Why are steelies still a thing?

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee) 02/27/2020 at 16:55 • Filed to: None

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Specifically the classic black ones with a ring of holes. T hey’re ugly and bland, and it’s possible to make a basic wheel that looks a lot better.

Like this. It’s just a stamped painted steel wheel, can’t possibly cost much more to make than the traditional steelie, and it looks nice enough that you don’t need a hubcap.

Honda and Subaru figured this out over 20 years ago. Why hasn’t it caught on?

Sovande > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 16:58

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Probably because it works, costs next to nothing and they are covered with a hubcap anyway?

Plus they look awesome, even without the speed holes. 

The Ghost of Oppo > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 16:59

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Because you can’t attach spinner hubcaps to the other ones

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 16:59

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I would think because they’re cheaper, less complex stamping

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) 02/27/2020 at 17:01

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How is the wheel on the Forester more complex to stamp?

DipodomysDeserti > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:05

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Because they’re awesome.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:09

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I think because you could stamp the holes in the normal steelie before the drawing process, so the actual process of drawing the wheel disc can be done with the crudest dies imaginable. The holes and extra die detail in the Subie wheel *are* a little trickier. Need to have reliefs for the cutouts, specialized cutters made (instead of circle cutters or laser), etc. etc.

Also, the assembly step - if the wheel is just a lightened disc, the welding can be pretty haphazard and still work. If the welds are off or out of alignment with the spokes on the Subie wheel...

It all adds up.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:10

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I’m going to run Steelies on my FoST next winter because I can get a set of good quality snow tires without spending minimum $500 more (typical price of ST stock snowflakes) or more for a rim too. 

Amoore100 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:11

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I’m sure the standard steelies can be gotten off the shelf, thus they are the de facto base option. To specifically stamp your own steelie design and paint it is costly enough that just using a cheaply made basic alloy would be preferable, thus why manufacturers like Honda offer no steelies stateside anymore.

DarkMinun > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:12

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Because I need something cheap and solid for my winter tires and don’t care what they look like because in a year they’ll be rusty at the edges from road salt either way.

RPM esq. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:17

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Simple. Tough. Cheap. And those Subaru Forester wheels are, in my opinion, among the ugliest factory wheels ever produced when seen in person. I can’t even articulate why .

Chariotoflove > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:35

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I see a lot of steelies on base Mazdas  with plastic outer covers painted to look like anodized rims.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:36

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I think the black steel wheel in the top picture looks better than the one in the 2nd picture.

And chrome rings and chrome lug nuts also improves the look like this:

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 17:44

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All of those holes, as well as the ridges would be part of more complex stamp than the dish with holes drilled in it pictured above I would imagine 

facw > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 18:12

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Because even saving $1 per wheel sounds great to OEMs.

The real question is why are hubcaps a thing when they look worse than the standard black steelie?

i86hotdogs > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 18:33

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They look great in white.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 18:38

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They look good and are cheap

The Snowman > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 18:53

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Because you don't have to design and test anything you just pay your supplier for the cheapest possible option.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > RPM esq. 02/27/2020 at 20:18

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Because they probably cost more and are uglier than steelies. steelies RULE

dogisbadob > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 20:45

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steelies are awesome. Stop he hate :o)

ranwhenparked > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 21:04

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Because they’re cheaper. But, yeah, you can do a plain steelie that looks a lot better - the ones that are supposed to have a plastic hubcap over them are ugly because they’re not supposed to be seen, they put more thought/effort into ones that aren’t supposed to be covered.

Personally, I think the cheapest wheels often look the best - a body colored steel rip with a small chrome dog dish is a classic look that will never go out of style, and I prefer the black painted Camaro rims to the chrome ones mine has.

Crappy plastic full wheel covers need to go away though, they were always a poor replacement for the more substantial chrome or stainless steel ones automakers used to use, before penny pinching every last thing became the industry norm. 

George McNally > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/27/2020 at 22:22

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Here are my steelies with Blizzaks. I painted the wheels body color and pin striped them.

Old-Busted-Hotness > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/28/2020 at 06:31

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It’s a lot cheaper to change hubcaps every year than to change wheel designs. Plus the tooling has been paid for since the 80s, it’s like getting free wheels.