Hey, I went into my local shop here that I have trusted for years. I have bought all my stuff from them, and most are dodge guys. Well anyway, I went in to get a set of black steel 17s and some 35's. I have a torsion bar crank on my truck and it sits about level.

Hey advised me not to go with the steel 17's, as they are hard on the stock IFS and rack and pinion. He says those have too much weight for it, and I will be servicing the rack and pinion a lot more. He also says that I would need at least a 4 inch lift to run them. This guy owns a 04 ram 1500. He is a real cool guy, doesn't try to sell me anything, in fact he helps me a lot with picking out better stuff at lower prices and usually gives me a discount.

I say, well I have 20 inch rims on there now, which weigh an *** load, and im pushing 33" tires. That has to weigh a lot more.

He says yeah, but they are aluminium and have a low profile, your going to a steel with a much heavier tire. The difference between aluminium and steel is about 15-20 pounds a rim.

I know a lot of guys on here run the 17 inch steel with a 4.5 backspacing and 35 inch tall tire. I know I can clear there height with a torsion bar crank, and with a 4.5 bs and 12.50 width, I might rub at full lock. But this truck does see some offroad use, mainly jeep trails and mud, nothing to extreme.

So would I be better off going with a 17 aluminium (which is like a 100 bucks more, 400 all around) or a steel 17?

Also, with my driving, should I put the 33's or 35's on? I just hate the huge fender well gap with 33s.

I do value his opinion, as he has always steered me right in the past, however I do take everyones with a grain of salt.

 

Oh, and yes, Gears are a quick upgrade!

 

my 35's on the stock 17's weigh a LOT less than my 33's on my 20's
I have no problem clearing 35s on stock 17 inch steel rims with only a leveling kit
I think he's just overthinking things.

 

Yeah, thats what I believe as well. Are ya running a 4.5 bs on those?

 

Oh here is a pic of my truck, I dont think i have ever posted one.

 

They are stock chome steelies. so whatever that b.s. is...
I of all people should know that after running a tire shop for as long as I did but I never bothered to look into what the stock ones were

Thats a good lookin rig. I don't see why 35's wouldn't fit with it leveled out like that. I have a 2 inch kit in mine and still have some room with the 35s on

 

If steelies were too heavy whyd they ever put them on our trucks???? Idon't see you having any troubles. Only thing Ive noticed is my front brakes squeal more with my 17s than with the aluminum 20s I had. The weight was about the same also, bout 70+ lbs if I remeber correctly, and thats with the tires on.

 

In theory, he's right. Of course lighter aluminum wheels and smaller tires are easier on front end components and the rack on a Dodge 1500 is not the most bulletproof one out there. But the weight of steel 17s is not that much more significantly heavy to make a major difference. If your rack is gonna fail, it'd fail with the slightly lesser weight as well, just maybe not quite as quick...

 

I agree, in theory he's right BUT i can't see it really putting that much more stress on your front end compared to your current wheel/tire combo. I have the factory 17's on my truck. I always thought that the aluminum 20" rims weighed more than the steel 17's, which is why trucks with 17's came with 3.55 gears while the ones with the 20's came with 3.92's to help compensate for the extra weight of the 20's....if im wrong someone correct me.

 

315/70/17=34.5" tall x12.4" wide and average A/T tire in that size weighs 60-65lbs.

Stock 275/60/20 HP 33" tall x 10.8" wide and weighs 42lbs
stock 20" wheel weighs like 35lbs.

17x9" steel wheel ranges from 25-35lbs depending on method used.
17x9" Aluminum wheel weighs about 25lbs

17" steel wheel w/34.5" rubber = 85-100lbs per wheel/tire combo
17"Alum. wheel w/34.5" rubber= 85-90lbs per wheel/tire combo
stock 20" wheel w/33" rubber = 77lbs

Now any tire that isn't the stock wrangler HP garbage weighs more than 42lbs. My LTZ's added 9lbs. which puts me at 77+9=86lbs. Guys that are running 35" rubber on stock 20's are weighing in around 100lbs.

17" steel wheels with 35" rubber, you would weigh damn near close to guys running 35" on stock 20" alum wheels.

steel wheels do have a harder time balancing and you need to make sure you have proper caliper clearance as steel wheel aren't made the same way as cast/forged alum wheels are which allow more room for caliper clearance on smaller wheels. Just make sure they are made for your truck in the manufacturers book.
You want 4.5" BS as eveyone else stated.

pheeewww....all done now.....lol