I have searched untill I can't search anymore.

I am trying to find out what the back of the 2001 Alcoa's look like vs. Speedlines.

There are tons of post about the spokes being thinner and sharper but I think I'm just as confused as I was before.


Thanks,

 

I have a set on my car right now I also have a set of the speedlines, the alcoa wheels have just a part number from what I can remember.

It dosen't say alcoa the number is made up with dots stamped into the shape of the number.

Do a search for alcoa wheel part numbers.

I don't know about this talk of the wheels looking different, my both sets are identiacal looking and are the same color.

 

I have both Alcoa and Speedline wheels as well. I'm going to use the 18's on all 4 corners. I can't see the difference between the two.

The Alcoa wheels will be like BOB describes them with "GM" AND a "#" but it is stamped with "dots"..... like an old school printer.

 

ok cool,

If I get the chance I will take a picture of them both side by side.

I had never heard of the dot matrix part number.

 

If you have both side by side they are noticablly different, to me at least. Like you said the 01's have what seems to be a thinner sharper skope where the 02+ seem to have a fatter more rounded spoke. Unless you know what your looking for you probably would never notice it though.

 

Some people were saying there is a difference in color, but my whels are both exactly the same color, I put the center caps from one wheel on the other I could see no difference.

I have the speedlines to go with my car when I sell it, otherwise I run the alcoa'a because you can buy them cheaper. and if I happen to damage one I won't feel so bad.

As for the difference in spoke size I have never checked and probaly won't.

 

paint is darker on the Alcoa, spokes are thinner and have a "sharper" edge

I can post a pic tonight

 

Well in a week or two I'm suppose to have some chrome alcoa's in hand and I also have some chrome speedlines I guess I will get some pics of them side by side and put them on the forum for everyone. But untill then I actually don't know what the difference in appearance is.

 

Alcoa rear rim (18 x 10.5) :

 

I looked at mine real close yesterday and yes the spokes are definately a bit different. Crazy.

The color I noticed right away.

Anyone have 2 18" Alcoa wheels for sale?

 

I still don't understand why people think the Alcoa's are less desirable. I work on and build aircraft for a living and not one fracture critical part that I can think of is cast aluminum.

Casting is not as strong as an extruded or forged part The cast parts are formed by simple molding, and are not all that strong. The heated metal is poured into a mold and it cools. I understand that speedlines are flow formed and that helps make them a little stronger aligning the grain, but they are still not as strong as a forged part of the same dimensions.

Extruded parts are stronger than cast - they are pushed (with tremendous pressure) as soft (preheated) metal through a very strong steel "die" to produce the desired shape.

Parts that are forged are formed by heating the metal, pouring it into a form or die, and using tremendous force. Forging actually compacts the molecules in the metal making it stronger. Rotary forging is a cold forging process done by hammering, using a series of dies and immense pressure resulting in extreme strength. Generally, a rotary forged part is the strongest available.

Forged aluminum part can be welded which makes me believe that the aluminum used in it is of a higher grade.
I understand the need for lighter rims but to do so at the cost of strength is not a good idea in the pothole infested world I live in.
The reason they are heavier is because basically there is more aluminum forced into them. Most Alcoa's are made from 6061 aircraft aluminum.

Besides Alcoa's are what are suppose to be on my 01 anyway. I have been searching for a good set since I bought my car and there seems to be all kinds of speedline info out there with very little on the Alcoa's. I guess it's as they say to each his own.

 

Yep. I think the thicker spokes on the 02+ wheels tells you that was required to achieve the same (or close to, I imagine) load rating of the thinner spoke forged wheels.

 

You make a good point. I'm using Alcoa wheels on my 02 because I'm having them modified by weldcraft wheels and initailly it was becasue that are easier/cheaper to get. Now I'll just say it's because they are Forged and easier to weld than the cast. :

 

I prefer the appearance of the '01 version myself. Too bad my car is an '03.

 

When I get done my 02 is gonna have 01s all the way around.

Widened in the back 18x12 and narrowed in the front 18x10.

 

Yeah you can weld on 6061 forged aluminum but cast aluminum is another story.

I took some pictures but they won't load into my album I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
I think they are to big.

It's really hard to tell the two apart but the biggest thing is that the alcoa's look smooth and the speedlines don't. They feel like they weigh about the same but since I don't have a scale I'm not sure. And the speedlines look like they were deburred more than the alcoa's, they look much sharper.

 

Start a photobucket account and just host the pics from there. That's what I usually do.

www.photobucket.com

 

Here's the back of the 2001-2002 Alcoa rim.[IMG][/IMG]

 

How much does that cost and who can do it?

 

James @ Weldcraftwheels.com