All Types of Mag Wheels

by Lynn Rademacher
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wheel_fragment image by Sergey Galushko from Fotolia.com

Mag wheels are lightweight rims for tires that are to be placed on cars. Mag wheels got their name because they are made from magnesium. The original purpose for mag wheels was for racing, due to their lightweight design. However, mag wheels have found a place on the consumer market as a way for car enthusiasts to enhance the appearance of their favorite show car. The term "mag wheel" has now been expanded by car enthusiasts to encompass wheels that are made of aluminum as well.

Drop Rims

A drop rim is a style of mag wheel that has the center of the wheel dropped towards the axle of the car. This type of rim presents a three dimensional. This type of mag wheel will come with a five or six lug nut attachment to the car. Drop rims can be difficult to care for as the indented design of the wall of the rim can cause dirt and other debris to collect within the mag rim.

Rotator Wheels

Mag rotator wheels are an eye-catching kind of wheel. The construction consists of the solid rim that the tire is installed on and that the lug nuts are secured to. Over the top of this is a free-spinning rotator that is moved by the forward moving force of the tire. However, when the car stops, the rotator part of the mag wheel continues to spin, giving the appearance that the car is still moving, even though it is standing still. The rotating portion of the mag wheel is usually very ornamental with curves and cutouts. The more ornamental the rotator portion of the mag wheel, the greater the reflectivity of the wheel and the more attention it will capture.

Spoke Wheels

Spoke wheels are the most basic design of the tradition mag wheels. The number of spokes can vary, however, at least five spokes need to be present to maintain the stability of the rim. Spokes may be ornamental with curved edges or slight indentations from the outer end of the spokes to where they all meet in the middle at the lug nuts. While the spoke wheel may be the most basic design of mag wheels, it can be very eye catching when kept clean and shinny.

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