[Alex Csank]

First of all, let's talk about a few basic facts regarding Alfas and wheel sizes.

Wheels are usually measured by:

Bolt pattern - (4 holes or 5 holes?), and hole spacing (4 X 108mm, for example)

Offset - a measurement which determines how far towards the outer edge of the wheel the wheel's mounting surface sits

Diameter - on post-war mass-production Alfas, stock sizing is usually either 14 or 15 inch diameter. Many aftermarket wheels are larger (up to 26" are currently available), but most aftermarket Alfa wheels are kept between 14 and 17 inches. We'll discuss why later.

Rim width - the width of the wheel will determine what cross section of tire you can safely use on a given wheel.

Wheel weight - simply the weight of a rim. The higher the weight, the more unsprung weight your suspension has to deal with.

Hub size and hub-concentricity - this really only applies to some cars (like the Alfetta, GTV6 and Milano). These cars have wheels which are designed to use the wheel centers as a securing point to take some of the bump and cornering stresses. Therefore, it is important to choose an aftermarket wheel which has a hub-centric design compatible with these cars.

Material - some alloys are very strong but heavy, while others are lightweight but brittle. Racers prefer very lightweight wheels, but these may not be very durable for street use.