or is it just me?

 

yeah, the rim is part of the wheel, the outer edge, but the same people who say NOS but don't know what it is are using "rim".

 

exactly lol :P "i wan getz 24 inch rimz and some naawwzzz for my civic yo" ok im done haha

 

I say rim. Oh well.

 

It used to.I just accept the term with a shrug.I guess its "slang".Terminology is important and expected to be correct on this site. I see people correct others with that all the time.

 

In my book of knowledge, a wheel consists of a rim and tire. I see nothing wrong with this terminology.

 

That's what I recall too. Though technically the "rim" is the outer portion where the tire mounts. Since most rims are one piece with the hub, it's not a separate piece. I don't think it makes a difference.

 

I don't know which term I dislike the Most....RIM or POSI. Both are used by know nothing people in my opinion.

 

Sorry about changing the main subject but thought I may be corrected in a term I use .
I use the term Posi. because that's what I have. =(The Eaton Posi) From my understanding,(and correct me if I am wrong)Posi. is related to a "type"of differential/carrier. Some people use the term to describe all types , but here's what Eaton has to say about my unit , directly calling it a Posi.

Posi LSD Differentials = The Eaton Posi LSD prevents wheel slip before it can get started. To do that, carbon disc clutch packs, preloaded by a central spring assembly, are located behind each differential side gear. When torque input increases the clamping load on the clutch packs increases. That causes the chatter-free clutch packs to grab and transfer power to the other wheel.


Muscle cars, hot rods and mild off-road vehicles should look to Eaton's limited-slip differential for their traction answers. And the fact is, Eaton's Posi units are virtually bullet proof.

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I call them rims...

In regards to Posis, I always called them limited-slip differentials but I had enough people look at me dumbly and say "yeah, but my malibu has a posi yo" that I call the stock limited-slip a posi. Which is correct I believe.

 

I consider it a wheel and a tire. However, I also consider a "rim" to be an oversized or aftermarket replacement wheel. As used in this sentance: "I need to buy new rims for my car, it will make it look better than stock."

 

I've heard posi used by SO many people who work drivetrain parts for a living as a generic term for limited slip carrier that I really don't see it as an issue. And I cant stand the southern habit of calling cola's "Coke" regardless of their company of origin.

I call it a posi, just because calling it a LSD seems to imply it's different (in a bad way) than a posi, when a posi is just an LSD to begin with. Eaton has a particular type of LSD and "positrac" was their marketing jargon for it but it's also my understanding that GM called more than one type of LSD a "posi".

Posi is one of those things where you hear people say "how do I upgrade my limited slip differential to a posi?"... so it's easier just to stick with what people know.

 

see i call em wheels and LSD's lol

 

WE can nitpick on the english language all day, it's not perfect and everyone has their own opinion.
Point is, these words are used for communicating. Remember, communicating. Therefore everyone that uses them can convey what they are talking about and 9/10 we, the people who know better, will know what they are talking about so I see no issue with any of these terms.

 

I agree, I'm old school and the word rim describes the shinny piece inside the rubber. Ok here it is.......theres a TIRE (Black rubber thing) RIM (center shinny thing) WHEEL (is the whole tire and rim).

 

I think Handy best sums it up. The rim is what the tire goes on to. When two or more parts connect together that is called an assembly which in this case is called a wheel.

When some one says they 'drove the wheels off the thing' they mean the whole assembly, the wheels not just the rims. How can you drive the rims off and leave the tires on? I've seen guys smoke the tires off but not the rims.

BTW can we leave hubcaps out of this discussion?

 

OK, a wheel can be broken into separate pieces. Example = Making measurements,such as lying the wheel on its side and measuring how wide the “wheel” is. You do not lay the tape on outside edge of the “rim” to measure. You drop the tape down inside of the well against the inside edge of the “rim”measuring the true width of the “wheel”. The same gos when measuring diameter of the “wheel”. The “rim”is part of the wheel but considered separate when making measurements. Although they are connected together , there is one and then there is the other, to separate pieces .Terminology allows us two differentiate between the two.
That goes for the tire also. Three totally different pieces

 

are you kidding me? we all have way too much time on our hands, FTR I say wheel unless im talking about a bare rim with no tire.the fact that i even amswered this post makes me want the last 3 minutes of my life back LOL..

 

I find it fun as some others to find a thread that turns into a debate. Even ones that some may find silly. I have found threads on here that were whey out in space but took of like a shot and they were fun . Any way I like to learn as I work on any part of my car. Its my first real fixer upper and allot of the silly information like this has helped me learn just about everything I know about working on my car .Including using terminology.

 

A cola is a certain type of soft drink - so you have that wrong stop hatin'

Posi is a correct term. Short for posi-trac

The wheels on the bus go round and round... And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

 

All cokes are coke. :/

 

So many people are using these terms, that they almost don't understand when you use the correct term.
As far as wheels vs. rims, I tend to view a wheel as a tire mounted on a rim. I always say, "I have to pull the wheel off my car." Also, I usually use the term, rim, as in, "I have to take that tire off the rim."

I usually refer to my rear axle as a "limited slip," but those who use the term "posi" aren't that far off. Posi is just a shorthand way of saying "Positraction," which is the trade name GM used for the limited slip differentials put in Chevrolet and GMC trucks beginning in 1973.

And for those of you who just can't stand it when people use the wrong term, I hope you aren't going around putting band-aids on your kids scraped elbows and knees!

 

I agree here, I myself know that a rim is technically a part of a wheel, that NOS is a brand of nitrous oxide, and that posi/posi-traction is just a marketing name for limited slip differential, however as the guy I'm quoting said, at least half the population doesn't know these things, its kind of like the word kleenex, even though they are tissues, or tissue paper, kleenex is also a recognized term despite being a brand, point being, sometimes when a brand is prolific enough its name can become synonymous with the product it is selling.

 

You have now made me self-conscience about what to call these now I just say the round things that hold the tires