Vehicle Upgrades: The Beneficial Impact of Aftermarket Truck Wheels

Considering a new set of wheels for your truck? Beyond the aesthetic aspect, wheels play a pivotal part in vehicle safety and handling. They support the weight of the truck, ensure stability in turns and at speed, and allow for basic manouvres. The ones that came factory-fitted with the truck should meet most demands in everyday driving tasks, but if you’re modding your pickup for more power, slapping on bigger tires for off-roading fun, or need more control at higher speeds, then the dozens of aftermarket options should tick more boxes.

Why Upgrade?

If better build, improved looks ad customization options are what you’re after, then a new set of truck wheels will transform your truck into a whole new beast. Decent options will get more performance on and off-road, let you change the styling of the vehicle with more eye-catching designs, and allow for tire options that suit different road surfaces. In short, aftermarket truck wheels Canada wide bring a long list of benefits:

• Faster acceleration – the lower weight of aftermarket wheels means axles need to move a lower sprung mass. This ensures faster acceleration from the lights or when overtaking. Less weight also means savings when filling up with gas.
• Improved handling – quality builds, better materials and advanced production processes ensure more strength. Wheels can handle more stress and weight loading in demanding driving conditions, such as high-speed turns and hard braking with more control and stability. Designs also improve airflow in adjacent parts, particularly the brakes, leading to shorter braking distances and increased safety.
• Durability – chipped, scratched or damaged wheels can be a safety trap. Aftermarket wheels last longer in everyday driving, when hitting potholes or other road obstacles, but it’s in harsher off-roading tasks where they really shine. This durability also translates to the tires, which endure substantially less wear, offering performance benefits like improved traction and road holding for longer.
• Customization – up or downsizing, going with spoked, mesh or dial designs and getting to choose materials, colours and finishes are just a few drawcards of going with aftermarket wheels. Different types also meet specific needs, such as custom builds or heavy-duty variants for trucks used for work.

Alloys vs Steel

Older trucks are fitted with steel wheels. These are affordable, durable and robust options primed for heavy-duty use. They’re less prone to cracking, but are also easily repaired, meaning less maintenance needs. The downsides of higher weight, fewer design options and a less appealing looks though turn truck owners to alloys.

Alloys hold the upper hand for weight, meaning improved handling and lower fuel use. There’s also a vastly wider selection of alloy truck wheels for sale, despite the higher prices. Newer production methods also mean alloys have substantially improved in durability and safety, with fewer reports of bending, cracks or damage during impact.

Alloy Wheel Options

Two metals make up the majority of aftermarket alloys. Aluminum is a low-cost, decently ductile and readily available option with high tensile strength and low weight. Look for anodized aluminum alloys like 6061 T6 to prevent rust buildup and ensure they last. Mags or magnesium wheels are considerably more expensive, so reserved for off-road or track use.

The material is a third of the weight, yet much stronger but more ductile, making mags easier to form into different shapes. Improved ductility also means the won’t break or bend on impact. Choosing between the two is down to how and where you drive, and you much you’re willing to spend.

How They’re Made

The overall strength, performance (and price) of aluminum and magnesium alloys also depends on how they’re made. Here, three production processes – casting, flow-forming and forging produce different results.

Cast alloys are made by pouring molten metal into a mould to form the desired wheel shape, and then machining it once it’s cooled. They’re good for daily use and some track work, with decent strength and the high malleability means more shapes at affordable prices. Flow-formed are made by applying pressure and heat to a pre-cast wheel while it spins on a mandrel. Compared to cast variants, these are lighter, stronger and can handle the stresses that come with higher speeds.

If you need outright performance, choose forged alloys. These are made by applying pressure to a single piece of metal, rolling the wheel disc for uniformity, and heat-treating it to increase strength. Finishing involves intricate machining to the desired shape. They’re the strongest and lightest of the three, making them ideal for off-roading or dedicated track use.

Sizing Wheels

A huge part of the buying truck wheels Canada wide is sizing them right for the perfect fit. This means compatibility with the truck and the tires you’re planning to run. Wheels are sold in diameters ranging from 13 to 23 inches and widths between 4 and 12 inches, meaning plenty of options for bigger pickup trucks without embarrassing gaps in the wheel arches.

Also important are bolt arrangements or how wheels hit to the hubs. Wheels either have 4 or 5 holes for the bolts, spaced out between 100 and 120mm. And for improved handling, stability and overall performance, look at offset. This refers to the wheel’s mounting surface relative to its centerline.

Zero offset sets the wheel with equal sides from the centerline; positive offset sets the mounting surface closer to the outside, and wheels with negative offset push them more toward the suspension. This leaves the clearance for larger tires or brake upgrades if you’re intent on extreme off-roading.