What are rims?
As we mentioned, the main difference
between wheels and rims is not technically a difference at all: rims are simply
one important part of the wheel. Of course, in popular culture the phrase “Nice
rims!” has long been used as shorthand for complimenting someone’s wheels,
particularly in reference to a sharply designed or intricate wheel cover. But
what we’re talking about here is what rims actually are: the two outer edges of
each side of your wheel.
What do rims do?
As the edge points of contact between
the tire and the wheel, rims help hold tires properly in place. As stated, they
also help maintain an airtight seal between the tire and the wheel.
For these reasons, your rims play a
crucial role in supporting the entire wheel assembly and its place in your
car’s suspension system. If you drive over a bump or pothole, the rim is the
part of the wheel that receives the initial impact after it passes through the
tire.
You may think of your tires and rims as
the front line of defense against the rigors of the road. If your rims get
banged or dented, it may affect the performance of your vehicle, from flat
tires and reduced handling to distracting vibrations inside the cabin.
What do rims look like?
If you look at a wheel from the top
without a tire on it, you’ll see that it dips down in a “U” shape, which
continues along its circumference. The rims are the upturned stems of this
U-shaped design. The outermost edges of the tire, known as “tire beads,” press
against the rim when inflated to form the tight seal.
What are rims made of?
Your rims are made from the same alloy
or metal as the rest of your wheel. They’re also often specially treated with a
protective coating during the manufacturing process to help extend their
longevity.
How to know what size rims you have?
Knowing how to determine rim size can be
helpful, because wheel size and tire
size depend in part on the diameter of the rim.
Your rim size can be found in several
places. Firstly, you can check the sidewall of the tires that came with the
wheel. If you no longer have those tires, the information may also be found in
various places such as the inside frame of the driver’s door, on the gas tank
hatch, on the glove box door or stamped on the back of the wheel itself. When
in doubt, checking your owner's manual is always a good idea.
If you spot a numeric sequence like
“16x6 5-110,” the initial two dimensions give you the diameter of the rims and
the width between them (16 inches and six inches in this case). The other two
dimensions refer to the number of bolt holes and their diameter (five lug nuts
in a circular formation measuring 110 millimeters at its widest point in this
case).
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