Alloy wheels query: Relation between number of spokes & wheel strength?

Could it be said that an alloy with merely three spokes is as strong as an alloy with 10 spokes?

BHPian adasisthefuture recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

There is hardly any discussion on this anywhere on the internet.

Every premium car and for that matter every top-of-the-line model of a mid-range car comes with alloy wheels. It is well settled now that alloys are much weaker in strength compared to steel wheels. However, how important role the number of spokes in an alloy plays with regard to the strength and durability of the alloy is debatable.

The spokes play an important role with regard to connecting the rim to the plate and therefore it is highly debatable whether the number of spokes would result in a stronger alloy.

Spokes in an alloy range from three to more than ten. Could it be said that an alloy with merely three spokes is as strong as an alloy with 10 spokes in terms of giving overall support to the RIM?

Also, whether an alloy with more spokes better at handling the impacts of pothole-ridden Indian roads compared to ones with lesser spokes?

Further, it would be interesting to study the implications of the number of spokes in low vs. high-profile tyres.

Views and real-life experiences of knowledgeable members of this forum are requested.

Here’s what BHPian v1p3r had to say on the matter:

How is this well settled? The opposite is true – alloys are far stronger than pressed steel wheels, ceteris paribus.

This whole question is a non-issue. There is no relationship between the two that you can empirically state. Each alloy wheel is designed based on use, load factors, and metallurgical composition. Each such design will undergo rigorous FEA, followed by both destructive and non-destructive testing. Without this, there is no DoT or JIL or DIN certification possible. All things being considered, an alloy wheel is ALWAYS going to be better than a pressed steel wheel.

Source: Read Full Article