Snow tires or what?

I don't see any benefit, unless you could get the Corolla rims for less money. I can't imagine a dealer selling OEM parts will be cheaper than aftermarket though.

As long as the lug nut bolt pattern is the same, along with wheel offset, rim diameter and width being acceptable, you can use whatever you want. Wheels are often interchangeable for many different makes and models of vehicles. For example, the (used) wheels I bought for our previous Prius were actually from a Honda. If you buy wheels new from a store, they will be able to tell you what's compatible. It's more or less a "making sure it physically fits" situation. You by no means have to use OEM Prius wheels, or even OEM Toyota ANYTHING wheels. Your tire store will be able to sell you something that fits (and so will tirerack.com etc....).

Aftermarket wheels are not specifically made for vehicle XYZ. Rather, a wheel is made to certain specifications and ends up having a broader range of applications with which it will work. A wheel that works one vehicle may also work on 5 others (including completely different brands of vehicles). Many aftermarket alloy wheels also have two sets of (lug nut) bolt holes on them, such as 5x100mm plus 5x114mm which further broadens the applications the wheels can be used with. If you know what specs you need for a wheel, you can even buy them used off craigslist, ebay, etc.... The tricky part is making sure the seller knows what the wheels came from so you know you can verify the specs.

 

Well, there might be subtle differences: the lug nut seats, and the inside diameter of the center hole, which should be a snug fit with the hub, to properly center the rim. Aftermarket rims sometimes require spacers. FWIW, my cost for Corolla 15" steel rims was $70 Canadian, per each.

I went with the Corolla rims, Toyota lug nuts and install by dealership, due to my concerns regarding fit, and for one-stop shopping. I could have picked up the rims and nuts and headed for Costco, but I didn't want to risk fit problems, say something like the rim touching a brake caliper.

Going my route cost maybe $10 extra per corner. And I missed out on Costco's gratis road hazard guaranty. And with the Michelin X-Ice we got there was a $70 off on set of 4 offer.

Costco takes the $70 off at the point-of-sale, plus this reduces your tax. Going through the dealership I pay the full amount, and the rebate is mail-in.

Still, I'm glad with the route I took, look on it as insurance.

 

Oh, then I shouldn't need to explain soft alloys and corrosion to you. I'm surprised you asked.

Tom

 

Alloy is softer and generally coated with a clear layer which is easily damaged.

Tom

 

Another note to those of you like me that put the winter tires on steel rims...

... if you are using different nuts (my winter rims use those conical lug nuts) then you should throw at least 5 of the nuts that came with your car down with your spare instead of storing all of them with your summer tires. Although I didn't actually look closely, I assume the spare tire would require the nuts that came on the car. Sure the conical ones would do in a pinch, but why have to deal with that when you're already having to deal with enough while you're changing a flat in the snow.

 

Whew, ok, where do I begin....

I'm surprised because I've never heard of such a claim that alloys aren't as "re-usable" as steel wheels. Yes, alloy wheels corrode. So do steel wheels (and very badly!). I will also argue that alloy wheel corrosion cleans up easier and with just a hand brush, or in some cases with a wire brush drill attachment. The corrosion (as it relates to the wheel's capability to hold air) is typically just "white powdery stuff" and cleans off nicely with a hand brush. Rusty steel, on the other hand, does not simply clean off with a brush most of the time. Steel wheels rust just like any other part of the car and often have deep pitting at the sealing surface. The constant forces "at be" on a tire end up wearing the paint off around a steel wheel's sealing surface, and it ends up being bare metal (e.g. more prone to rusting). And for reasons explained later, steel wheels are all but guaranteed to be scratched down to bare metal along the lip of the wheel if a certain common type of tire machine is used. That, and clamp-on wheel weights are a big cause for corrosion (on all types of wheels) and scratching off of coatings/paint. In many cases, grinding, sanding, wire brushing, followed by an application of "bead sealer" (black goo) is required on rusted steel wheels in order to hope for a good seal. I have yet to take a grinder to an alloy wheel to clean the bead sealing surface. But I knew if I ever had to, it would be easier to grind and smooth--because aluminum is softer metal. Aluminum can certainly pit, but I rarely see "bad" alloy wheels. It's the steel ones, especially in our heavily salted Minnesota roads, that look the worst and have the best chance of being junked. I've put bead sealer on alloy wheels too, but it's more due to sealing issues that can happen in the winter time during particularly cold weather (as in well below 0F).

If you understood how the most common "rim clamp" tire machine found in just about every shop in the world works, you would therefore know that there is very little contact of the machine to the tire/wheel. In fact, used PROPERLY and per manufacturer instructions, the "head" of the swing arm never even touches the wheel, therefore no scratching can possibly occur. It only touches the tire. And even if it COULD touch the wheel, the head's have plastic guides and roller wheels for extra protection just in case the head isn't adjusted right. And if you are removing tires and intend to keep them, you lube the machine's "head" and the tire bead up with the bead lube BEFORE pulling the tires off the wheels. In fact, I lube the beads before I even break the beads. They break loose easier. The only time a tire or wheel can be damaged is if the person operating the equipment is not following directions, the machine isn't adjusted right, or it's been neglected and the plastic guides etc... are broken or missing. This perhaps sounds complicated, but installing/dismounting a tire is super easy. Taught my wife how to do it on the first try.

I just installed very fancy wheels on a vehicle of mine, and the beads are "decorated" enough that I can't put wheel weights on them. I'd of died had I scratched or damaged these wheels, but with the proper machine, it was ZERO concern. That, and many "fancy" wheels these days come with their own plastic protective lip to be used during tire mounting/dismounting.

The other common type of tire machine, the "center post" (such as a coats 40-40) DOES touch the wheel. In fact, its tire iron (the bar) is supposed to grind against the outside lip of the wheel as the post spins the bar around pulling the tire off--and it WILL damage the coating (meaning the paint) on the wheel. BUT! These types of tire machines are only meant for basic steel wheels. Alloy wheels should never be used on this type of machine. Damage WILL happen. But the damage will typically be limited to a case of faux curb rash.

There are other types of tire machines, but they have their individual purposes or specialties. You will often see several types of machines in one shop. But the good "universal" machine is the rim clamp, and that's what I have. It does just about everything I need it to, and zero damage to anything.

Not all alloy wheels are clear coated/power coated. Many are bare aluminum and polished to a mirror shine (which paint doesn't stick to very well), many are painted silver, black, or some other color, or some combination there-of between being partially polished and partially painted/coated. I have 6 sets of alloy wheels right now (between our vehicles)--only one of them have a clear coat. Two sets of wheels are bare fully polished (my favorite), one set polished lip painted silver center, one set black powder coat, one set silver/black powder coat, and one set painted silver with clear powder coat (the OEM Toyota wheels). I actually stay away from wheels with a clear coat. It's more trouble than it's worth becuase once it starts flaking/peeling/yellowing, there's nothing you can do but strip it and start over. But paint scrapes or flakes off just the same, be it steel or alloy. And steel wheels can have a clear coat too. Regardless, whether a wheel is clear coated, painted, polished, or what have you, the wheel should never be touched by the machine anyway (unless it was a center clamp tire machine as mentioned before). There is no black vs.white situation with wheels anymore, no pun intended.

The chances of damaging the tire itself and ripping a chunk out of the bead are far greater than the risk of damaging a wheel, both for mounting and dismounting. And if the wheel IS damaged, it's going to be cosmetic "curb rash" damage by scratching the outside of the lip which has nothing to do with sealing capabilities. Sealing is the job of the inside of the lip. It would take a HECK of a lot of force to damage a lip so badly that the wheel's lip is dented/cracked or otherwise damaged on the inside sealing surface.

A bead breaker "jaw" only scrapes passed the bead mounting surface, but the bead breaker's force is actually on the tire, not the wheel. The breaker doesn't even come in contact with the sealing surface of the wheel. In the example of my own tire machine--it physically CAN'T. At best, I could again scratch the outside lip and turning my "pretty" wheel "ugly" but still leaving it perfectly usable. If I was WAY off with the bead breaker, I could scratch the outside of the wheel closer to the lug nut holes. I have yet to see a tire bead "fail" from someone trying to mount/dismount a tire, and this includes the powerful "bead breaker" on the side of a tire machine. One, there's very little contact with the wheel, and two, if you are going to damage anything, it's going to be the tire by not getting the breaker close enough to the bead. The tire bead is about the strongest part of the tire there is. It's solid wrappings of wire, and I've had to sawzall many beads off (think of a completely blown flat tire with the tread literally missing).

Some tires are so forgiving that they can actually be installed without a tire machine, or just by having the machine hold the wheel in place. With some tires, it's easy enough just to spin it right on by hand (tall flexible side walls are an example). Low profile "performance" tires with short sidewalls are not as forgiving and need the machine to do the work.

I can think of some undesirable traits of alloy wheels, but they have nothing to do with "reuse-ability." Higher cost of alloys would be one thing.

Could a tire installer damage your tire/wheel? Yes, but not because it's steel vs. alloy. Hence, that's why I recommended that a person should get a second set of wheels for the snow tires. Not because it's alloy vs. steel, but because there's the risk the goober at the tire shop might screw it up and not follow procedures. If you don't make it perfectly clear to the installer removing your old tires--that you intended to keep and reuse those tires--they will probably NOT use bead lube for removal an possibly damage the tire. And this also means that the guy at the counter actually relayed this tidbit of information to the other guy in the back doing the actual work!

Alloys are now the most common wheel in the world on new vehicles and have been for many years. They are the most common after market wheel and are most commonly used at the track due to weight savings (where tires DO wear out fast and need to be changed more often). All this despite aluminum being more expensive than steel. Alloy wheels are also more "true" than the typical stamped steel wheel and typically balance better, albeit they are coming along better in terms of quality and looks of today's steel wheels.

I'm really don't follow your logic on steel vs. alloy, particularly what "softness" has to do with it or why you feel alloys are not "as frequently re-usuable." None of the comments thus far actually explain why alloys aren't designed for "frequent" mounting/dismounting. Saying aluminum is "softer" than steel doesn't actually explain any consequences. The only comment that may have relevance is that the person taking your tires on/off could damage the wheel, and if they damage it, it simply means they aren't doing it right.

Feel free to counter, but I would like to hear very specific reasons why alloys are not frequently "reusable" or how softness is an issue (not just a general reference to "damage because they are soft"). Feel free to provide links to websites pointing out this information.

 

This is 100% true and valid. Toyota's alloy lug nuts are typically only meant for OEM wheels, and this includes the steel spares as found with our Prius'. Some vehicles, such as SUV's with a tire hanging off the rear gate,will actually use additional matching lug nuts to hold that tire/wheel on to the gate, but even in those cases, it's usually just 3 lug nuts (meaning not enough). Regardless of what type of aftermarket wheels a person purchases, they will likely NOT be using the (dare I say proprietary) OEM Toyota lug nuts.

 

Not to belabor the issue, but there are two main reasons that you really don't want to frequently swap tires on expensive alloy wheels:

1) As you said it, "some goober at the tire shop might screw it up." Alloy is easier to damage and more expensive to replace. It really doesn't make sense to take the risk, considering the low cost of a set of steel winter rims. In my opinion, this is the main reason to avoid frequent tire changes on good wheels.

2) The materials used in most alloy rims are subject to a form of crevice corrosion. It starts in tiny scrapes and cracks, and ends up creating microscopic pits that lead to porous rims and air loss. Every time you break the bead, you open up this area and increase the likelihood that corrosion will begin.

Note that this form of corrosion differs from surface rusting found with steel. Steel surface rust stops once you remove oxygen, as you do when you replace the tire bead. Crevice corrosion continues even after the bead has been reseated.

Obviously, as you point out, if the wheel is never damaged or subjected to corrosive chemicals, there is no problem. As you also point out, that's not likely to happen in the real world with commercial tire shops and road salt.

Steel winter wheels are easy to fix if they do rust, and cheap to replace if you really do trash them. Those are the reasons most people mount snow tires on steel.

Now if we want to move on to a really fun corrosion discussion, let's talk about stainless steel and why it rusts in low oxygen environments.

Tom

 

As I'm sure you know, the goobers are out there. I worked with some. I could be one. That being said, I see it being the same risk as anything else--risking a door ding at the parking lot at the store, the plumper fixing a toilet, or that 16 year old rear-ending you because they don't know how to drive in snow. As long as you are comfortable with the place you have service done, risk of damage to the wheels shouldn't be an issue. That being said, I own my own machine because I trust myself.... I am picky about who gets to touch my vehicles.

While I would agree corrosion of steel vs. aluminum is different, I would still say the result is still the same--a rough surface. Even with a tire mounted and inflated, air is still going to get to the bead sealing surface on any type of rim. It may not be enough to cause tire pressure to drop rapidly assuming the bead is nice and clean, but it still oxidizes and gets more and more rough as time goes on. The tire is obviously made of rubber, and is constantly flexing and changing shape, so air molecules (water, salt, etc...) still get in there in small quantities (or escape from the tire). That, and the standard clip-on wheel weights most certainly cause a nice air gap as is evident by the corrosion always found around them. That, and the clip itself gouges the wheel's sealing surface as it's hammered on (regardless of wheel composition). Clip on wheel weights in general are a significant cause of (slow) air leaks, even on perfectly clean beads. A wheel weight can cause a leak as soon as it's installed, while the tire/wheel is still on the tire machine, resulting in a need to whack the tire with a mallet to get it to move a little and seal again. The less stubborn ones will just seal themselves after a minute. When a flat tire was brought in to be checked for leaks, not only could it have been a hole in the tire, but a leaky valve stem core or seal to the rim, the bead, the wheel weight, or the wheel itself could be defective from bad welds, cracks, or pitting (regardless of composition).

There are plenty of pluses and minuses to alloy wheels and steel wheels, and we haven't discussed anywhere near all of them. But I will gladly use a set of alloys in the winter. As an extra precaution, I sometimes use bead sealer (even on new wheels), but I haven't used it for a while. One of my other vehicles is 25 years old with alloy wheels I bought 19 years ago which have seen plenty of road salt, and they are holding up just fine. I have been known to spray penetrating oil on the "pretty" side of the wheels (steel and alloy) periodically through out the winter, but it seems to be more hassle than it's worth.

One thing we haven't really discussed is the quality of wheels and manufacturer defects. The web is FULL of corrosion information on wheels due to manufacturer defects e.g. inferior metals used, etc.... But it's not just limited to wheels. You mentioned stainless steel, and I'm sure you are also aware how the fancy but cheap "stainless steel" BBQ grills at the local home center end rusting out after a few years, but the higher quality grills such as Weber do not. That is more of a quality/manufacturing issue, rather than steel vs. alloy.

We have some of the highest road salt usage in in the country thanks to our "big hill." If I were the least bit paranoid about it, I would simply ask a shop working on my vehicle to apply bead sealer. It's normally free. I do not necessarily like the look of steel wheels, and they tend to rust quickly here (rust on the "pretty side of the wheel is enough to bother me), and the extra cost of hub caps often defeats the savings of steel over alloy. You can spend just as much on a set of hub caps as on the wheels themselves, and now you've added something that can crack, fall off, or be stolen with a quick yank. I'm not saying I don't like steel wheels/hub caps. I'm just giving a different view on it. I've owned plenty of steel wheel/winter tire/hub cap combos.

The bottom line is that I respect your take on this (and I own my own tire machine becuase I trust myself more), though I personally see no reason to avoid alloy wheels for winter use. I simply buy what I get a good deal on and that I like the looks of.

 

Here is what tirerack.com has to say about steel vs. alloy. If you were to try and look up one of the "winter tire package" deals they offer, you will eventually find a link to this if you choose to create your own winter tire/wheel package:

When creating a Winter Tire & Wheel Package you can choose either an aftermarket alloy wheel or a steel wheel for your vehicle.
Use the descriptions below to help determine the best choice for you.
Alloy Wheels

• Enhance the look of your vehicle
• Are manufactured to precise standards to meet exact fitment and performance needs
• Weigh less than steel wheels and have superior strength
• May be the preferred option for your vehicle based on fitment requirements
• Will allow for better brake clearance (depending on wheel style and brake components installed)
• Require proper maintenance as finish damage may result in the harshest winter climates where salt and sand are routinely used

Steel Wheels

• Meet the basic needs of drivers who want the convenience of a winter tire package without the additional cost of an alloy wheel
• Typically available in black or silver finish depending on the application
• Basic styling can often be updated with wheel covers
• Cost less than alloy wheels due to ease of manufacturing and lower material costs

The last bullet item for alloy wheels does indeed mention "finish" damage, and I take that as merely being cosmetic damage to clear coat flaking/peeling. Yes, I agree, that's quite common on aluminum wheels with clear coats, which is why I try to avoid clear coats. I also feel there are additional pluses and minuses tirerack has not mentioned, but quite frankly the list could go on for ever. For example, aluminum dissipates heat better than steel, and it could be argued that aluminum wheels keep your brakes cooler. But as far as I'm concerned that's not much of an issue, either way, on a standard passenger car. Especially the Prius, which is NOT known for eating brakes.

 

Both will develop a rough surface, but there is more to it than that. Steel in this situation is subject almost entirely to surface rust. Alloy, on the other hand, develops crevice corrosion. That is the real issue. Aluminum is a very reactive element, and will oxidize before your eyes if left unprotected. Without a coating, aluminum would be useless as a structural material. Fortunately, aluminum produces its own protective coating: aluminum oxide. When exposed to oxygen, aluminum develops a thin coating of aluminum oxide, which is very hard and resistant to chemical attack. This is the black stuff you get on your hands when using an aluminum leaf rake, or when handling an aluminum canoe.

Once covered with aluminum oxide, aluminum is pretty durable. The problem comes when you disturb the oxide layer. If you rub it off, the aluminum forms a new layer, which is okay. Crevice corrosion, however, starts when the oxide layer gets a tiny nick or puncture. Osmosis draws moisture into the crack, promoting corrosion, but not enough oxygen gets in to form a protective layer. The inside of the crack turns into powder, wicking the moisture deeper into the crack. Eventually the tiny crack extends all the way through the material, even while the surface is mostly untouched. This is the true difference between ordinary surface rust and alloy crevice corrosion.

Exactly. This is a good example of why frequent remounting is hard on wheels, particularly alloy wheels. It is also why clip-on wheel weights aren't great to use on alloy wheels (and not all that wonderful for steel).

I would too. There is nothing wrong with alloy wheels. Pluses and minuses for sure, but most of us choose to run alloy wheels. However, if at all possible, I prefer keeping tires mounted, as opposed to remounting them twice a year.

Certainly. The materials and manufacturing make a huge difference. Stainless steel is an excellent example of differing alloys. We like to use 316 for marine applications, but 308 is stronger and is reasonably resistant to corrosion if you stay away from salt.

My real point about stainless steel is that it is subject to crevice corrosion, regardless of the quality of the alloy. Stainless steel works a lot like aluminum in this regard. Only the passivated coating on the stainless steel is resistant to oxidation. The chromium in stainless steel forms a protective layer of chromium oxide, which keeps oxygen from getting to the ferrous part of the alloy. Once that layer is scratched, watch out.

Likewise, if you oxygen starve stainless steel, the surface layer will break down, and residual oxygen will corrode the ferrous part of the alloy. This is why you can't bury stainless hardware inside of a boat hull: it needs oxygen to function. It is also the reason that a stainless steel sink will rust if you leave a wet rag in the bottom. The wet rag prevents oxygen from getting to the oxide layer, which then breaks down and allows crevice corrosion to start.

This also explains why you have to passivate stainless steel after welding. The ferrous material must be removed from the surface so that a protective layer of chromium oxide can form. Otherwise the surface quickly starts to form crevice corrosion, and the material will rust away from the inside out.

Isn't metallurgy fun.

Tom

 

Wheel weights (clip-on) will be an issue regardless if tires are mounted/dismounted twice a year from the same set of wheels, and weights will still be an issue if you have the second set of tires mounted on a second set of wheels The tires will still need balancing every XYZ # of miles (let's not start a debate on how often to balance). Re-mounting a tire obviously requires another re-balancing. But you also have to rebalance the tire that stayed mounted on it's own dedicated wheel. Some of the worst looking wheels that I've seen are the ones with old tires that look like they haven't been changed in ages. Perhaps it could come down to how many miles a person expects to drive each season between tire changes on which approach is best for them, but at least for me that would be too hard to predict and would be a case-by-case basis. But I can easily see myself or someone else driving 6,000 miles throughout the winter on a set of snow tires, and by the end of the season, I will need to rebalance anyway. I could also argue that more frequent mounting/dismounting provides additional opportunities to inspect and clean the beads and move the clip-on weights to new positions so the corrosion doesn't build up in one spot too much. I prefer stick-on weights, but wheels are not always clean enough to use them, or have a good spot to put them, (and try putting them on frozen wet salty wheels) and the location(s) the weights go in can result in a lesser quality balance. Regardless, on a small wheel like a Prius, I'm not as concerned because they aren't heavy enough to be difficult to balance. I used stick-on weights on my "fancy" summer wheels/tires and used clip-on's for the winter set (they're already flaking the clear coat and I don't care).

Luckily I boat in fresh water, so I don't have to worry about the issues of salt (water) there too. I also keep up on anode replacement on the outdrive. High quality stainless parts are a must in marine applications.

 

Here is another bit of metallurgy trivia: sacrificial anodes were traditionally made of zinc, but in fresh water zinc quickly forms an insulating layer of zinc hydroxide and stops working. Magnesium doesn't have this problem, but being more active it over-reacts in salt water and can damage aluminum parts that are often found in outdrives. Because of this, most outdrives are now protected with aluminum alloy "zincs".

Tom

 

I'm thinking, and it seems to be corraborated in the Owners Manual: The stock lug nuts, the ones that are used with alloy rims, have two seating zones. There's the flat, captured washer zone that's used with alloy rims, and a conical zone further down the shaft. The latter is likely what makes contact with the compact spare, or any steel rim.

In short, the stock nuts for alloy rims will work for alloys, steel spare, or steel rims used with snow tires. They will look kind of funny on steel rims though. The simpler conical-only open-ended nuts will only work with the spare or steel rims.

 

Here I typically use the Magnesium for reasons stated. They are best for (clean) fresh water, regardless if shore power is used or not. Though at least with my current boat, I don't leave it in a marina and don't have to worry about stray currents etc....

 

I get great traction with Sears WeatherHandlers. They also happen to be Fuel Max.

 

Sounds like a good choice! Make sure to come back after you've put a few miles on the tires and report how they are doing (and if you still own your Prius!). I have not used that tire before, but people are always looking for tire reviews.