Watch Steel And Alloy Wheels Get Crushed In Hydraulic Press

Busting up a wheel on a major pothole is a memorable experience. Often times it’s also a catalyst for a debate on the virtues of steel rims versus alloy. Which material can stand up to punishment better? The folks at Hydraulic Press Channel on YouTube decided to put both wheel types to the test by laying them out on the table and subjecting them to unrelenting hydraulic force.To get more news about Alloy Forged Wheels, you can visit nnxwheels.com official website.

More Gratuitous Destruction:
Before getting into the meat of this video, a few caveats must be mentioned. There are all kinds of variables involved when it comes to wheel strength, especially with alloy wheels because, well, they’re alloy. Aluminum and magnesium are the most common materials used in an alloy wheel, but alloy by definition is a mixture of materials. Furthermore, variations in the manufacturing process can affect the wheel’s tensile strength. In simple terms, not all alloy wheels are created equal.

Steel wheels can also have some variation in strength, but not to the same extent as you’ll find with alloys. Steelies can also fall victim to rust, which most definitely compromises strength and yes, we do spot a bit of that on the steel wheels used in this video. In other words, watching stuff getting crushed in a massive hydraulic press is cool, but be aware that results can vary.
That said, there are some factors in the steel-versus-alloy world that hold true no matter what. Alloy wheels will typically break apart under hard impacts, whereas steel bends. This video showcases that in dramatic fashion, but the real question is which wheel type withstands the most pressure before either bending or breaking?

To more accurately replicate a real-world situation, inflated tires were kept on the wheels. Standing up, the alloy wheel peaked at roughly 23 tons of pressure, whereas the steel wheel only reached around 10 tons. However, it’s questionable whether the steel wheel would’ve maintained some kind of functionality for longer, since it deformed instead of suddenly snapping apart.

The biggest surprise comes with a side-load test, where the press crushes the wheels from the center. A catastrophic blowout occurs as the alloy wheel shatters, while the steel wheel simply gets crushed flat.The FBI on Monday raided a Michigan company that manufactures aluminum alloy wheels for automotive giants Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Honda, Toyota and Nissan.

The FBI executed a search warrant at Dicastal North America in Greenville, Michigan, on Monday morning, FBI spokesperson Mara Schneider said. The small city of Greenville is just over 30 miles northeast of Grand Rapids in western Michigan.
General Motors spokesman David Barnas said, “We are monitoring the situation, but expect no impact to GM vehicle production.”

According to its website, Dicastal North America has been making aluminum alloy wheels for the auto industry since 2014. It is a subsidiary of China-based CITIC Dicastal Co., which calls itself the "world's largest supplier of aluminum alloy wheels" and provides products to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) worldwide.