We often think that the words “rim” and “wheel” are interchangeable, but they do not mean the same thing, technically speaking. For example, a lot of people use “wheel” to mean the entire metal part on which the tire is mounted. This is understandable in a way, since both rim and wheel are cast from the same piece of metal, explains MN-based car dealer and automobile enthusiast Jeff Lupient.
The key difference between the two is that the rim does not refer to the whole wheel but only to a section or part of it. The wheel, in general, is made up of the rim, disc, and the hub. The disc refers to the part of the wheel that connects the axle hub and the rim. The hub is the wheelbase that features studs on which the wheel is connected to the suspension.
The rim is the cylindrical outer edge of the wheel, which latches the tire onto the wheel. Its main function is to seal the tire to the wheel and to support it, ensuring proper fit and retaining the air inside the tubeless tire. The disc and the rim can either be detachable or permanently joined.
Back in the day, wheels were made with wire or wooden spokes, with the rim and hub linked by these spokes. Today, these spokes have mostly been replaced with wheel discs, and the most-common, spoke-designed wheels are ones made of forged alloy wheels for purely aesthetic reasons, adds Jeff Lupient.
Jeff Lupient is the current CEO and President of the Lupient Automotive Group based in Minnesota. Get more updates and tips on automotive sales and car care on this Twitter page.
Jeff Lupient 