Keeping it Straight: Wheels, Hubcaps, Rims, and Tires

 Machines are complex, especially when you get down to the nuts and bolts of it all. Your car is a machine like anything else and it too comes equipped with its own complex system of nuts and bolts. Something as simple as a wheel can, when examined more closely, perplex the most automotively savvy of us. After all, do you refer to the things that spin to make your vehicle move as car tire? If so, you might be a little lost on everything that's actually there. Lucky for you, Toyota of Clermont is here to save the day and steer you in the right direction when it comes to your wheels and tires. 

What's in a Car Tire? A Wheel?

While the car tire assembly itself performs a simple task, there's a lot more to it than a piece of rubber spinning. 

Wheels

Tires and wheels and not synonymous as many drivers have been led to believe. Clermont Toyota wheels denotes the large metal object that a tire is wrapped around. This car tire part includes the rim (what's displayed on the outside), the disc, and the hub. 

Tires

Like we said, the Clermont car tire is the actual piece of rubber that the tire wraps around. This auto part grips the road and helps your vehicle actually move. It's attached to the wheel and works in conjunction with it to move. 

Rims

While it's easy to confuse a rim with a wheel, the truth is that the rim is just simply part of the whole wheel pie. Rims are the part of the wheel that's displayed outside, just below the circumference of the tire. This part acts as a seal for your tire to fully attach to the wheel, but they're also a great way to accessorize your ride. These car tire parts are typically made of steel, aluminum alloy, or carbon fiber. 

Hubcaps

While hubcaps have been confused as rim covers, they're actually a different Clermont car tire part entirely. The hubcap sits inside the rim and they cover the wheel hub. Rims seal the wheel and tire together to keep the tire in place and the hubcap performs a different purpose. They protect the hub and lug-nuts from external threats like moisture, dirt, and dust. 

Who would've thought that so many different parts could provide the simple function of forward motion and keeping your ride off the ground. 

Shop Car Tires with Toyota of Clermont Today!

If you still have questions about the parts of car tires and wheels or need to shop for a new set for yourself, Toyota of Clermont is here to help! Visit our auto parts center at 16851 State Road 50 today.