winter is bad for your wheels?

[95offroadx]

does snow and salt really ruin your wheels?

 

[tripsober]

does snow and salt really ruin your wheels?

ya rims alot more then tires

 

[JDraper]

Snow won't do squat to your rims..it's just frozen water...

However, salt and other contaminants can damage the finish and corrode the wheels. Your best bet is to make sure you have a good coat of wax on the rims and remove the salt as regularly as possible.

 

[95offroadx]

i was just wondering why all the ricers change there wheels for winter, thanks

 

[ExplorerDMB]

I just bought my girlfriend some OEM 17" '03 Cobra wheels and we aren't putting them on til after winter because of the salt. We are keeping her stock wheels and tires for "winter" tread. i haven't had any problem with the snow/salt with my wheels, but I've seen wheels eaten up by it. Just take care of them and you'll be fine.

-Drew

 

[EricM]

I've had Cobra wheels through three winters, and the salt has never hurt them. I don't wax them, and wash it once every week or two. My '98 EB had aluminum wheels and made it through several winters without corroding, so why wouldn't these? I've never seen aluminum - even bare aluminum (and the Cobra wheels do have a clear coat) - rust. I'd be more worried about the chromed steel lug nuts rusting and then water coming off that and staining the finish if it just sat for a week or something.

I imagine the rice guys change wheels because super low profile tires have no wet/snow grip and offer little rim protection if you hit a curb.

 

[ryf]

I worked with a few ricers that switched them, I called them up, talked about it over beers, none mentioned traction or salt, since they wash the cars constantly anyway, the complaint I heard most was curbs & snow covered objects an aftermarket wheel thats $300+ (add another $100 for a good low profile tire), on ice, the replacement cost for 1 tire and wheel was higher than the total cost of a winter set that would last 2-3 years..

I believe the salty mush is actually the most harmful part, as boaters might understand about water+salt+aluminum+steel (all outboard motors have aluminum and steel parts) causes some sort of corrosion, Galvanic I think, so they use zinc ingots as sacrificial lambs to stop the reaction of more important dissimilar metals. most cars don't have anything like that, that I know of..

thats not "law" just what I think I remember.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Salt won't ever "rust" aluminum. Nothing will, as it is non-ferrous. Salt will certainly corrode bare aluminum, and cleared wheels with chips in them. I've never seen an uncleared aluminum wheel. They wouldn't last year without getting white corrosion, and pitting. Salt and chrome don't go well together, but a good coat of wax, and frequently washing the salt off will keep them from rusting/pitting. Assuming it is a good chrome job,

 

[greenmtnboy]

I know from first hand experience that salt and sand will jack up your wheels over time. My factory alloys pitted around the lip where the tire bead sits and I developed a not so slow air leak. I had it fixed but after more time passed it just wasn't worth getting them fixed again, so I bought some steelies for my baby. If you end up buying after market wheels its best to save your old wheels or buy some cheapy steel wheels to run as a winter package, that way when they crap out no worries. Later - Nate.

 

[Norad]

i was just wondering why all the ricers change there wheels for winter, thanks

All my buddies run thier stock steel rims with snow tires this time of year so they don't mess up their "bling" and race style tires