Beware of counterfeit car disks can be dangerous!
The discs are not just on the car, their functional side is more important, especially the stiffness and resistance to damage. And there are big differences between manufacturers and specific discs in this area. However, counterfeits and non-homologated disks in general, which can also be found on the Czech market, pose the greatest danger. What can they do and how to recognize them?
As you could read yesterday, you can save on something in the car, but you shouldn’t save on other parts. And it is the discs that are one of those components where you should definitely not go for a cheap option – because a poor quality disc is more easily damaged, which can cause damage to the car or even a crash. Are you at risk for a few hundred saved?
They are all round but not round like a bike
As with other products, there are great differences in the quality of car disks, although they look similar and have comparable parameters. A lower quality wheel will be more easily deformed on potholes and potholes, which will result in higher tire service costs (more frequent wheel balancing or even disc straightening) and inferior driving characteristics (higher speed vibration). The problem is that you don’t know the quality of the wheel at first sight…
All of them look the same way and the dimensions are standardized, so what is not seen is decisive: the construction (how precisely it is calculated and the strength), the materials used (the “aluminum alloy” is a really broad term) and the production technology (for example, forged wheels are stronger than classic cast). Even small things can make a huge difference.
So the only chance is to trust proven brands (such as AEZ, Dezent, DOTZ, BBS, OZ etc.) from proven stores where they will be happy to advise you. On the contrary, avoid those amazingly cheap pieces with breakneck names that often come from China and are made of the same aluminum as the teaspoons that bent even the baby. You wouldn’t really want to ride something like that.
New bikes are expensive, what to buy used?
As with all things used, the biggest question mark is the real state. You can visually check for abrasions and cracks, but you can overlook some of the hairline cracks. In addition, the functional condition of the wheel is recognized only on the balancing stand, where it shows whether the wheel is throwing and will need to be leveled (if at all possible). Few buyers do a pre-sale inspection at the tire shop. So consider yourself worth the risk. In addition, this increases the risk of buying a counterfeit…
The greatest danger is counterfeit
If cheap wheels are poor, counterfeits and discs without homologation can be downright dangerous. “The non-certified bicycles have not passed the appropriate tests and therefore we do not know anything about their strength, load capacity, etc.,” explains Ing. Jiří Polívka, an expert from Alcar. And he goes on to warn: “With these wheels, a motorist will not pass the MOT on the car, and of course there is a risk that the insurance company may cut or refuse insurance benefits in the event of an accident due to the use of unapproved wheels on the vehicle.”
The risk of a crash due to disk failure is high enough. Though cheap wheels are deformed, the non-homologated ones burst. Their production is not governed by any standards, the material is ripped off and no one is bothered by testing, so their durability is usually terrible. The rim pieces break off, the entire rims break, even the rims rip off. Imagine something like this happening on a high speed highway – it’s a driver’s nightmare.
However, distortions and destruction also occur at low speeds, as the test by the Australian car dealer Mercedes-Benz proved. Just go through the pothole in 50 km / h and the fake starts to crumble. With a higher speed, the degree of destruction grows rapidly.
It can’t happen to me …
Only a fool would get a fake, you think. But often you do not know them at first glance, especially when you buy remotely via e-shop. So the risk is not just when buying from abroad via eBay or AliExpress. Counterfeit discs – imitations of other companies’ products or lack approval for the European market are real danger for you.
So how do we know counterfeits?
Honestly, it is very difficult to detect a fake or a non-homologated disc at first sight (just look at the gallery above where the bikes are currently being confiscated). Knocking you in the eye can be familiar design on a disc of unknown brand – all manufacturers protect their design and use another brand of fake. Unfortunately, other cognitive features are harder to recognize. Therefore, we asked Ing. Alcar Poles: “The KBA or E ring mark must be stamped or cast on the front of the drive, always with an approval number. The authenticity of the wheel designation should be documented by the manufacturer or importer of these wheels. If the bike is of a different size than that specified in the vehicle registration document, it is always necessary to ask the dealer for a type sheet on the basis of which the new dimension can be entered in the TP. “
It is therefore advisable to check the seller (for example, on the e-shop’s internet rating) before you sell it, or ask him to prove the approval of the wheels sold. After the purchase, check the markings on the wheels immediately – everything must be clearly legible and correctly labeled, any confusion or inaccuracy will be a problem during the first visit to the MOT or during the first hole in the asphalt.
