When did wheels become rims?

I completely disunderstand why people insist on calling a wheel, a rim. The rim is just the outer shell of the wheel that mounts the tire. A wheel is the entire unit. The term rim when referring to a wheel sounds absolutely ignorant.

[Bill Verburg]

It's been that way forever(at least for my lifetime)

[Weaver]

Originally posted by Mark Wilson
sounds absolutely ignorant.

"Disunderstand" is not a word.

[Icemaster]

Irregardless...

I can't recall when someone didn't refer to wheels as rims.

[Jim Sims]

About the same time as the correct use of "good" and "well" and the use of many adverbs vanished from the vernacular.

[billyboy]

I am fairly sure that during the early sixties, they were still called wheels.

[bell]

yo, check out my rims........yo

[Bill Verburg]

Originally posted by billyboy
I am fairly sure that during the early sixties, they were still called wheels.

Do you feel that "wheels" was exclusively used? and that no groups in the whole world used "rim" in the vernacular, to mean wheel?

A current user of this termiology

"rim"

Webster's 7^th New Colligiate Dictonary 1963ed.
2a: the outer part of a wheel joined to the hub usu. by spokes 2b:a removeable outer metal band to which the tire is attached
syn wheel

An entire page of wheel manufacturers and only a couple references to RIMS (pronounced RE-UMMS).


http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Shopping_and_Services/Automotive/Parts/Wheels/Makers/

Foose Design Wheels - sells custom automobile wheels, designed by Chip Foose.
American Racing Custom Wheels - includes a catalog of wheels, dealer locator, motorsports information, and a gallery of vehicles.
Weld Wheel Industries, Inc. - forged alloy wheels for cars, trucks, and SUVs.
Enkei Wheels - manufacturer of aluminum wheels.
Center Line Wheels - designs and manufactures wheels for racing and street applications.
TSW Alloy Wheels - distributes TSW wheels and Toyo tires.
Ronal USA - manufactures alloy wheels.
Fikse - High performance forged modular wheels.
American Eagle Wheel - manufacturer of aluminum after-market automobile and truck wheels.
Wheel Components, Inc. - producers of the Epic Wheels line.
Superlite Wheels - manufacturer of alloy automotive wheels and accessories for both motorsport and road cars.
KMC Wheel Company - wheels for cars, trucks, and SUVs. Models include Stealth and Street Rebel.
Cragar Industries - designer of custom vehicle wheels and wheel accessories.
Carlisle Tire & Wheel Co. - manufacturer of commercial, recreational, and utility tires.
Kinesis Motorsport - manufactures forged and cast three-piece wheels for high performance automobiles.
Tenzo Racing Sports - manufacturer of performance parts, interior items, seats, suspension products, wheels, and more.
Motegi Racing - performance wheels targeted at the compact performance market.
Wheel Vintiques - manufactures steel rallye and custom wheels and accessories.
Buchanan Spoke & Rim, Inc. - offers stock and custom spokes, rims, and finished wheel assemblies for both motorcycles and cars. Services include lacing, trueing, and vintage wheel restoration.
Wheel Warehouse - offers wheel specs and racing team photos.
ADR Wheels - offers a product catalog, dealer search, and more from the wheel manufacturer.
Detata Alloy Wheels - manufacturer of chrome wheels.
Boyd Coddington - maker of hot rods, accessories, and custom wheels.
Mangels - Brazilian manufacturing company that produces wheels for cars, propane gas cylinders, cold-rolled steel strip and hot-dip galvanizing services for the worldwide market.
Katana Wheels - custom wheels and truck rims.
AFX Wheels - wheels by Whells Effects. Offers a line of chrome wheels for passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs.
BSA Manufacturing - Malaysian manufacturer of alloy wheels and rims, tires, and automotive accessories.
U.S. Wheel - manufacturer and worldwide distributor of steel wheels.
Formula Mag Inc./ Panasport Racing - importer and distributor of Panasport custom wheels. For racing and street use.
Jesse James Wheels - producing unique chrome wheels for cars and trucks.
MKWheels - makers of MKW wheels.
Rota Wheels - performance wheel manufacturer.
Rozzi Wheels - chrome, wheels, and rims for passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs.
Bogart Racing Wheels - manufacturer of lightweight performance racing wheels.
Osmos - creators of a technologically advanced hubless wheel.
Racing Hart Concepts - manufacturer of specialty alloy wheels.
Style-Line - Wheel covers, simulators and hub caps for trucks, vans, R-V's and personal vehicles.
Axis Sport Tuning - provides custom wheels with alloy and chrome rims.
GoodRoads - offers custom wheels rims tires accessories for cars and trucks.
Vogue Tyres - produces distinctive whitewall tires as well as wheels and accessories.

[aways]

I think the useage can be traced to bicycle wheels and other wheels with spokes. When referring to a bicycle "wheel" the term "rim" is usually used because the wheel is essentially a rim. People have gotten sloppy in their useage and applied the term to automobile wheels. Distinguishing between these terms is important for late model fuchs wheels. I often hear people talk about "polished rims", but I'm never sure if they mean polished "paddles and rims", full polish of wheel, or just the factory "polished rim", as they are technically saying.

[k9handler]

guilty - I sometimes refer to wheels as "rims" and even call the engine a motor from time to time. sheesh

[billyboy]

I thot motors are electric, but then again it is common to refer to a driver as a motorist like when the news media kept refering to " the motorist, Rodney King"

[vash]

most guys in my area just call them by the size. for example: yo, check me rollin on my new 20's!

i would be happy with rims.

[NY65912]

From "my" view of the world.

A wheel is a wheel. A "rim" is a part of the wheel. A tire is the rubber ring that mounts on the wheel and held onto the wheel via the "rim".

An "engine" is a device that provides power for a large amount of "work"

A "motor" is an electrical device to do "work".

This according to Mike. Just My .02˘

(Additional pet peeves.....crappy spelling and use of diction.)

Examples...

Jill and me went up the hill. NO, BAD!!!!.... but commonly used.
Jill and I went up the hill. YES, GOOD!....the way I was taught in school.

Sorry for the rant.

[jwetering]

Well, if we were to start describing one of my 9" Fuchs (without rubber) from scratch - I really wouldn't call it a rim, I mean it doesn't rim anything right? The Fuch certainly *has* a rim, or two rims really, along the outer edges.

Along these logic lines though - if I were to describe a 9" Fuch with rubber from scratch - I certainly *would* use the word wheel, since that's what it is. It's the wheel which my car rolls on.

Lastly, the rubber bit would be described as a tire (or tyre in the UK where the english language was invented).

What is missing from our vocabulary is a unique word for the steel or alloy part to which the tire is mounted.

We need a new word Dr Wilson - are you up for it?

[bkcbuilder]

Wagons have wheels...Porsches have rims and tires.

[Lukesportsman]

Mark,

There must not be anything good on TV or your just too tired to go to the garage.

[wholberg]

I remember the term "rims" becoming popular when chrome wheels with the baby moon hubcaps were popular in the late '60's and early '70's. Back then the only choices were steel (painted) wheels, wire spoke wheels (very expensive), mags (i.e. Cragars), chrome hubcaps, and chrome wheels. The center part where the lug nuts bolted through never really looked very shiny, only the rims did, so the wheels were called "chrome rims with baby moons".

That's my $0.02

[DARISC]

If you were to call the manufacturer of your 2 or 3 piece wheels to replace a bent rim, I bet you'd be given the price of the rim component of your wheel. Pretty basic, but language is a living thing, always changing, not always in a way that eschews obfuscation.

That said, I've always considered my self a sporting type enginist who enjoys engining about on twisties in my old Porsche.

Incidentally, how much is a new power window engine these days?

[makotosun]

Though it may not be completely obvious, my linquistic education may not be of a different calibre than others in this thread (not indicating it is of more or less significance!), but I suggest the following discussion to be of significant value:

1: If we look to common usage, like the folks who sell us these things, most sell "wheels & tires" which would denote two separate items.

2: If you are driving down the road, get a flat, and continue to drive, at some point you will be "driving on the rims"..... of the wheel. Qute similarly, you do not get a "flat rim" or a "flat wheel". You get a "flat tire".

A wheel has two rims. A tire has no rims, but two beads. A wheel without rims is only a center, not a wheel. A rim without a center is certainly not a wheel, as it would not bolt up to the hub.

In any event, this discussion seems, for all intents and purposes, to lack a coherent point.

Cheers.