Remove the tires from the rims.
- Wash the rims with warm water and soap. Rub the dirty areas with a soft brush or cloth. Clean rusty areas with a rust remover.
- Rinse the rims and dry them. You can use a microfiber cloth to dry them.
- Clean and polish the rims. You can use a special rim polish for polishing. You can use a polishing machine or a cloth for polishing.
- Mount the tires back onto the rims.
- Using wheel nuts or studs: you attach your rims to your vehicle with a wheel hub or nut. The choice of the wheel hub or nut is also important.
- Make sure there is no paint on the surface where the wheel nuts or studs sit. Painted surfaces can cause looseness. You should also make sure that the wheel nuts or bolts are of high quality and sturdy.
When using wheel nuts or bolts, pay attention to these important points:
- Tighten the wheel nuts or bolts manually. Do not use a machine.
- Tighten the wheel nuts or bolts diagonally. For instance, if the rim has four holes, it is recommended to first tighten wheel bolt number 1, followed by wheel bolt number 3, then wheel bolt number 2, and finally wheel bolt number 4. Tighten the wheel nuts or bolts to a specific torque.
- The tightening torque is the torque force applied to the wheel nuts or bolts. If the wheel nuts or bolts become loose, the tightening torque is too low, and too high if the wheel nuts or bolts break or damage the rim. To find out how much force you need to apply to tighten something, you can use a tool called a torque wrench. Each car has a different tightening torque value. This value is found in the vehicle’s owner’s manual or on the internet.
- Balancing: After you mount your rims, make sure they are balanced. Balancing is the process of evening out the weight of rims and tires.
The weight differences between the rims and tires will lead to vibrations, noise, tire wear, increased fuel consumption, and a loss of ride comfort if they are not balanced. You can seek balance by contacting a seasoned workshop.
During balancing, the following steps are performed:
- The machine detects variations in weight by adjusting the rotation of the wheels and tires.
- The machine adds additional weights to the rims to compensate for the weight difference. These weights are attached to either the inside or outside of the rim.
- The machine checks to make sure that the balancing has been done correctly by turning the rims and tires again.
After the balancing process is complete, your vehicle will be able to drive more comfortably, safely, and economically.
During balancing, the following steps are performed:
The machine detects weight differences by rotating the rims and tires.
- The machine adds additional weights to the rims to compensate for the weight differences. These weights are attached to the inner or outer surface of the rim.
- The machine verifies that balancing has been performed correctly by rotating the rims and tires again.
After the balancing process has been completed, your vehicle will be capable of driving with greater comfort, safety, and economic efficiency.
Conclusion
Let’s summarize the points you should pay attention to when mounting the rims and tires:
- Choose a suitable rim and tire for your vehicle.
- The rims must be cleaned, polished, and made clean
- Tighten the wheel nuts or bolts manually, diagonally, and to a specific torque.
- Always have your rims and tires balanced.