i have a 1968 mustang with magnesium alloy wheels is it true they are flammable or is that a myth
Are you sure they are Magnesium? MostMag" wheels are an aluminum alloy. Assuming that they are real mag wheels they will spark when when you scrape the wall at the race track, but that is the least of your problems at that point.
These are probably a magnesium aluminum alloy. It will burn only if ground into fine fragments or dust. They really did make mag wheels in the 60's for race cars. I have never heard of any fires. Old Ford Racer
magnesium alloy will burn until it has no more to burn.I.E. it has to have the 3 sources for a fire.... heat,oxygen, and a combustible material. mag alloy has all three as when it is manufactured is has trapped oxygen in the make up, magnesium is combustible even if not in a powder source, and last heat if enough heat is built up it can burn, once it starts it is extremely difficult to extinguish. depending on the amount of time it has burned it may be impossible to extinguish even with chemicals. here is the most important thing to remember. a mag alloy on fire creates an enormous amount of heat and using water may cause the alloy explode. do not use any source that is cold to it, death will occur.
What? they look a bit odd?! The most common wheels are cast aluminium. Technically, an alloy is a mixture of two or more metals. These wheels are known for their light weight and strength.In general, alloy wheels are lighter, more attractive, and better at dissipating brake heat that their steel counterparts. Fitting alloy wheels normally reduces your car's unsprung weight - this means a reduction in rotating mass at the ends of the suspension components, giving you improved steering feel and greater braking response. The matter is not only in the looks as most people say but also in the car's performance. That is the reason why all sports and tuned cars have them and yes they are SPECIAL - don't be a blockhead saying that car amateurs (me included) make a fuss over alloy wheels. sorry but that was a bit stupid to say.
The wheels of your car are an alloy, and thus the magnesium is not pure enough to present a significant hazard. Also, pure magnesium is only flammable when it has a very high surface area to mass ratio.(hence the reason that magnesium is only ignited in labs as a powder of ribbon). Since your wheels have a relatively low concentration of magnesium, as well as a low surface area given the amount of magnesium present, it is unlikely that the wheels would ignite, even if the car exploded. Oh, and lit pure magnesium is very temperamental, and so even if you were to grind up your wheels and remove all the other metals, the lit powder would not burn so vigorously that you couldn't easily put it out. Magnesium won't go out in water in only the most ideal conditions.
