How are aluminium rims for vehicles made?

Question

Is there a manufacturer of such who does this? What's the process of making wheel rims for vehicles? and are there any sites that could help?

Answer 1

ALCOLA

Answer 2

Nearly all automotive OEM (original equipment manufactures) aluminum wheels are cast in molds as close to tolerance as possible. Finish machining is done on mass-production CNC machinery where multiple tasks can be done at one time. Some are painted and or sealed on the exterior surfaces to prevent corrosion and delamination. Companies such as American Racing and Sander do intricate hobbing (splines) in the interior axle drive bores to fit open tube quick change rear ends.

Nowadays unfortunately OEM manufactures get their wheels done off-shore or in Mexico. The aluminum castings are metalurgically are very poor in quality. After a few short years, the metal starts to bubble up beneath the surfaces and the outside coating starts to flake off.

Chrysler Corp. is noted for this on their PT-Cruisers. I've seen the aluminum literally crumble away around the valve stems and lug nut holes. Believe it or not all off-shore owned companies don't bother applying a protective coating on the rim surfaced which face the brake dics. I've seen $50 -$100,000 car wheels which have huge barnacle shaped imperfections bubbling up.

I'm sure you've seen custom motorcycle wheels mechined on CNC equipment on Orange County Choppers. They are made from high quality aluminum blanks from scratch. They ar 100% machined.

Custom houses have wheels that are made from forgings. By far the best avalable. That type of aluminum is very tough and hard. Forgings are parts made by hydraulicly exerting thousands of lbs. of pressure. Then they are heat tempered.

Answer 3

They are made in moulds .Then finnished using a lathe to true and balance them up.

Answer 4

http://www.thewheelwarehouse.com/
http://www.southwestwheel.com/
http://www.alibaba.com/countrysearch/CN-suppliers/Aluminum_Rim.html

Cheers