Wheels verses Rims

When did rims become wheels ?
I was taught that a vehicle wheel consisted of two parts: the rim and the tire. When the tire is mounted on the rim, together, they become a wheel.
I do understand that language evolves. This may be an example of such evolution.
Opinions ?

 

A rim is part of a wheel. The wheel is the entire wheel.

 

Does the "wheel" include the tire in today's nomenclature ?

 

Wheel (center metal part of assembly)
Tire (rubber)

Rim is just slang for wheel

Matt

 

No. The wheel is just the wheel. Tires are separate.

“Rim” has never meant an entire wheel; people often incorrectly refer to wheels as rims though. The rim is the outer edge of the wheel, that the tire is mounted on.

 

Yes and no. The rim is an actual part on a wheel. But yea, it’s slang now.

OP - Think of it as bullet vs round. A bullet is the actual projectile. A round is the entire setup - casing, bullet, powder, etc. But most people colloquially refer to rounds as bullets.

 

Wheel all have to decide what words to use going forward.

Like the word sensuous.

Honey sensuous was up, git me another beer.

 

Finally a topic that really matters

 

But you can fire a bullet...and say "fire a round"....

 

You can bend a rim and say you bent your wheel.

 

A wheel is a wheel. In days of yore the rim part of the wheel was often a separate piece. Look up 'split rims' for examples.

Two piece wheels are still made, but assembled function as one unit. Outer edge is still the rim.

You mention what you learned and language evolving. What you learned was actually the incorrect evolution, as rim became slang for wheels.

Tires have nothing to do with the wheel/rim terminology.

As another example of language devolution there's a great thread around here that explains that Tacomas have shocks, not struts. Regardless of what owners and vendors call them.

 

Sure better than people saying clip instead of magazine

 

Ban 30 bullet clips

 

And those rapid fire bullets

 

Maybe the use of the word rim instead of wheel is a New England thing. Below is text from a current post in the New England section:

"Size? Oem? Tires included or just the rims?

I have a few sets of OEM TRD Off Road Rims I can off load. I have too many sets of rims now...."

 

Rim or Rimming now has a odd or I guess new definition, so they had to deviate from that word and now its called a "wheel." Now if you ask for a rim people might look at you funny. "hey tom asked me for a rim today, what a weird guy" you just don't want to get the intent confused.

 

Just don’t go up to your mechanic when you bend your wheel and ask him how much for a rim job

 

He'll tell you it's considerably less expensive blowing a tranny.