Why many prefer steelies...

[daves87rs]

I like alloy rims, but this has been a prefect week on why I don't spring for them: potholes!


Late last week I fixed my wife's steelie after a nasty pothole. Last night I hit one hard, and had to get it repaired today. Total cost? 10 bucks.


Had mt Cobalt had an alooy wheel, that might a been a few hundred bucks. And since the potholes are at the worst I have ever seen, I guy tells me there will be more hammering in the future.


Suddenly I can live with my ugly wheel covers...

 

[shpankey]

Potholes? You don't know reaaal potholes till you live in Oklahoma!

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs

Suddenly I can live with my ugly wheel covers...

If you can keep them on! Although OEM wheel covers tend to be best. The ones on the Neon broke the pry end off the factory lug wrench after many changes for racing. I'm pretty sure they'd add some structural reinforcement to steel wheels.

 

[123Saab]

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2167937#Post2167937

 

[Quattro Pete]

I can't find 16" steelies for my car, so I'm stuck with alloys for winter, but the 215/60 rubber gives quite a bit pothole protection, unless it's a cave...

 

[beast3300]

I like steelies because they are much more corrosion resistant in the rust belt states like Ohio. And they are usually fairly cheap to replace vs the alloy wheel(s).


edit: corrosion in terms of bead that can adversely affect sealing.

 

[oggb]

I have said many times that my next car will have steelies. I bent three of my original OEM wheels on the inside lip by hitting pot holes, and at least one of my newer aftermarket alloys is bent.

They're expensive to replace and seem to bend easily.

 

[Trav]

I have alloys with low profile tires on my summer car and its still a nightmare trying to avoiding damage.
Steel wheels are the only way to go in Mass,the roads resemble tank traps more than something made for automobiles.

 

[Hermann]

Have noticed that the vehicles I have owned with alloys, are much harder to keep balanced. The Accord and the Tacoma have never had a wheel balance issue(both steelies). All the recent Fords I have owned with alloys have had steering wheel shimmy above 65 MPH or so. After being rebalanced they would be smooth for 2K or so and then the shimmy came back. The Focus was the worst, the two Tauri were better but always shook the steering wheel.

 

[PandaBear]

why? it is on the car with the cheapest trim, and usually tires are cheaper.

 

[Hermann]

Dont know why, just a ovservation over the last 20 years.

 

[rpn453]

You guys must have terrible roads! I've never even heard of someone bending a wheel on a pothole here.

I run steelies in winter, no wheel covers. I like the simple look of undecorated black steelies over that of many aluminum wheels.

 

[daves87rs]

Yeah, they are quite bad....I've seen 5 cars/trucks on the side of the roads already today...and these are not even main roads!

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
why? it is on the car with the cheapest trim, and usually tires are cheaper.

Easy/Cheap fix is better tires anyways. Many people dump the oem tires....

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: JRed
I have said many times that my next car will have steelies. I bent three of my original OEM wheels on the inside lip by hitting pot holes, and at least one of my newer aftermarket alloys is bent.

They're expensive to replace and seem to bend easily.



Something I am considering as well. If I change my mind, there are always aftermarket ones...

 

[SteveSRT8]

For me, aftermarket wheels are a recipe for problems.

With factory wheels, whether alloy or plain steel, I seem to never have issues.

And a note to Hermann above, get to know a shop with a road force balancing machine.

 

[mareakin]

^ I have those wheels except I have them in 15 inch size (rather than 17 inch as shown) and I highly recommend them!!

They make them for almost all makes.

Only 14 lbs!!

cost about 80 to 100 dollars each.

quite satisfied!!

 

[meep]

I'd always heard that allows were more true, since steel warps slightly when cooling from welding.

Personally, I LOVE black steel wheels, but I've shied away from them due to the above.

 

[calvin1]

I had one alloy shatter and another crack enough that it wouldn't hold air. I've hit my steelies pretty hard and never even bent one. That's not exactly a scientific survey but it's enough for me.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: calvin1
I had one alloy shatter and another crack enough that it wouldn't hold air. I've hit my steelies pretty hard and never even bent one. That's not exactly a scientific survey but it's enough for me.


True!