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Old 12-03-2008, 02:39 PM   #21 (permalink)
trebuchet03
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Bay Area
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The Miata - '01 Mazda MX-5 Miata
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Christ View Post
They're made of an aluminum alloy bonded with magnesium and other metals, hence the name "mag" rims.
Alloying Mg with Al doesn't make the material Magnesium. Standard practice is to call an alloyed metal by it's base (exception for a few things, like Steel which uses neither the base or alloy).

I got to play with an X-ray fluoroscope awhile back... I found some chromium, zinc manganese, etc. in my wheels - but I sure as hell am not going to call them zinc wheels or manwheels and especially not chrome wheels

It's either an Al alloy or an Mg Alloy. You can alloy Mg into Aluminum, but it's still Aluminum. Mg just isn't practical for typical street vehicles, aside from their comparable lack of strength, porosity (probably better now than wheels of yore), etc. - you'll know when you see one when the firetruck just sits there while they burn

All that said - with respect to this topic... I doubt $1000+ was dropped on a Mg wheel while there's a gratuitous use of hose clamps, plastic barrel, plate steel in need of protection etc. That and the rust where the paint is chipped

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