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How to measure a wheel
Critical Dimensions that you should understand There are five dimensions of importance when measuring a wheel; rim diameter, rim width, offset, backspacing and bolt circle. If you're buying new wheels, the dimensions will all be provided by the wheel maker. However, It's handy to know how to manually measure a wheel if you want to determine what possibilities (and limitations) exist for a specific vehicle situation, or if you're buying used wheels and need to be able to accurately identify the wheels at hand.
Rim diameter
The ideal method to measure the diameter of the bead set just behind the outer rim lips would be to use a very large caliper. Since, that isn't practicle , here is an easy way to achieve a very close measurement.
After all, by measuring your wheel diameter, you are really trying to identify the wheel as a 12",13",14",15",16",17",18", 19" or 20 inch wheel. If you are a few fractions off in your manual measurement, you will still be able to differentiate between these popular sizes.
Measure across the diameter of the wheel face (either inboard or outboard, depending on which is easier to measure}, use a long straightedge ruler, & make sure the incremented edge interests the center of the wheel hub opening. Measure this a number of times, to make sure you have measured the widest outboard distance possible across the face of the wheel. Next, measure the depth of the bead seat behind the rim lip. To do this, place a straight edge ruler on top of the lip {with the ruler at a 90 degrees angle to the rim lip}, as though you were trying to measure the distance from the front lip to the rear lip. Then measure the distance from bottom edge of the ruler to the bead seat, just behind the lip. Double the distance and subtract this doubled number from the outside lip diameter measurement you obtained earlier, and that's your wheel diameter.
If for instance, the outer diameter across the wheel measure 17" inches to achieve a distance of 16" inches, the wheel is a 16" inch wheel. Chances are high that the wheel diameter and rim width dimensions are cast or stamped onto the backside of the wheel. So inspect the rear of the wheel first to save the time of measuring this yourself.
Rim width
Again examine the rear of the wheel first, as the manufacturer may have already identified the wheel's diameter & rim width. If you want to measure this yourself, simply measure the distance between the inboard sides of the front & rear rim lips.
Offset
Offset is the distance from the rear hub face of the wheel (he mounting surface), to the true centerline of the rim. Understanding the offset is importance for number of reasons. The offset dictates where the centerline of the tire will be located relative to the wheel mounting surface. To make this easily understandable, we'll reference the wheelwell in drastic terms for the sake of illustration. If the centerline of the rim width is located severely inboard of the hub mounting surface, the tire will be "tucked into" the wheelwell. Obviously, those are exaggerated views but, you get the drift. The offset placing is important from a handling and tire wear standpoint. If the offset varies too far from the OE placement, steering response and directional stability can be compromised. Also, the tires can wear prematurely of offset deviates too far from OE, since the turning radius is altered (creating smaller or larger radius) due to the tighter or wider track dimension.
Backspacing
Backspacing refers to the distance from the wheel's mounting surface to the rear outboard edge of the rim. Knowing the backspace dimension (easier for most people to physically measure than offset) provides useful information relative to the wheel and tire's projected inboard clearance to the wheelwell and suspension components
Bolt circle
This refers to the diameter of an imaginary circle drawn through the centerline of the hub's wheel fasteners. This is easy to measure on a four-or six-bolt hub, since you simply measure a straight line from the center of one stud or bolt hole,across the hub, to the center of the stud or bolt hole that's exactly opposite in position. On a five-bolt hub, you can achieve a close-enough measurement by checking the distance from the center of one stud or bolt hole, across the center of the hub, to an imaginary line along the diameter of the bolt circle, at the mid-point between two adjacent studs or bolt holes. Again, you're measuring from the center of one stud of the hub face that intersects the imaginary diameter circle that runs through the center of all studs. A bolt circle pattern is identified by referencing both the number of fasteners and the bolt circle diameter.
For instance,a 4x4.25 pattern includes four studs or bolt holes, with the imaginary circle that's placed through the center of the fasteners measuring 4.25, or 4 1/4-inch in diameter. A 5x4.75 refers to a five-bolt wheel with a bolt circle of 4.75-inch, or 4 3/4-inch.
Plus sizing
Altering wheel diameter can be a very cool thing to do if you're interested in performance handling, you want to reduce the amount of deflection between the wheel and the ground, and you want to plant the biggest footprint possible onto the pavement. Changing wheel diameter can help to accomplish this, while improving the appearance of your wheel and the tire package in the process. As a car experiences lateral force (during a turn or steering maneuver), the tire sidewalls experience a degree of flex. That flexing movement creates a loss of energy, reducing the amount of grip that you'd like to place o the road surface. If the tire sidewell is shortened, the amount of flex is reduced. However, if we blindly strive to shorten the sidewall height alone, using the original wheel diameter, the result is a shorter tire. The vehicle ride height is altered, the load capacity of the tire may be exceeded, chances are we'll have a narrower contact patch, the speedometer and other speed-related sensors will be miscalibrated, and the appearance will be...well, it'll simply look awful. The answer is to maintain the original overall height of the tire, while reducing the sidewall height[pc1]. If we do that, we create a larger hole in the center of the tire, which we then fill with a larger diameter wheel. It's called "plus sizing", and it's a simple and effective way enhance both performance and appearance. In addition to reducing sidewall height, a plus move allows us to use a wider tread and section width. The resulting combination of less, flex and more rubber on the road is the ideal enthusiast scenario. Plus sizing is referred to in inch increments. Based on wheel diameter. If you change from a 14-inch wheel to a 15-inch wheel, that's Plus-One (a 1-inch diameter move). A change from a 14-inch wheel to a 16-inch wheel is Plus-Two, and so-on. Your challenge is simply to find a performance tire in an overall diameter that matches that of the car's original tire size. In many cases, you might not be able to find the tire you want in exactly the same overall diameter, but close is close enough. Try to stay within 2% of the original diameter if at all possible. Staying that close to the OE O.D. won't affect the speedometer, the ABS, the cruise control or any other roadspeed-monitored vehicle systems.
Generally speaking, as you increase wheel diameter by one inch, you can use a tire that provides a 10mm increase in section width, and a one-index lower aspect ratio. For instance, if the OE tire size was a 195/65R14, a Plus-One move would allow the use of a 205/60R 15, and a Plus-Two
move would use a 225/50R16. Each tire has the same overall diameter (within a 2% variance), but it becomes obvious how a Plus move can benefit handling and braking by creating a wider contact patch at the road surface.
Plus zero
Uses the OE wheel diameter, but makes use of a tire with a wider section and a lower aspect ratio.
You derive the benefits of a wider footprint without changing wheel diameter. However, in order to make room for the wider tire in the wheelwell, you may have to use an aftermarket wheel with an offset that accommodates the positioning of the wider tire.
Plus one
Useas a one-inch-larger diameter wheel than OE. The tire size will probably be one-step-lower in aspect ratio and, generally speaking, one or two steps larger in section width.
Plus two
Uses a two-inch larger diameter wheel than OE. The tire size will probably be two-steps-lower in aspect ratio and, generally speaking, one or two steps larger in section width. There's no magic formula for determining the exact Plus size that will suit every situation. You can use a printed guide to get close, but you should always double-check by determining the O.D. and section width of the target tire.
Whenever sizing for a Plus move:
1. Make sure the tire overall diameter is the same or within 2% of the original tire diameter.
2. Always check wheelwell clearance to make sure the new tire will clear the fender lip and all suspension parts.
3. Always check the load rating of the new tire. If your choice does not carry an adequate load rating, you may have to move to a 10mm wider section width in order to reach the required load capacity rating.
Mounting/Balancing custom wheels
Expensive custom wheels that feature delicate surface finishes and finely sculpted lines deserve close attention and gentle handling. The customers may be picky and demanding, but when you consider the long green that's plucked down for a set of high-technology alloy wheels and high performance tires, you can't really blame them. The biggest challenge you face, after the initial sale of the wheels and tires, lies in moving the boxed wheels and stacked tires through your shop without a scratch, assembled, balanced properly and safely secured to the vehicle.
Mounting
First of all, select an overhead-style changer for this work. The operational design of this type of machine provides the greatest amount of gentle control, and offers the best protection against possible rim and center-section damage. The overhead-style changer features a turntable base that secures the wheel either from the outside rim edge or the rim inside. There's no center post apparatus to mar the hub opening. The adjustable overhead boom features a polished roller and spoon lip that guide the tire bead around the rim, without contacting the rim itself. Before beginning the work, clean the changer thoroughly. Check the turntable base and rim clamps for dirt, rubber debris, grease, etc. The table and sliding clamps should be absolutely clean. Also inspect the overhead boom's roller and guide lip for cleanliness. Check the roller for free operation and lubricate if necessary. Once the alloy wheel has been unpacked, check the rim for cleanliness, burrs, etc. Don't blindly assume that it's perfect just because it's new. If it's a modular wheel, make a visual inspection to make sure all of the center section's bolts and nuts are present and accounted for. Position the wheel face-up on the turntable, securing the backside of the rim with the adjustable turntable clamps. Install the air valve in the rim.
Although you may have a few options available in terms of valve styles (black rubber, chrome-covered rubber, modular stainless steel), don't choose a valve style based on what's handy at the moments, or based on your own tastes. Ask the customer for his or her preference. If you don't offer choices, you should seriously consider doing so, especially if you want to pursue the custom wheel business in earnest. In some cases, the valve style is already dictated by the wheel maker, as some brands will provide a specific valve for a wheel model. Some customers may not care about the type of valve used, while others will consider this an integral and important aspect of the wheel's overall appearance. Provide the customers with choices, and allow them to make the decision before mounting takes place. If you're serious about pursuing the custom wheel business, there's no excuse for only stocking black rubber valves. Consider adding to your selections by including chromed stems and stainless steel valve in a variety of lengths. Lubricate the rim bead areas and the tire beads with a clean tire lube, using a clean applicator. Using an old, dirty applicator can place grit or other contaminants onto the bead surfaces. Place the tire (outer sidewall facing up) over the rim and swing the overhead boom into position, adjacent to the rim. The tire bead should rest on the boom's mounting lip. For best results, rotate the turntable/rim to position the valve adjacent to the boom's lip and roller. If you begin mounting in this position, the tire bead won't have a chance to accidentally "hang up" on the backside of the valve. As the turntable rotates, the overhead boom's lip and roller will guide the tire's rear bead over the wheel's front rim lip. Disengage the turntable's jaws from the wheel's rear rim, and re-engage on the inner diameter of the wheel's rear rim walls (this keeps the turntable's mounting jaws away from the bead area). Rotate the wheel to position the air valve adjacent to the overhead boom's lip, just as you did before. Especially with a low-profile, stiff-sidewalled performance tire, you may have to aid the outer bead mounting with a pair of pry bars. Make sure the bars are clean and free of burrs. When dealing with a modular wheel, be extremely careful about pry bar positioning. Don't simply jam a pry bar deep into the rim. If you happen to lodge the bar against the rim's sealing gasket, you could damage the seal and create an air leak. Keep the bar tips near the top, under the wheel's outer rim lip. Once the tire is captive within the rim, inflate to a maximum of 40 psi to seat the beads. Once seated, deflate the tire, then re-inflate to 40 psi. This aids in achieving a more accurate and true bead-to-bead mating. When first seated, the beads may trap small air pockets between the tire bead and the rim's bead seat area. As you deflate the tire, examine the rim perimeter for air bubbles (as once-trapped air escapes through the bead lubricant). Once this trapped air is relieved, the tire can then be final-inflated without concern for trapped air that might create an uneven bead seating. This us a worthwhile "fine-tuning" step that's too often ignored. Remove the wheel/tire from the changer, and carefully inspect both sides for cleanliness. Also, since you'll likely be using adhesive wheel weights for balancing, make absolutely sure that the backside of the wheel rim is clean and free of all oils and other contaminants. It's a good idea to wipe the rim area with a mild evaporating solvent that removes oils, grease and dirt, such as DuPont Prep-Sol or denatured alcohol. Don't grab any solvent that's handy, since an aggressive solvent may damage the wheel's finish! Also, make sure the wheel's air valve cap is installed prior to balancing. While a lightweight plastic cap might make no discernible difference, a heavier stainless steel machined cap might slightly alter the balance. Granted, it's nitpicking, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Balancing
In order to achieve the optimum level of dynamic balance, the wheel must be positioned correctly on the balancer's spindle. That means the spindle must locate exactly in the axis center of the wheel's diameter. While using a tapered cone to locate the wheel hub's rear opening may be sufficient for the majority of daily street balance jobs, it isn't the best way to achieve the true center of an expensive custom alloy wheel. Since a tapered cone contacts the wheel hub opening only on its edge, the slightest edge deviation can create an eccentric position for the wheel. The best way to center the wheel on the spindle is through the use of a hub-centric adapter. This is a multi-piece adapter that contacts the inside diameter of the wheel's hub opening, on its walls instead of only at its rear edge. The adapter is spring loaded, with an internal tapered pilot that spreads the adapter open for full contact to the wheel's hub walls. These hub-centric adapters are available separately or in kits of two or three different diameter ranges. Once the hub-centric adapter is placed on the balancer's spindle, position the wheel onto the adapter. Support the wheel/tire as it's placed into position, being careful not to nick the wheel's hub opening in the process. Next, place the outer hub cone against the face of the wheel's hub. Again, while the use of a tapered cone may be acceptable for routine work, it's recommended to use a flat-face cone for best results. Since the hub-centric adapter has located the wheel in its true centered position, adding a tapered cone on the face of the wheel can easily create a slight offset from center if it's not located perfectly, relative to the true center of rotation. Instead of allowing a tapered cone to "fight" the true center that's already achieved by the hub-centric adapter, simply use a flat-faced cone on the front of the wheel. This will provide a contact mounting for the wheel that won't alter the true center position. Secure the wheel and its adapters to the spindle with a threaded spinner nut. While a one- piece threaded spinner nut will work just fine, consider a quick-release style if you work under high-capacity conditions. This style relaxes the multi-piece nut with the press of a trigger, allowing instant-on and instant-off during busy work periods. Once secured to the balancer spindle, spin the wheel to obtain the initial balance reading. It may be a good idea to leave the paper tread decals on, as this provides an easy-to-see reference point, allowing you to more easily notice any drastic axial runout or wobble. Most purchasers of alloy wheels will naturally not want to see pinch-on weights placed on the outside rim, and many would also prefer that no pinch-on weights are placed on the inside rim as well. The answer is obviously to use adhesive weights, placed only on the backside of the rim. Once weight and placement is determined on the dynamic balancer and the weights are placed, recheck the balance. If the wheels/tires are to be used in high-speed competition, it's not a bad idea to also place a strip of duct tape over the weights, providing additional adhesive security.
Wheel installation on the vehicle
As already noted, it's vital to locate a wheel accurately to the hub, placing the wheel in a concentric position relative to the hub's centerline. A hubcentric wheel is designed to achieve its concentric alignment in one of two ways: either the wheel's inboard center hub opening (center bore) is precisely machined to align and fit the specific vehicle hub, or the center bore is still precisely centered, but is slightly oversize, and is designed to be used with a centering adapter ring. A centering ring may be a loose item that sandwiches between the wheel and hub, or it may be designed for a locked position installation on the wheel itself. If it's a separate piece (as is the case with some OEM designs that use centering rings), corrosion/electrolysis usually causes the ring to stick to the hub. In some cases, the car owner doesn't realize this ring is a separate piece, and may replace the OEM wheel with an aftermarket wheel that isn't designed to use a centering ring. If this happens, the replacement wheel can't mount flush to the hub face because the old centering ring prevents a flush mount. Most aftermarket centering rings are made of cast, forged or machined aluminum or molded nylon, and are designed to snap into the rear of the wheel center opening. Various designs exist, including compression fit, interference fit and securing with a compressible locking ring (similar to a springwire circlip or position ring).
Hubcentric adapter rings
After making sure the vehicle's hubs are clean and free of rust, burrs, foreign matter, etc., consider spraying a coat of satin black paint (enamel or urethane) onto the rotor hat or drum. This creates a clean and tidy appearance, especially when the wheels are of an open design that provides a view of rotor hat or drum areas. This is a nice added touch that really benefits the overall appearance. Wheel position during fastener tightening can have impact on the final product. It's very common for an installer to "hang" a wheel onto the hub studs, finger-start each nut and continue to fully tighten each nut while the wheel/tire weight "hangs" on the studs. For best results, support the wheel/tire during initial fastener tightening. Whether the wheel is lug- centric (designed to center itself to the hub by the lug holes) or hub-centric (designed to center itself at the center hub hole), try to avoid letting the wheel hang by its own weight as the fasteners are drawn tight. Supporting the wheel/tire weight will help the centering process and avoid off-center mounting and undue stress on the bolt or stud threads. Always use a clean socket to avoid marring new plated fasteners. While it may be acceptable to use an impact gun to remove fasteners, never use a gun to install them. Always use a hand-operated torque wrench, and pay strict attention to tightening pattern and torque specs.
Tire size designation
In terms of passenger car tire sizing, six systems exist, including the P-metric, the alpha-numeric, the millimetric, the European metric, the ISO metric and the numeric. In today's performance market, however, you're likely to encounter only the P-metric and alpha-numeric on a regular basis (the alpha-numeric will apply to many vintage muscle car restoration applications). Since we don't have room here to explain all sizing variations in this article, we'll include only P-metric and alpha-numeric systems. In terms of today's performance tires sized in the P-metric system, the section width is noted in millimeters, followed by the aspect ratio, followed by the type of construction, followed by the wheel diameter (measured in inches). A 235/45 R -17 tire measures 235mm across its section width, provides a 45% aspect ratio, is a radial construction (designated by the "R"), and requires a 17-inch wheel. Today's light truck tire sizing utilizes a P-metric style sizing as well. Section width is denoted in millimeters, followed by aspect ratio, then by rim diameter in inches, and letter codes are used to denote the tire's application, construction and load rating. A LT245/75R15/C indicates the tire is designed for light truck use (LT), has a section width of 245 mm, as aspect ratio of 75%, is of radial construction (r), requires a 15-inch rim, and has a load rating of "C." Alpha-numeric tires use a letter to designate load capacity and basic size, followed by the aspect ratio number and rim diameter requirement. For instance, a GR60-15 indicated a tire with a "G" load and height rating, construction ("R"), a 60 aspect ratio, and a required rim diameter of 15 inches. The first letter (the load/size rating) ranged from A through N. The higher the letter, the bigger the tire and the more load it could handle.
Chrome Plating
For chromium plating, each individual wheel is polished with superior care and cleaned in special baths. NEO Wheels are subjected to Copper & Nickel plating to avoid surface irregularities and to provide utmost corrosion resistance. Prior to chrome plating, all wheels are buffed to bring out luster and to obtain mirror finish, this triple chromium process gives superior looks without sacrificing corrosion protection. NEO Wheels is the only company in India to offer genuine chrome plated alloy wheels with warranty.
Spinner Wheels
Spinner is free Spinning wheel fitted on top of a Neo Alloy wheel. It works on the principle of inertia i.e. the spinner rotates rapidly on the wheel rim once the brakes are applied to a moving vehicle to give an aesthetic appeal. So get ready for a head Spinning Experience.
Tips for wheels maintainance
You have invested in a product of a higher quality and workmanship. Your new wheels do require care to maintain their factory appearance. Typical soils and brake dust can cause pitting of the wheel's finish. NEO Wheels recommends a wild dishwashing soap and water to clean the wheel.
Your wheel's finish should be treated as you would treat the finish of your car. There are many wheel cleaners on the market today, but we urge extreme caution regarding their use. Do not clean wheels when they are hot or else the soap will dry and become difficult to rinse.
Warranty Card
Please refer the Warranty Card
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