What You Should Do Before Getting Large Truck Wheels
Posted on: 21 November 2014
When most truck owners decide its time to customize their rides, one of the most common things they do is to get new truck wheels. Changing the wheels will significantly change the look of your truck. You might want to get the biggest wheels you can find. But before you run out to get the biggest tires you can find, there are a couple of factors you need to consider.
Bigger Isn't Always Better
Getting the largest wheels possible isn't always the best idea. The larger wheels can negatively impact your ride. They can be much more expensive. Also, having larger wheels can require that you get larger tires as well, which can add onto your expenses. Bigger tires can also place more stress on your brakes, which can require that you have them serviced more often. Small wheels also tend to be problematic because they cause your truck to sit very close to the ground. This can lead to your truck having turning issues. Medium-sized tires are quiet, get good gas mileage and are a great compromise.
Choosing the Right Metal
The two best types of metal that you can have your wheels made out of are heavy duty steel and aluminum alloy. For aluminum alloy, forged and cast wheels are the two major options. Steel wheels are slightly heavier than aluminum wheels. While a little heavier, the steel wheels are more durable. The steel wheels tend to be more uniform and are less likely to wobble. Since they are less porous, they are less likely to collect dirt, sand and other materials in the metal. Therefore, steel wheels are ideal for trucks that will be operating in more rugged environments.
Aluminum wheels are often chosen when you are looking for more stylish wheels. Since they are lighter, they are well-suited for vehicles designed for speed. Aluminum uses low-pressure casting, which can make the metal more malleable and allow the designers more flexibility in regard to how they design the wheels.
Measuring Your Wheels
When getting new wheels, you will need to measure the bolt pattern first. To determine the bolt pattern, you will first need to count the number of bolts that you have. Then, you will need to measure how far apart each of the bolts is. You will need to measure the distance between a bolt on one end with a bolt on the opposite end. You will then need to determine if the wheel is hub-centric or lug-centric. The wheel is hub-centric if the center bore corresponds with the size of the mounting hub.
Next, you will need to measure the backspacing. This is the measurement of the distance between the mounting surface of the wheel to the back edge. Measuring these details will allow you to finally take the first steps toward choosing the right wheels for your truck.
For more information about custom truck parts, contact Pacesetter Truck Caps & Accessories Inc. or a similar company.
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