The benefits of custom rims

‘Rims’ (for cars) are the metal, circular objects that fit inside tyres on wheels, connecting to the axle rods which move cars. The vast majority use standard, ‘factory’ rims, built-in to the car (since, if the rims are such a big consideration and aren’t sufficient, the buyer won’t usually buy them in the first place). However, many people have the money and desire to buy specially-fitted, custom car rims. This article provides you with an overview of the benefits of custom rims.

Standard car rims

Standard car rims are made up of aluminium alloy and are typically one-piece rims with a “safety rim” profile. This safety feature ensures that the tire bead (the bit of the tire which connects to the rim) is securely held to the rim even in adverse conditions. Effects of different-shaped car rims Overly wide rims (in relation to the tyre) often result in an increased vibration and a less comfortable drive, because the outer edges of the tire have insufficient curvature to appropriately adjust to rough surfaces. On the other hand, the driver does not want overly narrow rims, because these may result in poor handling, particularly with the wheels distorting under fast, tight cornering as the tyre and the rim are not sufficiently close to fully work in tandem.

Custom rims

Necessary custom rims Due to this, some drivers may adjust their tyres in accordance with individual preferences and the driving environment. If one is driving over rough surfaces, they may choose narrow rims for a smoother ride, but on smooth surfaces, they may choose wide rims for a controlled ride. Many heavy vehicles and some trucks due to their size will have (individual) multi-piece rim assemblies consisting of bases mounted on to a wheel and axle. In this sense, these rims are ‘custom’, but for practical reasons. ‘For show’ custom rims Many will change their rims for largely aesthetic reasons rather than practical ones. This is especially true for flamboyant celebrities, such as rap stars who often boast to be ‘sitting on’ ‘17 (inch) rims’, ‘18 rims’ (also known as ‘18s’), ‘20 rims’ or even ‘24 rims’. As is typical of the rap world (and indeed America), many consider the bigger, the better. For these larger rims, it is often necessary to get new tyres too. Many of these rims are also very flashy. There are numerous entirely gold rims, and many proudly boast at how much their ‘spinnerz’ spin.