BMW's take on Lexus GS - Local BMW dealer sighting

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03-31-08, 07:08 PM

#31

Och

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Quote:

Originally Posted by geko29

If you were in the metal industry as you claim, you would know that what you wrote here is not possible. Aluminum weighs 1/3 what steel does, and is 1/3 as strong. If an aluminum wheel weighs more than a steel wheel of similar design, it is STRONGER than said wheel--PERIOD. If it weighs a little less, it may be weaker--or it may not (I'll cover this below). If it weighs significantly less, then it is definitely weaker. Simple physics.

Well, I'm not an engineer and I dont study exact properties of each metal, but it also depends on an alloy of aluminum and steel. But in the simple example that I brough up, with steel wheels vs aluminum wheels, I think it's a well known fact that aluminum wheels are more prone to damage than steel wheels, and are often heavier than steel wheels as well.

But on the other hand, I remember on my old GS300 with factory wheels, I had a tire blow out at 85mph, and the rim wasn't damaged. I'm not sure what these rims were made of, I guess a very durable aluminum alloy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by geko29

One of the reasons aluminum is so popular for suspension components is because you don't need 3x the material EVERYWHERE to get the same overall strength as steel. You only need it at the stress points. That's why so many aluminum parts are designed with reinforcing gussets or fins. By not including additional metal where it's not needed, the part is lighter.

Maybe, but this is where it gets expensive, and for what its worth in a street car, absolutely unnecessary and still less durable than steel parts. Ask my neighboor who went through hell with suspension problems on his Jaguar.

03-31-08, 09:52 PM

#32

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Correct me if I'm wrong but just like everything else, there are different types of alloy wheels. Alloy just means a combination of two or more things (like hybrid). Depends on how much magnesium, or... crap, I don't remember what other materials are combined with aluminium to make the wheels but that'll factor into how strong the wheels are and how light right?