Rims vs. Wheels

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
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So I have been cleaning out the old yard and there's a lot of wheels with dry rotted tires that will never see the road again.

So I have been taking them to a local shop to break them down and dispose of the tire and return the wheel to me.

The guy says: "so you want your rim back?"

I had to have heard the word "rim" a hundred times in the time it took them to break down a dozen wheels and load them in my truck. Then I get home and the neighbor says "what are you going to do with all those rims"

Then I get on fabo and at least a couple threads talking about "rims"

So I take out my trusty factory Service manual which mentions "wheels " but never once that I can see mentions "rims"

So I have to ask.... what is the history behind calling them as "rims"? Usually things have a history, story, or some observational reason to be called something other than a factory term.

So who here knows where "rim" came from??
 
Growing up I’ve always heard of it called a rim but when you mount a tire, it’s called a wheel.
 
For a sec I thought they were sectioning the wheels and handing you the outer edges.

People, we call it what we want. It's not unheard of for people to run with a term that merely references a focus point/feature of an object n so forth. Either way...I could care less what a tire guy wants to call this or that...I'm observant/paying attention enough to know what they mean.

This could be the venti 2.0 of today..
:popcorn:
 
4B127599-87A3-4A84-91EB-D89351B0DA56.jpeg
 
Wheels and tires.

Shoes, tennis shoes, sneakers, footwear, low tops,loafers, etc...


Who cares.
Yo...Hows bouts rounds n crowns, biotch?

Lmao
 
the wheel is the entire metal thing

the tire is the entire rubber thing

the rim is the part of the metal thing that contacts the rubber thing
 
Today the terms "wheel" and "rim" are used interchangeably.
But years ago, the "wheel" consisted of two parts; the rim and the center (or spider). That's because they were separate pieces- the center could unbolt from the rim.
OIP.grcdf6mVkG5pIthUnsjbnAHaEb?w=228&h=184&c=7&r=0&o=5&dpr=1.1&pid=1.jpg

In the picture, notice the bolts around the perimeter of the rim- to change a tire, you would unbolt the rim, leaving the center mounted to the hub (In many instances, the front and rear had different center sections, which would have required carrying two different complete wheels). That's why when you see a spare on an antique vehicle, it is just the rim and tire, no center.
Semis and HD trucks, and some Ag and construction equipment may still use separate rims and centers.
OIP.D7m_f6aXqM5Pa0PCoUBxkgHaFj?w=202&h=180&c=7&r=0&o=5&dpr=1.1&pid=1.jpg

So, the "rim" and the "center" (spider) are the two components that comprise a "wheel".
 
My first recollection of "rims" was waaaaaay back when "custom chrome reversed rims" were first mentioned on custom cars.
Prior to that all you found on custom cars and hot rods were hub caps or full wheel covers.
 
Wheels is correct. Rims is ghetto.

That clear it up?

And I guess no on the bellhousing?
 
Synonym. I have lived all over the country, wheel and rim is the same thing. In typical FABO fashion, we tend to waaaaaaay over think everything.
 
66fs said:
If not they should be. Had them on a 69 GMC pickup. What a cheap, dangerous cluge. Just one reason I hate Chevrolet.
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Dodges had them, too- came on my '66 Swepty, I think everybody used them on 3/4t and up.
Still in use on big stuff- some HD tires are so big and have such a stiff sidewall that they can't be mounted/unmounted normally.
 
Could be, I got rid of them as soon as I could. We used to run 8 ply truck tires, they worked fine with one piece rims/wheels.
 
dano said:
There are "Split Rims", something you don't see anymore, I think they are illegal to use.
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Split rims "seperate". If seated incorrectly, they can "seperate" your arm or your head from your body. Yikes!
 
Agree with RRR - Rims nowadays are just a ghettofied word for wheels that most people use interchangeably.
Maybe I’m old-school, but in my neck of the woods we never called a rim/tire combo a wheel. Redundancy here, but we always called a wheel a wheel even if it was just a wheel.
 
sprint cars use 3 piece wheels . Two rims and a hub make a wheel. Some are 5 piece, 2 lock rings , 2 rims and 1 hub/center for bead lock make a wheel. The hub/center is part of the wheel.

If someone says rim or wheel usually it means what the tire is mounted to.

Sort of like when my dad took his "belt" off and "strapped" my ***. "Belt" or "strap" I new what it meant.

Picture 243.jpg
 
I think we should establish a committee comprised of duly elected and competent individuals to research this issue. The committee will publish their findings and establish forever the truth of the matter that can never be disputed.
 
66fs said:
If not they should be. Had them on a 69 GMC pickup. What a cheap, dangerous cluge. Just one reason I hate Chevrolet.
Click to expand...
My 75 F250 came with lock rings. Someone down the line replaced them with one piece WHEELS. lol I honestly wish I could find some new or good 16" lock ring WHEELS. lol I've changed hundreds over the years. Never had a problem. You have to know a bad one when you see it.
 
66fs said:
Synonym. I have lived all over the country, wheel and rim is the same thing. In typical FABO fashion, we tend to waaaaaaay over think everything.
Click to expand...
I'm not capable of over thinking. lol I just call stuff what I call it and wheels is it. Never called um split rims, either. Just lock ring WHEELS. lol
 
Murray said:
I think we should establish a committee comprised of duly elected and competent individuals to research this issue. The committee will publish their findings and establish forever the truth of the matter that can never be disputed.
Click to expand...

We’re with the gub’mint - We’re here to help!
 
Murray said:
I think we should establish a committee comprised of duly elected and competent individuals to research this issue. The committee will publish their findings and establish forever the truth of the matter that can never be disputed.
Click to expand...
I thought post #7 settled it?
 
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