Are Wheel Upgrades Right For You?
The wheels in your truck are perhaps one of its most important features. Trucks, by their very nature, are off-road vehicles. They’re designed to handle plenty of different terrains, take a few bumps, and keep on rolling. So, you probably thought about upgrading your wheels and rims at some point throughout the life of your truck. Whether you desire to increase the wheel height, adjust the suspension, get some new tires, or just want to add a few cool rims to your wheels, a wheel upgrade might be the right thing for you. There are plenty of factors that go into getting a will upgrade, and in this article, we’ll talk about some of the reasons why getting an upgrade might be a good move for your truck.
Why Upgrade Your Wheels
Deciding on an upgrade can be a tough decision. Budgeting, acquiring parts, doing the installation, and understanding what you want just come with the territory. Sometimes you want your truck to stand out in a crowd. Other times, increasing ground clearance or improving the vehicle’s safety. Maybe you want to plus-size your wheels, which just means making the wheel size one to three inches larger while the tire size stays the same. When you buy plus-size truck wheels, you need to take into account that bigger Wheels might reduce some of the protection your truck had from hitting potholes and curbs (but not significantly) Take the same approach to researching upgrade costs as you would to researching car insurance quotes. Take your time, find the one that’s going to work best for you, and look for the best deals that aren’t too good to be true.
Types of Upgrades
Getting an upgrade is easy if you know what to look for in a wheel. Steel is stronger than aluminum and pretty powerful. The only downside is that it’s not really easy to customize it. Aluminum alloy is another popular choice because the alloy can’t take on different properties. Unfortunately, they can bend easily if not handled properly. Cast aluminum wheels use either pressure or gravity casing in their construction. The latter are less dense than the former and may not be suited to heavy duty activities. Forged wheels are light, powerful, and heavy duty. They’re perfect for many types of truck travel.
For upgrading rims (the part that holds the tire as it sits around the wheel), you need to understand your size needs, the bolt pattern (how many bolts you need and how far apart they need to be), and whether it’s a hub-centric or lug-centric attachment.
Better Ground Clearance
If you’re into off-roading at all, then having better ground clearance for your wheels is practically essential. Sometimes lifting the suspension with a lift kit helps with better ground clearance. But you can’t go wrong with a set of amazing truck rims to tie everything together. Usually, the reason people install new rims is for aesthetic value and to make their trucks look cool. But it’s great for increasing ground clearance, too. Just be careful that you don’t increase the size too much, because you don’t want the tire to hit the wheel arch when you go over bumps.
Ideal For Off-roading
As anyone who has driven a pickup for a while knows, off-roading is one of the highlights of having fun using the truck. Off-roading is a lot of fun, but it definitely requires some planning. Terrain can be rough and not every vehicle is equipped to handle it. That’s why you want to kind of plan your route out ahead of time, maybe walk or do a slow drive of the route, and ensure there aren’t any crazy hazards along the way. It’s also important to ensure that you have proper ground clearance—that’s where bigger rims can really come in handy—and that you’re not taking things at super high speeds. Make sure your tires have the right amount of tread depth to make the most of the trip. Upgraded wheels can be a great help for any off-roading venture, so be sure to plan accordingly.
It Can Be A Bit Challenging
At the end of the day, an upgrade can be fun but a bit challenging. The challenges in deciding what you want, determining if you’re going to upsize or just replace wheels, choosing some nice rims, and figuring out what type of rims to get all offer their own levels of difficulty. Budgeting can be especially tough. It can cost a lot of not done properly. It’s also prudent to ask yourself if you’re going to go the DIY route and install the items yourself or take it to a mechanic/license professional to perform the upgrade. Budgeting requires some research and talking to industry experts to ultimately acquire the wheels that you desire. But if you hang in there throughout the process and are able to get the rims and wheels you want, your truck will be the envy of all your friends and family.
