Do you have Styled Steel Rims on that lovely truck of yours? Are people everywhere complimenting you on how nice they look and how clean you keep them? I bet most of you are probably saying, “Pssh, no way.” It doesn’t matter though; this is just for you to have a little more “FYI” on your Factory Original Styled Steel Rims.
In 1996, the Wheels Task Force of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI)-which is made up of automotive wheel manufacturers, wheel suppliers, and car companies-worked together to figure out how they could improve steel wheels without replacing existing steel rims and adding value to the actual wheel without putting a huge hole in your wallet. They ultimately came up with two different ideas: two lightweight steel rims (one for passenger cars and one for light trucks) and developed trim styling packages for each individual steel wheel.
These wheels would have to meet three major requirements before being manufactured:
1. Provide a weight competitive to original aluminum wheels.
2. Present buyers with the good looks they want in a steel rim.
3. Have the strength, affordability, and durability that you would usually get with a regular steel wheel.
New styled steel rims are made of micro alloy HSLA, dual-phase, and bainitic steels. Don’t know what that is? Me either. All I found was that they were developed to serve as high-strength steels and need to be used on all modern and future car models; especially on trucks. Let’s take the Chevy Silverado Wheels for example, most people go with the Styled Steel Rims instead of the OEM Alloy Rims because they are known to last longer and be better for heavy duty “conditions”. If you were to actually take the time to observe these wheels in a parking lot or something, you would see that compared to the “old” steel wheels that just have holes around them, styled rims now offer large ventilation openings that often look like the thin-spoke appearance of some OEM Alloy Wheels. Styled Steel can present many options for everyday car buyers: they are the choice if you’re looking to save a lot of money, they are designed to hold a permanent center cap (like a regular Alloy Wheel does) and trim ring, and they can be completely covered with a permanent-fastened wheel cover. Cool, huh?
Since these Steel Wheels have been designed, they have been known to offer an integrated trim system that has a high quality and cost-effective alternative to Factory Original Alloy Rims. This can be created by using either injected urethane or bonded clads, chrome plated type finishes, or painted cladding on the Factory Original Styled Steel Rim.
Since 2000, these new Styled Wheels have been used as Chrysler Concorde Wheels, Ford Excursion Rims, GMC Safari Wheels, Toyota Highlander Rims, and obviously many more. Wheel manufacturers have noticed that consumers are willing to pay more for styled steel than for regular OEM Aluminum Rims. Some improvements in steel rims include strength, weight, and size. With all of these benefits that come with a Steel Wheel, you’re probably wondering, “So why do I need an Alloy Wheel?” The truth is that these Steel Rims were made more for trucks and OEM Alloy Rims are made more for luxury vehicles. But who am I to tell you what you need on your car, right?
Mykalanne Gutierrez
http://www.originalwheels.com/
5611 Kimball Ct., Chino, Ca., 91710
909-597-2600 / 800-826-5880
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