Rims are still one of the most popular and simple ways of putting some oomph into one’s car. We usually get into our cars without ever giving a thought to the supporting role of rims or, technically correct, wheels. The merchandise mark “Made in Germany” is not just a marketing gag at AEZ Leichtmetallräder – it stands for highest quality and maximum safety. Not only do AEZ rims correspond to the legal regulations, they even exceed them. Before you select your desired rim, have a look at the information below and find out what really counts.

Decoding number/letter combinations

Each rim differs in dimension (size). Often, several different versions and combination options are available. The number/letter combination exemplified on a 17-inch rim 7.5Jx17H2 ET35 means the following:

7.5 is given in inches (1 inch = 25.4mm) and denotes the nominal width or rim width, which corresponds to the width and height, respectively of a hollow space between the rim flanges. "J" stands for the type of rim flange.

The number 17 stands for the nominal rim diameter which describes the rim’s diameter and is given in inches as well.

H2 indicates the type of hump. The hump prevents the tyre from slipping off the rim under the influence of strong lateral forces (e.g. cornering).

ET marks the offset, i.e. the distance between the mounting flange and the rim centre and is measured in millimetres.

Certificates and the like

Knowing the right dimension is not enough to buy the right rim because each rim must match the respective car technically. To this end, so-called certificates are drawn up which, needless to say, have their own abbreviations.

VTA – VTA stands for Vehicle Type Approval and guarantees that the rim is approved for the load capacity of the respective car which saves additional homologation as long as the car is in its original condition.

ECE – the ECE certification is approved in all EU countries and guarantees that the rim can be fitted and driven without additional approvals or registration as long as the identical wheel/tyre combination is already registered as standard in the car documents.

IMPORTANT

As some countries in Europe have different, country-specific regulations, we recommend you always carry the respective certifications. Simply download the relevant PDF at https://www.aez-wheels.com/EN/tuev, print it out and put it in the glove box. This way, the certification will always be at hand whenever needed.

Too much information? AEZ offers a very simple solution!

Rims and tyres are a highly complex technical topic. That’s why, AEZ has developed a super simple tool for you: the AEZ rim configurator. With just a few clicks, you can learn about all important technical details and get to see what the rim of your choice would look like on your car. For a better understanding we have compiled the most important information for you:

The green thumb

The marked area featuring the “green thumb” indicates that the selected rim is 100 percent technically verified and is a perfect match for the respective car.

Matching tyres

In the menu item “Matching tyres”, you can see, at a glance, which tyre matches the rim of your choice and which certificate exists for the same.

Fitting accessories

The menu item “Fitting accessories” provides information on whether you can use the original screws or whether you need additional ones. If required, these will be shipped together with the rim.

Matching TPMS sensors

The menu item “Matching TPMS sensors” provides information on whether the selected car requires tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) or not. You can also obtain detailed information from your specialist retailer or workshop.