Selecting Off Road Rims That Meet Your Needs And Budget
Posted on: 15 December 2017
The stress that off-road travel can place on your truck or SUV can change with the type of driving you are doing and the vehicle type. Trucks built for specific conditions will often have many specialized parts but one of the most overlooked is the rims that are on the truck. If you are going to build an off-road vehicle, you have to consider the entire vehicle and what will work best for you,
Selecting the Right Material
Off-Road wheels or rims are made of several different materials. Some look really nice but may not be strong enough to get the job done for you. When you start looking at wheels, you need to know what they are going to have to stand up to. If your truck is going to be used for rock crawling, you want to consider a rim or wheel that is strong enough to stand up to scraping along the rocks without damage. Steel rims are great for this but not as stylish as some other materials. Aluminum wheels are lighter but not as strong as the steel ones. If you are not sure what you need, talk to a dealer at an off-road shop to get some help.
Get The Right Size
Rims are available in many sizes that take into account the diameter of the rim, the width of the rim, and the offset of the rim. Selecting on that is right for your needs is important. It can be a little tricky but the first two are pretty straightforward. The rim diameter needs to match the tire so if you are running 15-inch tires, you need a 15-inch rim. The width is determined by the tire width but it is not as clear-cut as the size. If you are using a wider than stock time, talk to a tire dealer or off-road dealer about what rim width options you might need. The offset or backspace of the rim determines the centerline of the tire. If the tires are extremely wide, you may need to move the tire out away from the suspension or frame and the right backspacing of the rim is the correct way to do it. If you need help finding the proper backspace or offset for your truck, visit a wheel and tire dealer or a 4 wheel drive shop for help.
Looking Good
There is nothing wrong with rims that look as good as they perform. You may have fewer choices in appearance for your application if you really need the strength but even a paint steel rim can be made to look good with some paint or pin striping work. Take the time to shop around until you find the size, type, and style you want for your truck then maintain them well and they will last a long time.
Contact a tire shop, like Tire & Wheel Source Inc., for more help.
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