Good to know
Here you will find a useful information about alloy wheels.
The content is being added as needed.
In case of questions please be free to contact us!
How to choose wheels from our e-shop
If you are not sure what parameters are suitable for your car, then it is best to start by choosing wheels in BORBET configurator, that will show those alloy wheel models and parameters that suit exactly your car.
You can choose wheels in our web shop by five parameters:
1) Surface finish - colour, polished or matt.
2) Wheel size - wheel width x wheel diameter in inches; you can choose wheels of different diameter for the same car model depending on how big wheels you like for your car.
3) Pitch circle diameter (PCD) - Bolt pattern which is used to mount the wheel. It will wary by car make and even model. This parameter depends on car model. You can check the PCD that suits your car from BORBET wheel configurator.
4) Offset (ET) - It means wheel insertion depth. The bigger the ET number is the deeper the wheel will sit in wheel arch and vice versa. You should choose ET in the range that has been recommended by your car manufacturer, otherwise a wheel or tyre may hit the wheel arch, suspension or brakes.
5) Center bore (ML) - center bore represents the size of the wheel center hole in mm that sit on wheel hub of the car. Vast majority of alloy wheels have larger center bore than it is needed, therefore center bore is being regulated with a help of center ring Borbet center rings are included almost with every wheel set. These are made of glass fiber inject moulded plastic to fit car wheel hub diameter and wheel center bore diameter. That is how wheels with bigger center bore are fitted with smaller wheel hub of the car.
The aim of the center ring is to keep the wheels in the center at the time of installation before locking bolts or nuts. Center ring does not hold a car weight; that is done by bolts or nuts
The range of BORBET wheels also contain wheels with a center bore that is exactly machined to match car wheel hub. In case of such wheels there is no need to use center rings.
ECE homologation
In short ECE means that wheel suits the car in the same way as OEM (original equipment manufacturer) wheel and it has been accepted by all of the EU member states and by many countries outside EU.
ECE wheels have center bore that fits exactly the particular car (no need for center rings), besides there is no need for separate bolts and nuts, because ECE wheels can be placed with a help of original bolts and nuts. Additionally there is no need to have with you TÜV certificate that proves that wheels suit your car. These are wheels that comply with strict safety and quality requirements.
Summer and winter alloy wheels
For summer you can choose polished wheels, but for winter you should definitely choose painted winter-proof wheels. In case of polished wheels there is only a layer of lacquer to protect wheel from corrosion. If the lacquer gets damaged, even just slightly, the salt that is being used on roads in winter reach aluminium where the ugly corrosion gets started.
You can see it as white, worm-like stripes under the layer of lacquer.
Winter-proof wheels are protected by three layers of different surface coating. First there is an undercoat, then paint and only then lacquer. In this case if lacquer is damaged, oxidant does not get to aluminium. If all three layers have been damaged, then wheel is not protected against corrosion. To restore a damaged wheel it has to be painted again. As a short-term solution you can use paint correction means.
