Heya everyone, I tried searching in the forums but didn't find much on this.

I've always had aftermarket steel wheels on both of my jeeps. because a friend told me of their ability to hold their bead if you end up hitting something while you're aired down.

A guy at Discount tire told me that aluminum wheels are just as good and that there aren't any benefits of having steel wheels over aluminium wheels.

I was thinking of switching to aluminium due to the weight difference (that I felt while I was at Discount tire haha)

What is your opinion?

Your friend has no clue about what he is talking about.

A alloy wheel looks better then a steelie, is stronger then a steelie, will not bend like a steelie, will run truer and balance better then a steel wheel, weighs less then a steel wheel and your jeep will perform better due to less unsprung weight.
On top of all that they look much better then a cheesy steelie.

15" MB72 alloy Vs 15" Steel wheels

Many offroad mags have done steel vs. aluminum vs. forged vs. ect. wheels.

Basically, if you're going to do heavy/"hardcore" wheeling use steel wheels. They're MUCH easy to repair (try bending an aluminum wheel back in place) and cheaper to replace. Otherwise, aluminum has many benefits.

Aluminum is only stronger than steel if its a forged piece, a cast one is junk and unfortunately thats what most wheels are out there. For my money on a trail rig, steel is a much better choice. I like the ability to beat and weld on it if I wanna add something easy, and I like the extra weight down low.

A few more opinions for you:

steel or alloy

This.

Make sure you know the difference.

A steel wheel will bend and can be bent back. If you are lucky enough that an aluminum wheel bends the first time, it will likely crack when you try to straighten it. Most of the time it isn't going to matter. I've got aluminum on everything I own and wouldn't have it any other way, but if I was a hardcore offroader I would probably have steel wheels.

Hardcore offroaders stay as far away from steel wheels as possible.

They bend way to easy. Here is a pic of a steel wheel that went 1 run through JV

A pretty hardcore trail.
He quickly learned to buy the "junk" cast wheel which will run through the same trail without problems.

Aluminum rim > any cheesy steelie.

LOL! Head to Pirate4x4 and ask the "hardcore offroaders" what they run. 99% run steel wheels.

When you bend a steel wheel out on the trail, you can hammer it back. When you bend a cast aluminum wheel, it'll crack when you try to hammer it back. Forged aluminum wheels are stronger, but who's going to wheel on those expensive wheels (unless you're sponsored or have deep pockets)? After a few "hardcore wheeling" trips, those expensive wheels will look like chit anyway. And if they bend, there's no hammering them back and you're out $150-400.

That is a classic case of jeep with small tires trying to go where it shouldnt. I have built hardcore rigs for over 13 years now and no one in our group will ever come within a 10 foot pole of a aluminum wheel. We have bent one over the hub on a 14 bolt and hammered it back, aired it up, and drove out of the trail....there isnt an aluminum wheel made you can do that with.

JV is pretty tough but there are lots of places across the states that are just as tough if not tougher. Do a youtube search on Tim Cameron...the stuff he does would make a cali boy run for the hills

ouch

Steel it is

kinda looked like you aired down too much... or went too fast... or something crazy!!

Now you and your friend will have 1 more thing in common.

Aluminum> Cheesie Steelie.

Not mine, but I will make sure and pass along your observations.

Steel - cheap and easy.

No way I would run steel again on any of my rigs. Been wheelin with alloys for the last five sets of ATs, MTs and no complaints.

i vote aluminum.

Aluminum for road. Steel for trail

Lol, I like this thread but I just have to state the obvious

Aluminum rims run "slightly" more $ and your will get the money back just on gas mileage.

People always talk about braking an aluminum wheel but that is pretty rare and good luck pulling out dents in steel to get it back to factory true again.

Another thing, people dont seem to talk about stopping or breaking. Its obvious that it is easier to stop a 50 lb wheel then a 75lb. Which makes it easier to heat up breaks on the trail and worp a rotor.


The fact is that Aluminum is a superior metal....

True, but only when forged.....cast are junk

I have seen aluminum cast wheels with minor rim damage repaired, happend on my wife's car. I wouldn't have thought it wasn't possible until I saw it being repaired, leak checked, and repainted- good as new.

Oh, brake an aluminum wheel and go get recycled which will give 20$ towards the next one. lol steel......20 cents

If you had a real aluminum wheel it wouldn't break

I'm sure my wife could break it