You have probably heard people loosely use the words wheel and rim. Where I come from when people say rim, they actually are referring to the entire wheel without the tire. While these terms tend to be used interchangeably, there is a difference between a wheel and a rim. In the article below I’ll discuss that difference and settle the question what is the difference between a wheel and a rim

What is The Difference Between a Wheel and a Rim?

These terms are often confused and used interchangeably, but there is a difference. That is because the rim is just a part of the wheel, yet people call the entire structure the rim. The confusion stems from the fact that entire piece of metal is one solid cast of metal. You may hear people saying “I got 19 inch rims”, what they really mean is 19 inch wheels.

Parts of the Wheel – The Wheel Disc and The Rim

See the diagram below. The whole thing is called the Wheel. The wheel has two parts: the rim and the wheel disc.

The rim is the part that connects the tire. It is the cylindrical outer edge that secures the tire onto the wheel. It’s main function is to secure the rubber tire and create a tight seal between the tire and the rim. This seal holds in the air between the tire bead and the edge of the rim.

The wheel disc connects the entire wheel to the axle hub. It is often where you see a design or styling, sometimes spokes, and the part that the lug nuts secure the wheel onto the vehicle.

The Wheel Hub

Some mechanics consider the wheel hub on the vehicle as part of the wheel. This is where the threaded bolts extrude from the vehicle and secure the wheel onto the suspension. This is actually part of the vehicle though itself.

The wheel hub as three parts: the threaded studs, the hub, and the flange. Wheel hubs can vary in how may threaded studs they have and may even have different bolt patterns. This is why when you size a pair of wheels you need to make sure the bolt pattern is correct along with the wheel size.

Wheel Materials

Wheels are commonly made of aluminum alloy and steel. Both materials are very recyclable and can fetch good money for the weight in scrap if you need to sell your wheels.

No matter steel of aluminum wheels come with a variety of styles from chrome to painted finishes in silver, grey, black, and gold most commonly. Steel is typically heavier and aluminum is on the lighter side. There are other benefits to aluminum alloy such as they are stronger in design, don’t rust, and tend not to distort as easy as steel when a road hazard is hit.

The Difference Between a Wheel and a Rim…

So while it may seem like semantics it becomes important if you need to describe an issue. At the place that sells used wheels near me, they use terms like bent rim and damaged wheel (meaning the wheel disc). Knowing the difference in these terms can help you make better informed buying decisions. Also if you are buying used tires, you may actually find tires with the wheel included and you will need to understand how to evaluate it.

Wheel vs Rim – Conclusion

So many people today, including auto mechanics and tire specialists, use the term “rim”, to refer to the entire metal part the tire is mounted in. That is, as you now know, the wheel. This is even more commonly mislabeled when it comes to aftermarket wheels. While it may seem to be no big deal, It’s good to clear things up to have a better understanding. So in summary the wheel is the entire metal block and the rim is simply just the outer edge of it.