Steel Wheels
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markaidan
New member
I love the steelies! I'm running the Pro Comp Xtreme Series 52 (through Summit Racing) and I couldn't be happier with the price and quality. Mine are 16x8 with 0 offset and 4.5" backspacing - and those specs work really well for after market rims on the 4th gen.
Edit: I had a whole host of issues to accommodate a 16" rim, but other than those modifications - the steel rims don't pose any other issues to speak of. I've had them off-roading numerous time and they are rock solid!
They're actually gloss black, but the mud has them a cool shade of bronze.
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markaidan
New member
Glad I could change your cousins' mind! LOL! For the cost and durability, you can't go wrong with the steelies. If you get the proper offset and backspacing, and you'll be just fine - just ask a ton of questions before you make the purchase.
I'm actually getting ready to buy another set of the Series 52 so I can have them power-coated in a deep bronze color. I loved the look of rims so much when they were covered in the mud and clay that day, I decide that's the color I'm going to run next. Plus, I'm hooked on these Pro Comps rims!
oljedi11950
New member
Cheaper route is the fj steelies lots of guys running those ! Check out member CXS , they look good too
Correct me if I am wrong but I believe steel wheel are significantly heavier then aluminum wheels and that added weight will negatively effect gas mileage (especially if you mount heavy off-road tires on them to boot)?
I know some people don't give a rats ass about gas mileage but I thought that might be something worth mentioning for those that do.
markaidan
New member
I'm sure they are heavier than their aluminum counterparts, but I have no idea if it's significant or not - I never weighed any of my 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation factory, aluminum rims. I just check Summit's website and I don't even see a weight for the Xtreme Rock Crawlers I'm currently running? Like you said, I could care less about the weight or the MPG.
But, yes, with the extra weight of the rim and my 33" MT tires, I noticed a difference in MPG over-night. I dropped from 19MPG to 14MPG instantly! I gained roughly 3 MPG back with the carbon filter delete mod - but I'm still in the mid-16's right now. Not bad for my driving habits and the tires.
I was curious so I looked it up...
Black Rock Type D Series 942
Material = Steel
Size = 17x8
Bolt pattern 6x5.5
Offset = 0
BS = 4 1/2
Shipping weight = 38lbs
Load Rating = 2000lbs
vs.
Black Rock Type D Series 909B
Material = Aluminum
Size = 17x8
Bolt pattern 6x5.5
Offset = 0
BS = 4 1/2
Shipping weight = 23lbs
Load Rating = 2200lbs
The steel wheels weigh almost twice as much and surprisingly have a lower load rating?
Don't get me wrong, for a trail rig I'd go steel but for a daily driver, alloy is the way to go IMO.
Martinjmpr
New member
By your own math, the difference between the alloys is 15lbs per wheel or 60 lbs (unless you swap out the spare as well in which case it's 75lbs.
This is for a vehicle that curbs around 4300lbs (V6 - the V8 is 200lbs heavier) and has a GVWR of around 5600lbs. That means it increases your vehicle's curb weight by 1.7% and GVWR by 1.3%.
As far as the load difference, 2000lbs x 4 = 8,000lbs, which exceeds the 4runner's GVWR by more than 2,000lbs so what difference does it make that the alloy wheels can hold 200lbs more? Are you planning on hauling 3500lbs of gear in your 4runner?
So, yeah, I'd call that "insignificant."
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I don't give a rats ass about the difference in load rating. I was just surprised the alloys where rated higher so I noted it.
As for the wheel weight however, I think you're kidding yourself if you honestly believe that 60 additional pounds of unsprung weight is insignificant. I think markiadan's experience strongly indicates the contrary.
Martinjmpr
New member
"significant" for what purpose, though? MPG? Performance?
I run two sets of tires and wheels on my 4runner. In Winter I run the stock 16" alloys with stock sized tires (Cooper Discoverer M+S in 265/70/16) which have the "severe weather" snowflake thingy and which seem to do very well even in fairly deep snow (I think the heaviest snow we've had since I got the 4runner in 2012 is maybe 8" - 10".)
In Summer I run FJC 17" steelies with BFG MTs in 255/75/17 (tall but skinny tire.) As far as MPG, yes, there is a loss, between 1-2 MPG but if I was to guess I'd say it has more to do with running a heavier and more aggressively treaded tire than it does with having a (presumably) heavier wheel (I'm assuming the FJC steelies are heavier than the stock alloys, not only because they're steel but also because they're 17s vs 16s.)
I guess what I'm saying is, on a race vehicle where every ounce of weight saved can mean the difference between winning or losing, alloys make a lot of sense. But for most of us, I don't think the difference is enough to matter. Alloys are pretty much the de facto standard for all "high end" vehicles now (which definitely includes the 4runner) but to someone looking at wheels, I'd say if there's a steel wheel that you like, there's no reason not to run it. Back in the old days it used to be that steel wheels were significantly less expensive than alloys, though I don't think that's necessarily the case these days, since it seems like most of the aftermarket wheels are alloys anyway.
I happen to like the look of my FJC steelies (especially with the BFG MTs) which is the main reason I run them.
I do not agree with your conclusions, you do not agree with mine. That's fine, In the end each of us has to determine for ourselves what is or is not significant or important.
But I did think it was worth mentioning for the OP or anybody else who may be considering steel wheels so they can do the research and make their own educated decision.
I once heard that the reason police vehicles run steel wheels instead of alloy...cost not being a factor...is that if you hit something, steel will bent and give whereas alloy may crack and break.
Don't know about you guys, but would rather have bent wheel vs. a cracked/broken wheel.
I'm sure it is somewhat true for offroading as well...
Don't know about you guys, but would rather have bent wheel vs. a cracked/broken wheel.
I'm sure it is somewhat true for offroading as well...
Martinjmpr
New member
That's what some people used to say back in the old days WRT alloy wheels.
FWIW I have never heard of anybody getting a cracked wheel off road, and when you consider that most modern 4x4s come from the factory with alloys, you would think that if this was a problem, you'd hear about it more.
It may be that modern alloys are tougher than the ones we had back in the 70's but either way, I don't think it's really much of a concern. The primary difference between alloys and steels is weight and cost.
It also seems that alloys come in a wider variety of designs, whereas steel wheels tend to be simpler and more basic.
True...but most 'modern' 4x4s hardly ever see the 'dirt'...also, there are different types of offroading.
However, any type of wheel can crack or fail...but it is just that cracking in aluminum can be more 'disastrous' than steel...
Also, without getting into the engineering and material science...how do you define one thing as being 'stronger than' another?
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Troymclure
New member
Im pretty sure many modern alloy wheels are actually designed to break the center on purpose. They do it so when in an accident, the wheel just breaks away, possibly saving the front suspension components that would otherwise take the entire hit of the accident if the wheel didn't break.
