WHY swap wheels/rims?

Currently have stock wheels+tires, about to switch off the tires but had me thinking (longer term I guess) about the wheels.

As far as I know there are two main things about the wheels - the size, and their offset which may be used to fit bigger tires.

Outside of that, and outside of purely looks, WHY would you swap out your wheel? Is there a utilitarian reason why you'd want something instead of the stock wheels?

 

I switched to a lighter wheel deliberately to help offset the extra weight from E-load KO2s. The six shooters from FN Wheels weigh 21 pounds each, almost ten pounds lighter than the factory 7 spoke wheel. The wheels are cast but the barrel is flow-formed for strength and reduced weight. At $200 per wheel I think they're a fantastic bang for the buck. Forged wheels are stronger and a little lighter, but are closer to $700-800 per wheel.

Keeping the weight down helps the suspension cycle a little smoother, heavier tires will increase inertia (resistance to movement). It's not a perfect tradeoff, the weight at the outside of the rolling assembly is the most crucial (heavier tires will reduce acceleration and efficiency). And my wheel/tire combo is still about ten pounds heavier than stock. But it does help some and it still rides pretty well, even with E-load tires.

Other than that, you are correct- a little extra width and negative offset help add a wider tire, and do it safely within recommended tire manufacturer specs. Many run 285/70 tires on 7" wide pro wheels without problem, but this is not recommended.

I would also personally recommend running a wheel with correct offset, instead of adding wheel spacers. Wheel spacers add extra weight and points of failure.

 

Most aftermarket wheels are inferior (chinese). Even the factory trd wheels are only 7 inches, the stock off road wheels are 7.5.

 

Not all I think ROH and Pro Comp are Australian?

 

A lot of wheels are cast in Taiwan, including FN. It also might surprise you to know that Toyota doesn't make their own wheels- they get them from a third party vendor like pretty much everyone else. Did you think they were casting them alongside their production line in Japan, installing them on the truck as soon as they cooled down out of the mold?

 

I was told by several sources they are cast in Japan. I obviously don't know the validity of it but my point being stock wheels are still better than a lot of after market options. It's your money spend it how you please

 

Here's an SR5 wheel.


Here's a Pro wheel.

 

IMO, a lot of people will stick with OEM because it's engineered. Yes the wheels are made of China or Thailand, but the manufacturer has to pass Toyotas approval. Toyota don't make wheels, they'll contact a known manufacturer, produce a wheel that is cheap, strong and reliable, and order a contract with them to make a few hundred thousand SR5 wheels.

Depending on who you ask, some might even go to a steel wheel because it's stronger, more durable, and would not crack. Serious off roaders will go with steel because they know they'll never get stranded, once an aluminum wheel bends or cracks, you can't just repair it in the middle of nowhere.

Some people will buy aftermarket wheels because of offset, looks, color or just the brand of the wheel.

 

You're implying that aftermarket wheels aren't "engineered", which is sort of impossible given the requirements needed to mass-produce low pressure castings. I think what you mean to say is "engineered to meet or exceed requirements for strength and safety for a passenger vehicle".

This is why it's recommended to source wheels from a manufacturer that tests their wheels to comply with the SAE J2530 specification. That's about as "engineered" as you can get.

 

I thought FN wheels were flow formed in Thailand

 

because they look better than stock IMO

 

Taiwan. And as far as I can tell, the six shooters are the only flow-formed wheel they offer. It's important to understand that flow-formed wheels are not that different from cast wheels, they both start the same way. Flow-forming means that the barrel part of the wheel casting reaches its final dimensions by using a spin-form mandrel.



Overall it uses less material and is stronger than a pure cast wheel. They're great because they're nearly as light as a forged wheel but almost as cheap as a cast wheel. Forged wheels are definitely stronger, but much pricier.