Wheels are the most significant part of a vehicle. Without proper wheels, the vehicle can't move ahead. Mostly two types of wheels are used. The first one is made up of steel while the other is made up of alloys. An alloy is a mixture of two or more metals. By mixing, characteristics of all the metals are procured in a single substance. If aluminium is mixed in the alloy, it becomes lightweight. Likewise, other elements can also be mixed. The alloy serves well for different purposes.

Steel Wheels

Steel wheels are used in a large number of vehicles. They possess great features that benefit the overall functioning of vehicles. Steel wheels are durable and they can't be broken easily. They are also inexpensive. Steel wheels are heavy which has their advantages and drawbacks. Heavy wheels make it difficult to drive on terrains while it helps drive in snowy conditions. Due to the heavyweight of steel wheels, fuel economy has to compensate for it. Acceleration of the vehicle is also affected by the steel wheel's heaviness.

What are alloys?

Alloy Wheel

The most common alloys used in our daily life are brass, bronze, cast iron, wrought iron, etc. Brass is made up of copper and zinc that is widely used due to its anti-corrosive property. Bronze is made up of copper and tin in large proportion and manganese, phosphorus, and silicon in a smaller proportion. It is used for great frictional property. Cast iron is made up of iron and carbon which is widely used for its low melting property.

Two sides of an Alloy Wheel

Steel is a widely used material for wheels but because of its disadvantages, alloy wheels are replacing them. Alloy wheels provide a range of features. Alloy wheels have less weight that lowers the centre of gravity and helps in better acceleration. The economy of fuel also improves due to less weight. Better thermal conduction takes care of brake failure. The alloys have anti-corrosive properties that reduce the maintenance or replacement costs of the wheels. The high dissipation rate of alloys benefits the tyres reading by causing less wear and tear. All these features help the wheels to have a longer lifespan. Alloy wheels also offer attractive designs to enhance the look of wheels.

However, an alloy wheel's weakness also lies in these designs. Its lustre needs regular maintenance. As compared to steel wheels they are more prone to damage. After a collision, the alloy wheels are not perfectly reshape-able as compared to steel wheels. Alloy wheels are priced higher than steel or other wheels. Moreover, repairing alloy wheels is also expensive. A steel wheel is less compatible in an alloy-wheel-equipped vehicle. The durability of alloy wheels is lesser than steel wheels. Because of the power of the vehicles, alloy wheels may not be used. 

Both wheels have their advantages and disadvantages. Alloy wheels UK have an edge over steel wheels. As fuel economy is good and wheel maintenance is less, it is better equipped for less powerful vehicles. But for the long run, it can pose issues due to its durability and damage-prone characteristics.