Abstract: A vehicle wheel formed of a heat treatable aluminum alloy and including an axially center area and opposite axially end areas is subjected to a solution heat treatment and then is cooled in a controlled manner to improve the dynamic strength of the wheel. Specifically, cooling is achieved by cooling the center area faster than the end areas. More particularly, a cooling medium first is sprayed on the center area and then is sprayed on the end areas.

Abstract: The desired finished size of the rim of an aluminum wheel which has undergone a solution heat treatment is calibrated by positioning the wheel, at a first temperature substantially equal to the temperature of the wheel after removal thereof from the solution heat treatment, in a die. The die is heated to a second temperature lower than the first temperature. The wheel is cooled to a third temperature lower than the second temperature, such that the rim is caused to shrink tightly over the die to the desired finished size. The cooling is interrupted such that the rim is heated by heat from the die and thereby is expanded by an amount sufficient to enable the rim to be removed easily from the die.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy wheel rim is formed to a desired finished size by pressing a sheet of aluminum alloy material to form a wheel rim having a diameter less than, but not smaller than 98.7% of, the desired finished size. The wheel rim then is subjected to a solution heat treatment operation and thereby is expanded to a diameter of a size greater than the desired finished size. The wheel rim then is positioned, while substantially at the temperature thereof when removed from the solution heat treatment, in a calibration tool in the form of two dies on a common arbor, with the dies being located to define the desired finished size. The wheel rim then is cooled to cause the rim to shrink tightly onto the dies to the desired finished size without the necessity of applying pressure to the rim.