If you are looking for cheap alloy wheels, the best place for them is online. Yes, buying alloy wheels online is the cheapest way and the easiest as well. After all, you get to buy cheap alloy wheels without even stepping out of your house, now isn’t that convenient?
But before you go shopping for cheap alloy wheels, let’s first find out what alloy wheels really are. Alloy wheels are made from a combination of aluminum and other metals for strength. This makes them very light weight and able to mold into different styles for those looking to add more glitz and glamor to their car. This is great if you want to individualize your car cheaply or smarten up an older model car. Here are the two main types of alloy wheels:
PCD
PCD means ‘pitch circle diameter’ and it is the diameter of a circle drawn through the center of your wheel’s bolt holes. PCD is measured in millimeters and also stands for the number of studs the wheel will have.
Offset
The other type is offset. These are usually stamped into the wheel and these too are measured in millimeters of ‘ET’. ET stands for the German word ‘Einpresstiefe’ which means ‘insertion depth’.
Positive Offset alloy wheels are mounted facing the front of the wheel, which is why most front wheel drive vehicles have these wheels.
However, zero Offset wheels are mounted facing the centerline and are by definition “ET 0″.
Negative Offset wheels are mounted facing the rear of the wheel, which means rear wheel drive and 4×4 vehicles opt to have negative offset wheels.
Fitting Alloy Wheels
Now comes the time where you need to fit the cheap alloy wheels. Before you start, make sure you have all the right bolts. Bolts and studs have various diameters, threads and seating. Your alloy dealer will be able to guide you to choose the right bolts if you’re unsure how to find them yourself. Also, have the 4 plastic spigot rings to help with the interface between the wheels and the hubs.
Now jack your car up – do this with care and use the axle stands, chock wheels still in contact with the ground and apply the parking brake. Now wheel up the car and make sure the bolt holes line up, that the wheel sits on the hub perfectly and that there is wheel arch, suspension strut and brake calliper clearance.
Now remember to tighten the wheel bolts as tightly as specified by the manufacturer’s instructions. Tighten them till they’re 3/4 tight before lowering the car, then tighten them completely.
Before you put the wheel back on the ground, rotate it to make sure that it rotates freely and the bolts are not too long.
If you need anymore tips or advice on how to put on or take care of cheap alloy wheels, then just visit us to and get expert advice. Also make sure to check out the great deals on offer for cheap alloy wheels
