Aluminum or Magnesium wheels

Andrew Hsieh · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 9:59 pm Post subject: Aluminum or Magnesium wheels

I am planning to get another set of wheels for autocross and I am wondering if you guys are running aluminum or magnesium wheels for autocross?

I heard that aluminum wheels come in faster and offer more grip initially, but drop off when they get hot. Magnesium wheels tend to be more consistent, but are slower in the beginning.

I would assume the better choice would be aluminum wheels since they will provide more grip for those 3 runs.

Bob Monday · Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 91

Are you "2-driving" your kart? If not, it's going to be rare that you'll overheat even medium soft tires (MG Greens). Aluminum are also considerably cheaper and easier to mount tires on since magnesium tend to be thicker.

Bob

Mike Unger · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:44 am Post subject:

Andrew

I did a test maybe 3 years ago with magnesium vs Aluminum wheels to find out just what you are asking. Basically the results showed that indeed Aluminum wheels came in quicker but the Magnesium was a bit more stable and untimately a little faster. After doing more similar tests over the years I am not convinced it is so much about the material as it is about the construction. That is I think that you can think of wheels like an axle. Aluminum wheels tend to be stiffer like a stiff axle and Magnesium wheels are like a soft axle.
In your case for autocrossing I would go with the Aluminum. My tests showed that for the first 2 or 3 minutes the Aluminum was bit better.
If you want a copy of the article call the magazine and ask them to send you a copy.

Mike Unger
National Kart News Tech editor

charles pistorio · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:54 am Post subject:

aluminum wheels flex more and mag are stiffer
similar to changing axles from stiff to soft... or longer and shorter hubs, so the mag will deliver more grip. in most cases. but the aluminum will transfer more weight sort of like putting a softer spring on a race car. so somtimes the softer wheel plants the tires harder especialy when using hard compound tires.

as far as heat, the mag will disapate heat faster than the aluminum
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Charles Pistorio
Tore Motorsports, Inc.