Are you interested in buying a set of awesome truck wheels for your pickup truck or SUV? If so, there are steps you need to take before your truck gets that much-needed new look.
Choosing the Wheels
This is the fun part of shopping for truck wheels, choosing the brand and style you want to adorn your ride. And while it is a fun task, it will take some time and can be a little cumbersome.
When you go to the grocery store and have the task of picking out a box of cereal, you might think this can be done in little time with almost no effort. But you would be wrong.
As you step into the breakfast cereal aisle at your local grocery store, you will be surprised at the sheer amount of breakfast cereals, so many you can't even count them all. Right away you take note of the Cocoa Puffs, an all-time favorite of yours. You reach out to grab the box with the Cuckoo and out of the corner of your eye you spy a box of Trix. You love Trix cereal and the box is so colorful and inviting and you really love that rabbit who can never have a bowl of his own cereal. Why? Because Trix are for kids.
Do you see a dilemma here?
There are so many choices when it comes to cereal that it is quite difficult to narrow it down to just one box to take home and enjoy.
You might be the world’s biggest fan of Pebbles brand cereal, but have to choose between Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles. Oh, wait, apparently they also have Cinnamon Pebbles as well, making this choice even harder.
You see, even if you are faithful to one particular truck wheels brand, like Fuel Wheels for example, you still have plenty of choices within that brand that you can make.
Anyway, BB Wheels is kind of like the cereal aisle at your grocery store; we offer an extensive selection of truck wheels from dozens of the top names in the industry. And even within each brand name, there are literally dozens, if not hundreds of styles from which to choose.
Our point is that just the process of choosing the right set of wheels for your truck or SUV could take a lot longer than you might think. It could even take longer than when you had to choose a box of cereal.
Still Trying to Decide
Even when you have narrowed your choice of truck wheels down to a brand and perhaps even a certain style, you may now have to decide on a finish. Does it ever end?
Say you have narrowed it down to a set of Fuel Hostage wheels, which is a good choice. But now you have to decide if you want a silver finish, black finish or perhaps even a machined finish. At this stage, you might want to consider just flipping a coin.
Other Considerations
There are other things you need to take into consideration when choosing a truck wheel. For example, you will want to choose a wheel that works best for the type of driving you do or the terrain you drive on.
If you do a lot of heavy towing, you will most certainly want truck wheels rated for such a task. Buying a set of wheels not up for the weight of what you are towing will only cause problems and grief.
The same holds true if you will be taking your truck on rugged mountain trails. You might find a set of truck wheels that are aesthetically pleasing, they look really cool that is, but prove to be less than acceptable on rough roads. So do your homework and make sure you are getting a set of wheels that can handle how and where you drive.
Backspace and Offset
If these are terms you have never heard of before, then you need to take some notes.
Once you have chosen the set of wheels you want for your truck, you need to make sure you buy the right size. Now, if all of this is rather confusing to you, you can give us a call and we will give you a helping hand.
Backspace is the distance from a wheel’s mounting surface to the back of the wheel. It is measured in inches. By back of the wheel, we mean the brake side of the wheel. Offset measures the distance of the mounting surface of the wheel to the center of the wheel.
If the mounting surface is located closer to the street side of the wheel, the offset is positive. If the mounting surface is located closer to the break side of the wheel, then the offset would be negative.
We would draw you pictures, but that would only confuse you even more. It did us.
A wheel that has a positive offset will slide farther back into the wheel well when mounted. A wheel with a negative offset will ride farther out of the wheel well.
Bolt Pattern
Bolt patterns with an even number of lugs are measured from the center of the bolt to the center of the bolt, straight across, it’s really that easy. But an odd numbered of lugs call for a different measurement. Five bolt lug bolt patterns are measured from the top of the upper lug to the center of the lower lug, the one right beneath it.
Bolt Pattern Conversion Chart
4 x 4.25" (4 x 108mm)
5 x 5" (5 x 127mm)
5 x 120mm (5 x 4.72")
6 x 5.5" (6 x 139.7mm)
4 x 4.5" (4 x 114.3mm)
5 x 5.5" (5 x 139.7mm)
5 x 130mm (5 x 5.12")
6 x 115mm (6 x 4.52")
4 x 98mm (4 x 3.86")
5 x 6.5" (5 x 165.1mm)
5 x 135mm (5 x 5.3")
6 x 132mm (6 x 5.2")
4 x 100mm (4 x 3.94")
5 x 98mm (5 x 3.86")
5 x 150mm (5 x 5.91")
6 x 135mm (6 x 5.3")
4 x 110mm (4 x 4.33")
5 x 100mm (5 x 3.94")
5 x 155mm (5 x 6.1")
8 x 6.5" (8 x 165.1mm)
5 x 4.25" (5 x 108mm)
5 x 110mm (5 x 4.33")
5 x 205mm (5 x 8.07")
8 x 165mm" (8 x 6.5")
5 x 4.5" (5 x 114.3mm)
5 x 112mm (5 x 4.41")
6 x 4.5" (6 x 114.3mm)
8 x 170mm" (8 x 6.69")
5 x 4.75" (5x120.7mm)
5 x 115mm (5 x 4.52")
6 x 5" (6 x 127mm)
8 x 200mm" (8 x 787")
Understanding Bolt Patterns
To better understand bolt patterns, you need to know a little bit about lug holes. The lug holes are the holes that surround the hub bore, they are the attachment point of your wheel to your truck.
Though small, the lug holes ensure that your wheels stay attached to your truck. The lug holes are set in a circular pattern; this is what is referred to as the bolt pattern.
Just as important as finding the right wheels to fit your particular bolt pattern is using the proper lugs to attach them to your truck.
There are several types of lug hole seats that are specifically designed to work with a corresponding lug type. For example, an acorn lug will need to be used with wheels that have a tapered lug seat. Using lugs that don't match the lug seat will result in a wheel that is improperly attached and could cause damage or even break free from your truck.
When you order a new set of wheels, make sure you order the proper lugs that go with them as well.
Diameter
Wheels with a large diameter are very trendy right now, you might be interested in a set of them for your truck. But keep in mind that both the wheels and the tires you mount on the wheels will cost you a little extra.
Wheels with a 17-inch diameter offer the most tire options and this size truck wheel will also fit over most types of brakes.
Tire Fitments
As with truck wheels, tires also come in a variety of widths. Tire widths should correspond to the width of the wheel. You can mount a narrow tire onto a wheel that is too wide for a proper fit, but this will lead to problems and at the very least will wear out your tires prematurely.
How to Measure for the Biggest Tires You Can Fit on Your Truck
If you want bigger tires for your truck, you need to follow these steps:
- Take off the current wheels you have on your truck and measure the tire’s exact width and height.
- Put the wheels back on your truck and measure the distance between the tire and everything around it in all directions, including the space between the bumper and the tire.
- Take these measurements with the wheels turned all the way in both directions. That is, take the same measurements when the wheel is cranked all of the way to the left and again when the wheel is cranked all the way to the right.
- Make sure you take all necessary measurements including the spaces between the tire and steering components and suspension components.
- Park your truck with one of the wheels in a deep crevasse so the suspension is fully engaged. Take measurements yet again.
With these measurements in mind, you will have a pretty good idea of how wide and tall tires your truck can handle. If you get tires that are too big, you will have clearance problems and rubbing tires.
Body Lift Kit
There are ways in which you can modify your truck to handle bigger tires, a body lift kit is one way. Body lift kits include the spacers and other hardware you need to heighten your truck. But keep in mind that in doing so, you may also have to modify your bumper and even extend your steering column shaft to compensate for the new height.
But if the lift kit is a success, your truck will have a more intense look, more clearance and the ride quality will remain the same.
The downside to body lift kits is that the body needs to be lifted and then bolted back into place after the spacers have been placed. This is a rather big job that is time-consuming.
Suspension Lift Kit
Body lift kits can raise your truck one to three inches, suspension lift kits can go much higher. This allows you to buy even bigger tires should you choose.
The downside to a suspension lift kit comes into play if you raise your truck too high. While it might look super-cool to have a truck that looks like a monster truck, it can cause quite an inconvenience.
The higher the truck, the more difficult it is to get in it. Lift your truck too high and you will need to invest in a stepladder.
In addition, the higher your truck, the less smooth your drive will be.
Tire Selection
Just as we have an impressive selection of truck wheels, we have dozens of tire manufacturers to choose from as well. From Nitto to Dunlop to Good Year, we offer tires from the manufacturers you trust.
If you need help in finding the right tires or wheels for your truck, we are here to help. Give us a call and ask us what we can do for you.
Shop all of the hottest wheel deals we have. These truck wheels are always rotating and you will always find the lowest prices for your bolt pattern. We have bolt patterns ranging from 5x139.7, 6x135, 8x170, 8x180 but are not limited to these sizes! Our Deals of the Day consist of some of the best selling rims and wheels as well as certain sets we have 1-2 left. So check back daily if you are on the hunt for new wheels.