[Our_Rubi]

Im looking at a pretty cool black steel wheel I currently have a factory 16" wheel on my rubicon Im wonder if whats the benefit to on size over the other? 4wheeldriveparts.com has free shipping and buy 3 get 1 free right now im leaning toward the 16x8 how wide of a tire can I fit?

[Our_Rubi]

[spyder6]

i have the factory rubicon rims, im currently using a 315x75x16 tire (35x12.50x16)

your rubicon wheels are worth about $200 a piece, if you're going to get rid of them sell them some how. I personally dont think its worth to size down a wheel.

[Whybu1]

15s will give you a biger selection of tires to choose from, slightly lower tire prices and more "C" class tires that are better than the "E" ones on a TJ.

[bman9089]

15" rims. Why?

-cheaper tires on average
-Load C ratings which means better ride and better rubber flex when aired down
-More sidewall to take impact instead of the rims
-wheels are cheaper too

Now, I'd stay away from the steel wheels. Alloy vs. steel will both have their own forms of upkeep. Steel wheels are heavier and bend easily. They're more prone to leaking air than alloys and they can rust if they've been beat up pretty good.

However, alloys will take a lot of polishing to keep from corroding and looking good. They're lighter and they won't bend and lose air.

It's a preference too. I like the black wheels which is why I run EA 185s. They're painted alloy so they last, won't bend and are very easy to clean.

Not sure where lakeland is but do you guys see any snow? Because the chemicals they put on the streets to melt the snow is also something that you have to factor into your wheel decision. Polished aluminum doesn't get along well with magnesium chloride and salt. It will ruin the finish. And steel doesn't do well with salt. They are painted which is just fine as long as they don't get a lot of rockrash where the paint scrapes off.

don't bother with 10" wide rims. Stick with 15x8 or 16x8. You seem to have an idea of what you want. 12.50 wide tires (or close to that if metric) will work just fine.

[Our_Rubi]

Originally Posted by bman9089

15" rims. Why?

-cheaper tires on average
-Load C ratings which means better ride and better rubber flex when aired down
-More sidewall to take impact instead of the rims
-wheels are cheaper too

Now, I'd stay away from the steel wheels. Alloy vs. steel will both have their own forms of upkeep. Steel wheels are heavier and bend easily. They're more prone to leaking air than alloys and they can rust if they've been beat up pretty good.

However, alloys will take a lot of polishing to keep from corroding and looking good. They're lighter and they won't bend and lose air.

It's a preference too. I like the black wheels which is why I run EA 185s. They're painted alloy so they last, won't bend and are very easy to clean.

Not sure where lakeland is but do you guys see any snow? Because the chemicals they put on the streets to melt the snow is also something that you have to factor into your wheel decision. Polished aluminum doesn't get along well with magnesium chloride and salt. It will ruin the finish. And steel doesn't do well with salt. They are painted which is just fine as long as they don't get a lot of rockrash where the paint scrapes off.

don't bother with 10" wide rims. Stick with 15x8 or 16x8. You seem to have an idea of what you want. 12.50 wide tires (or close to that if metric) will work just fine.

Im in Florida so no snow worries.

I think Ill stiick with 16x8 I wish I could find a cool black wheel in an alloy but no such luck so far.

[Our_Rubi]

Originally Posted by thedirt

You can paint your moabs too:



I personally am not a fan of black wheels, but if you like it, go for it!

Im looking for a wider stance the stock wheels fit pretty flush for my taste.

[spyder6]

also, keep in mind the more rubber you put between the wheel and the ground the worse on-road performance you are going to keep. a 17" wheel on a 35" tire and a 15" wheel on a 35" tire is a big difference in control (just to give a visual)

balance everything accordingly to what you're intentions are.

[snakester14]

Just get some wheel spacers if you want a wider stance, and keep those moabs. Or you could get some new wheels and just ship me the old moabs

[bman9089]

Originally Posted by spyder6

also, keep in mind the more rubber you put between the wheel and the ground the worse on-road performance you are going to keep. a 17" wheel on a 35" tire and a 15" wheel on a 35" tire is a big difference in control (just to give a visual)

balance everything accordingly to what you're intentions are.

performance here is a general word.

I have 33x12.50" tires with 15" rims and can't tell a difference in turning compared to stock. Yet I get to keep my better riding load C tires. Plus the tires are cheaper, as are the wheels and they flex better offroad aired down.

So, you get to gamble on slightly better response and steering control and pay more in price for tires, wheels and get a stiffer riding tire to boot. So, there are 2 faces to performance here. Ride quality vs. steering precision. And considering I jumped from 28" tires to 33" tires and haven't noticed any difference in control (or perhaps nothing big enough to notice) I'd stick with the 15" wheels. That's my preference though.

If the jeep had rack and pinion steering and was built for on road performance with complex suspension and control in mind, then I would probably go for it. But jeeps are very simple, yet strong vehicles. They don't come from the factory built like Bimmers or Audis, so I think it's kind of pointless, IMHO of course.

[Our_Rubi]

Originally Posted by bman9089

performance here is a general word.

I have 33x12.50" tires with 15" rims and can't tell a difference in turning compared to stock. Yet I get to keep my better riding load C tires. Plus the tires are cheaper, as are the wheels and they flex better offroad aired down.

So, you get to gamble on slightly better response and steering control and pay more in price for tires, wheels and get a stiffer riding tire to boot. So, there are 2 faces to performance here. Ride quality vs. steering precision. And considering I jumped from 28" tires to 33" tires and haven't noticed any difference in control (or perhaps nothing big enough to notice) I'd stick with the 15" wheels. That's my preference though.

If the jeep had rack and pinion steering and was built for on road performance with complex suspension and control in mind, then I would probably go for it. But jeeps are very simple, yet strong vehicles. They don't come from the factory built like Bimmers or Audis, so I think it's kind of pointless, IMHO of course.

Ride quality is important since the Jeep is on road 95 % of the time.

Thanks for the info guys.......are spacers safe?

[GADave]

Originally Posted by Our_Rubi

Ride quality is important since the Jeep is on road 95 % of the time.

Thanks for the info guys.......are spacers safe?

Yes spacers are safe, if you get good bolt on ones, not the disks that are sandwiched between wheel and hub. I run spidertrax 1.25" spacers with moab wheels. Gives a 2.5" wider stance, looks great, rides great.

I sure wouldn't trade alloy wheels for steel, ain't no sense in carrying around a bunch of extra weight just to use an inferior product. If you don't like the color of the factory wheels carry them to a powder coater, or like the previous poster said, paint them yourself. I've seen some threads on here where guys have done it and it looks great and they say it lasts but I don't know.

Powder coated or painted moabs will give you a unique look too if that's what you're after.

Dave

[bman9089]

Yup, you can powder coat them. Check out custom bike shops as often they have the setups to do all sorts of paint jobs. They would most likely sand blast the wheels first, then powdercoat them. Many places can clear coat them too which protects the wheels from chemicals laid on road during winter. You'll want the clear coat if you paint them.

But I don't think I'd just go at my wheels with a rattle can. The MOABs are very nice wheels. And spacers are safe as long as you torque them and check up on the torque. That kind of goes for all wheels.

[Our_Rubi]

Originally Posted by bman9089

Yup, you can powder coat them. Check out custom bike shops as often they have the setups to do all sorts of paint jobs. They would most likely sand blast the wheels first, then powdercoat them. Many places can clear coat them too which protects the wheels from chemicals laid on road during winter. You'll want the clear coat if you paint them.

But I don't think I'd just go at my wheels with a rattle can. The MOABs are very nice wheels. And spacers are safe as long as you torque them and check up on the torque. That kind of goes for all wheels.

How wide can you go with spacers?

[GADave]

Originally Posted by Our_Rubi

How wide can you go with spacers?

I've seen them 1.5" thick, but most are 1.25"... that's what mine are. Widens your stance by 2.5". 1.25" spacers give the moab rims 4" backspacing instead of 5.25.

Dave