Any cons with steel rims for a daily driver?

[TLGG]

Looking at some cheap pro comp 51s for my 4Runner...any reason to not go with a cheap steel wheel?

 

[gamefreakgc]

Not really. Unless you don't like how they look, that would be a con.

 

[T4R2014]

Weight... couple them with some heavy ass LT rated tires and your 4Runner turns into a 4walker.

 

[Rcastle]

I run steels daily. No cons that i have found, unless you bend one.

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[TLGG]

Weight... couple them with some heavy ass LT rated tires and your 4Runner turns into a 4walker.

I currently have 33x12.50x18 tires on my 4Runner. I want to go back to a stock 265/70/16 passenger tire because I travel a good distance to work.

Being that I am most concerned with comfort and better acceleration for highway travel, would you suggest a lighter wheel? Or will the weight of the wheels not be noticeable considering what I am used to?

 

[T4R2014]

I currently have 33x12.50x18 tires on my 4Runner.

I am going back down to a stock 265/70/16 passenger tire because I travel a good distance to work. Would you suggest a lighter wheel if I am trying to get away from a bumpy, sluggish ride? I want comfort and better acceleration for highway travel.

Or will the weight of the wheels not be noticeable considering what I am used to?

Stock wheels are fine. There are obviously lighter options. With that said, you should notice a difference. Hell, I noticed a difference from 265/70 to 265/75. Needless to say I'm back with 265/70s and I think they look better in terms of proportions at stock height as well.


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[BrandonF]

Cons: They are heavy

Pros: More durable and won't end up like this as easily:

 

[GhostRing]

I run steels daily. No cons that i have found, unless you bend one.

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I always assumed this was a pro?
Harder to bash an alloy wheel back into usable enough shape to get you home.

 

[UnderFire]

Weight difference between an aftermarket steel wheel and a factory alloy is probably like 5 lbs. Not enough of a difference to affect much at all. The problem you may run into is clearance on the caliper, a lot of steel wheels have too flat of a face that'll hit the front of our calipers.

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[reelamin]

I currently have 33x12.50x18 tires on my 4Runner. I want to go back to a stock 265/70/16 passenger tire because I travel a good distance to work.

Being that I am most concerned with comfort and better acceleration for highway travel, would you suggest a lighter wheel? Or will the weight of the wheels not be noticeable considering what I am used to?

I run P series highway tread 265/75/16 on aluminum during the summer months and the same size KO2's in winter in steel. I get the EXACT SAME mpg and distance per tank regardless of tire.....20mpg highway and 15 around town and back roads! I don't live in flat country at all and don't use ECT... 96 with 255k

 

[pluton]

The weight difference between the stock alloy and the steel spare that came on my '97, at the time I weighed them with identical tires, was eight pounds.

 

[Bigmd]

I had them with Treadwright tires . The combo was super heavy. The treadwrights are heavy by themselves. I wound up taking them off because the truck was a dog. Great in snow though. I went back to factory rims and had them powder coated.

 

[SupaSupra]

I run 15" steel American Racing wheels with 33x12.50 M/Ts. If you don't mind losing MPG there's no real con.

The problem you may run into is clearance on the caliper, a lot of steel wheels have too flat of a face that'll hit the front of our calipers.

I have this issue with mine, but I've got a small slip on hub centric spacer to clear the caliper.

 

[T4R2014]

I had them with Treadwright tires . The combo was super heavy. The treadwrights are heavy by themselves. I wound up taking them off because the truck was a dog. Great in snow though. I went back to factory rims and had them powder coated.

This. It affects acceleration and braking. Also, no way I'm running a steel wheel that was bent and then crudely reshaped with a hammer. Sounds like a balancing problem made worse once you, again, couple them to some heavy ass off road tires.


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[BrandonF]

Lot of good points here. Just like running heavy tires, it really comes down to a compromise between weight and durability. And its important to keep in mind that tire and wheel weight is unsprung rotational weight, which will have the biggest negative effect on acceleration, braking, handling and gas mileage.

 

[Sean K.]

This. It affects acceleration and braking. Also, no way I'm running a steel wheel that was bent and then crudely reshaped with a hammer. Sounds like a balancing problem made worse once you, again, couple them to some heavy ass off road tires.


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I did it with 38x12.5s....no issues. It's usually just the inner lip (provided we're talking beadlocked steelies) that gets bent and can be reshaped with a simple hammer or a punch/hammer. Can't do that with cast aluminum. Seen enough break to know that I'd rather run steel for the trail.