Alloy wheel dents - hit with hammer?

Why, out of interest?

Steel is not lighter than aluminium alloy. Period.

Typically, steel is used on smaller wheels, which are lighter.

Personally I think steel is plenty good enough for road use, but lighter? My arse!

Tougher? Nah not really. They get damaged differently, alloys tending to crack because they're much more brittle whereas steel will bend. Of course alloys are usually lacquered whereas with steels you tend to pop a plastic cover on. The trim then takes the brunt of minor kerbing.

Poor you.

The message from Richard Polhill contains these words:

I didn't write anything of the sort. That was the bloke before.

And why "poor me" for not wanting alloy wheels. They add nothing except expense and vulnerability to my driving. They may add heaps of something to yours, but you're not me.

The brakes overheated, alloy wheels are really quite good at conducting heat.

Steel is not lighter than *aluminium* per unit volume, no. But cast aluminium wheels are almost always considerably heavier than steel wheels size for size due to the need for thick sections in order to avoid them failing.

The fashion for cast wheels came from rallying, where wheels made from sophisticated alloys , much too expensive for manufacturers to use as standard, are indeed lighter and stronger than steel wheels.

Chris.

Yeah noticed that after I'd sent it. Apologies.

Heh not on MY car (ancient Volvo 940). Realistically I can't see the point of alloy wheels on the road, except a theoretical cosmetic gain.

But I don't see a car coming with the things as a disaster either. My other car (VW Bora) has them and they've given me no trouble as long as I remain not prissy about them. A couple of scuffs I can life with.

So a steel wheel can be lighter than an aluminium wheel or at worst not that much different in weight from an aluminium wheel.

The message from Richard Polhill contains these words:

Would be if someone nicked them!

I'd agree, but some OE alloys are surprisingly heavy, even compared to steelies of the same size.

Although steel is denser than aluminium alloy it also has greater tensile strength. Hence what one gains using alloy in terms of lower density one loses because one has to use more material for the same strength. Aluminium alloy wheels usually have a greater volume of material than the equivalent steel wheel and it takes a great deal of design to create a good lightweight alloy wheel.

Stop it, you know he can't cope with *facts*.

What's this - the Steve Filth fan club?

Methinks the issue is it takes a great deal of design to make a pretty light alloy wheel, nobody bothers trying that with a steel wheel.

You're getting very personal these days, hoochie-coochie. Haven't seen you actually talking about cars much..

Ah fair enough.

And how exactly is saying that someone can't cope with facts not being very personal, Politically Correct Paul? Haven't seen you actually talking anything other than crap much.

He just craves the attention.

And how many people drive at the same kinds of speed and style as the police?