hey guys so I bought a set of 17inch steels from an 2010 1500 with factory rubber (Goodyear Wrangler SR-A's) 260/70r17. My question is i can get a set of stock 16's 5 spokes for $300 and trade the 17's evenly for a set of 285/75R16 Pirelli Scorpion ATR's practically brand new .Yes they are used but only by a couple of weeks what do ya'll think should i go through with this? If so ill have a set of steel 17's to sell but just wondering what ya'll thought. ALL OPPINIONS WELCOME !!!!

 

i would keep the 17s for my truck....i love steelies

 

i like them too i just dnt think they look right on my truck lol i had them on my 99 but yea i was jw if everyone thought it would be a good deal?

 

Alloys have a higher load rating than steels. If you plan to haul or tow, that might be a consideration.

 

But steels are better for offroading, I guess its all what your going to do be doing most.

 

Exactly my point. If you get too caught up in the aesthetics, you could make a choice that isn't right for your particular application.

 

So why does almost every dually truck, semi-truck, tractor trailer, and camper in America have steel wheels on them? I've always thought that steel wheels have the same weight rating. A Dodge Ram ST with steel wheels has the same towing capacity as my SLT Ram with aluminum wheels. BTW I'm not nitpicking, or arguing, I want to know!

To the OP, I would go through with the deal. The Pirellis are much better tires than the Goodyear SR-As.

 

It's primarily about costs. A forged aluminum wheel costs a lot more to manufacture than a stamped steel wheel. On a dually, there is not as much concern for appearance. Having an aluminum wheel that is hidden behind another wheel could make spotting any damage difficult or impossible. Since a steel wheel better handles impacts by bending instead of cracking or chipping, it makes more sense to use them on duallies. Still, look at many of the newer diesel rigs on the road today. Most of the tractors will have aluminum wheels on them, but the trailers tend to all be steel wheeled. That's because the owner of the tractor is willing to pay for the best because it will stay with him, but the trailers end up being someone elses responsibility.

Another area where alloy makes more sense in off-roading is when moving up in tire size. An alloy wheel can be just as strong as steel, but much lighter thereby reducing unsprung weight. On a truck with oversize tires that weigh considerably more than stock, less added tire/wheel weight can really help the suspension perform better and put less strain on steering and front end components. A lighter tire/wheel combo also provides less rolling resistance that requires less effort from the engine resulting in a slight boost in mileage.

Towing capacity ratings on these trucks is not about any one component. Since the factory offers the same truck with steel or optional alloy rims, the towing capacity ratings depend more on tire, axle, engine and suspension specifications/combinations than on which wheel is supplied. Either wheel is within the factory towing specs, so there is no variance.

 

You mention nothing about how alloy wheels have a higher load rating than steelies. But what I can get out of it is that alloy wheels have a better weight to strength ratio than steel wheels.

 

Exactly right. A steel wheel will bend before an alloy wheel wil break. If you look at the specs of most known-brand wheel builders, they have the weight ratings of their wheels. Except for the purely cosmetic designs, almost any alloy wheel will be rated higher than a steel wheel.