Performance Wheels
Ford Performance uses the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standards: SAE J175 and J328 for impact and fatigue testing and ASTM B368 for chrome testing. These standards define a series of tests that ensure the safety and finish of a wheel.
THESE TESTS ARE THE MINIMUM STANDARD USED TO DEFINE THE ENDURANCE OF FORD PERFORMANCE WHEELS:
Impact Testing
This test simulates a curb impact on the side of a tire/wheel assembly. During testing, a tire/wheel assembly is mounted at a 13-degree angle to a test fixture by the hub. A weight is dropped from 9 inches onto the assembly at the tire/wheel intersection. The mass of the weight is determined by a formula, using the vehicle weight.
Dynamic Cornering Fatigue Testing
This test simulates lateral loads applied to a wheel by the vehicle. During testing, a wheel is clamped to a fixture by the front face and a constant bending moment is applied through the hub. A wheel of new design will run a minimum of 1,000,000 cycles before approved. The load applied is determined by a formula, using the vehicle weight.
Dynamic Radial Fatigue Testing
This test simulates axial loads applied to a wheel by the vehicle. During testing, a tire/wheel assembly is mounted to an axle by the hub. A large drum drives the assembly while a load is applied perpendicular to the tire patch. A wheel of new design will run a minimum of 5,000,000 cycles. The load applied is determined by a formula, using the vehicle weight.
Chrome Quality Testing
Copper-accelerated acetic acid-salt spray, commonly known as CASS testing, is the standard method used to test the corrosive performance of copper/nickel/chromium-plated wheels. The test is performed in a sealed chamber with a highly acetic spray directed onto the wheel for a predetermined amount of time, usually 66 hours.
