Free Expert Advice

• Do not use household or other detergents to clean your wheels, i.e. washing up liquid.
• Rinse off any cleaning solutions before moving onto the next wheel.
• Clean with a soft, un-abrasive cloth.
• Do not use steam cleaners as this can lead to surface peeling.
• Do not use aluminium wheel polish on chrome, painted, or clear coated wheels.
• Do not use tire cleaners.
• Clean wheels only when they are cold.
• Waxing your wheels can help protect the surface and help make future cleaning easier.
• Only use cleaners specific to your wheel type. Never use acid based cleaners on any wheel.
• We advise removing chrome wheels in winter and storing in a dry place. Not your garage.

Wheels are available with varying bolt patterns, and some have more than one bolt pattern allowing them to be fitted to a wider range of vehicles.

4 x 100

The number 4 refers to the number of holes in the wheel. The number 100 refers to the diameter of the circle of boltholes measured in millimetres.

Wheels with 4 or 6 boltholes are measured from the centre of one bolthole to the centre of the bolthole directly opposite. Wheels with 5 boltholes require special tools for accurate measurement.

Rim width is the measurement between the outside lip and inside lip of an alloy wheel. Rim width is measured in inches.

Rim width is usually displayed as 8J for example. This means that the rim width is 8 inches wide.

Every vehicle has a compatible rim width range (not a fixed width). For example: Audi A3 2002 has an offset range between 6J to 8.5J, as long as the rim width is within that range, the alloy wheels will be fully compatible.

When purchasing through wheelbasealloys.com, we ensure that the correct rim width alloy wheels are fitment checked for your vehicle. All you need to do is use our easy to use vehicle selector.

The wheel offset (measured in millimeters), can be negative or positive, and is the distance from the hub-mounting surface to the rim's true centerline.

The lower the offset is, the further out the alloy wheel will sit on the vehicle. The higher the offset is, then the further in the alloy wheel will sit on the vehicle.

Every vehicle has a compatible offset range (not a fixed offset). For example: Audi A3 2002 has an offset range between 30mm to 43mm, as long as the offset value is within that range, the alloy wheels will be fully compatible.

When purchasing through wheelbasealloys.com, we ensure that the correct offset alloy wheels are fitment checked for your vehicle. All you need to do is use our easy to use vehicle selector.

This means your are increasing the size of your wheels and lowering the profile of your tyres for increased performance and style, here's the rule of thumb for Up-sizing, follow these simple rules for unchanged speedometer readings and fuel economy:

To increase wheel size by 1 inch

• Increase the tyre section width by 10mm
• Decrease the tyre aspect ratio by 10 points
• Increase the wheel rim diameter by 1 inch

To increase wheel size by 2 inches

• Increase the tyre section width by 20mm
• Decrease the tyre aspect ratio by 20 points
• Increase the wheel rim diameter by 2 inches

Wheel PCD (Pitch Circle Diameter) is the notional circle determined by the position of the holes in an alloy wheel. The center of every bolt lies on the circumference of the bolt circle.

PCD is measured in millimeters. Example: 4x100 mm (4 holes , 100 mm apart)

When purchasing from wheelbase we will ensure that you receive the correct PCD alloy wheels for your vehicle.

If you have any further questions about PCD (Pitch Circle Diameter), please do not hesitate to contact us.

The centerbore of a wheel is the size of the hole in the back of the wheel that centers it over the mounting hub of the car. The wheel centerbore is measured in millimeters.

Many OEM factory fitted wheels are cast as hubcentric alloy wheels, which means that the centerbore is the exact same size as the wheel hub.

Many aftermarket alloy wheels have a larger centerbore which require spigot rings to be fitted. These spigot rings slot inside the wheel to make the correct centerbore for the vehicle they are being fitted on. Once fitted, the spigot rings provide a tight fit to the hub and are just as safe and secure as hubcentric alloy wheels. The advantage of the spigot ring system is that the wheels fit a wider range of vehicles, keeping the costs down, and also making them much more easily transferable.

All alloy wheels sold on wheelbasealloys.com are either hubcentric or supplied with the correct sized spigot rings.

Wheel bolts and nuts should always be tightened in the correct sequence. The correct tightening sequence for four, five, six and eight bolt wheels are shown here.

Always use a torque wrench when tightening wheel bolts check your car manual for the correct settings.When fitting new wheels re-torque the wheel bolts after about 60 to 90 miles.

Wheels are manufactured in various ways, most alloys are made in one, two or three pieces.

A one-piece wheel is made in a single mould. Two-piece wheels are made in two separate moulds and then the two pieces are welded or bolted together. Three-piece wheels are made in three separate moulds and then the three pieces are fixed together using very high quality bolts.

Wheel alignment is crucial - if your wheels are misaligned on either the front or rear this will permanently damage your tyres as it causes them to wear unevenly. It can also lead to suspension damage and poor handling.

If your wheels are misaligned you may feel the car pull to one side when you relax your grip on the steering wheel, you may also notice tread wear irregularities.

It is recommended that you have all four wheels aligned, however as some vehicles do not have any adjustment on the rear wheels this will not always be possible. For best results always consult a professional.

Have your wheel alignment checked regularly, especially if your vehicle has come into contact with a kerb or other obstacle.

Tyres can be easily damaged if the correct air pressure is not maintained. Tyres can lose air pressure over time which causes irregular tread wear and shortens the lifespan of the tyre.

Fuel consumption and steering control can also be affected if the tyres are under or over inflated. If the tyres squeal when you go around corners at normal speeds you may have low pressure in one or more of your tyres.

Tyre pressures for your vehicle can be either be found in the manufacturers manual or on a plate around the driver or passenger door aperture.

Visually inspect tyres regularly. Also check and adjust pressures only when they are cold. Tyre pressures will rise when they are hot. If possible, check pressures with the same gauges to maintain an accurate measure.

Gauges can be purchased from most good car accessory shops.

Remember to check your spare tyre regularly.

As the tyres wear their performance and grip decreases. You can check the tread depth on the tyre by looking at the tyre bars, which are small raised rubber notches that run across the tread design and become visible when tyres are worn. We would advise changing tyres at 3mm tread depth as tyre performance drops off considerably after that depth.

The minimum legal tread depth for tyres is 1.6mm. If the tread depth is level with the wear bar this is a good indication that your tyre needs replacing. Do not wait for the tyres to reach the wear bars if the vehicle begins to feel unsafe. Tyres which are below 1.6mm are illegal. This can lead to a fine of up to £2500 + 3 pts per tyre. Each tyre is treated as a separate offence.

If caught, you will be liable for prosecution if any tyre on your vehicle has a defect or is below the minimum tread depth of 1.6mm.

Speed ratings are an indication of the maximum safe speed for the tyre. The maximum safe speed of the tyre should not be exceeded under any circumstances.

Please use the following guide to determine the speed rating required for your vehicle:

The tyre load-rating is essentially the maximum weight the tyre can carry. Lower profile sizes tend to have lower load ratings compared to higher profile ones. If you are considering changing your tyre size, either up sizing or down sizing, the load rating should be the same or higher than the original fitment. Fitting an incorrect load rating is seriously compromising on safety and can result in a serious accident.

Tyre Load Index / Ratings

Punctures regardless of their severity should be repaired immediately to avoid the risk of accident and injury, it is advised that these repairs are carried out by a qualified technician.

Any repair using a patch or plug must be applied to both the outer tyre and the inner tyre - the reason for this is that the rubber on the inside of the tyre is a different compound to the rubber on the outside of the tyre. The tyre will have to be removed from the wheel rim for these repairs to be carried out.

Repairs to the tyre wall or within 1 inch of the sidewall on the tread should not be attempted under any circumstances.

Example: 215/35 R 18 89 Z

215 is the width of a tyre measured in millimetres from sidewall to sidewall.

35 is the aspect ratio of the tyre and is measured using the following method: Divide the tyre section height by the tyre section width and multiply it by 100.

R means the tyre has a radial construction.

B means the tyre has a belted construction.

D means the tyre has a diagonal construction.

18 is the diameter of the wheel in inches.

89 is the tyre load index.

Z is the speed rating.

As a rule you should try not to mix tyre sizes/brands/ratings unless your vehicle has different sized tyres as standard from front to rear. Never, under any circumstances, use different sized tyres or mix cross-ply and radial tyres on the same axle.

Most standard tyres will last around 15,000 to 20,000 miles although this will vary considerably depending on your driving style, road conditions and the type of road you are using. Tyres on the driving wheels will wear out faster than non driven ones, especially on a front wheel drive car. Our Advice is to inspect your tyres regularly and replace at least in pairs at 3mm tread depth or if the car is 4wd to replace all 4 tyres at the same time. All mileages listed are a guide only.