Aftermarket Wheel Advice

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: NewEnglander
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Aftermarket wheels are for looks. I prefer OEM as they're usually stronger than aftermarket. If you don't want a harsher ride, stick to oem. If you wanted a softer ride, go with higher sidewalls. Going to 16 or 17 means you have to go with a lower aspect ratio and that will lead to a harsher ride which some will refer to as more sporting. I feel that once you go below a 60's series tire, your risks for getting flat tires and rims go up. I've got 40's series on 18's on my Mercedes and so far I've had twp bent rim and one cracked rim. And about 4 flat tires, although one of them was repairable.


Bent rims are the thing that I am wondering about. As someone mentions below, OEM wheels tend to be stronger. I had 17s on my Mazda3 in the past and never liked the ride for longer drives but it was fun as [censored] to whip around in for fun.

Knock on wood - haven't bent a rim yet but one reason I am wondering about manufacturing process. No way I am going super cheap wheels but I also am trying to find the balance in not overspending for something I do not really *need.*


For my cracked rim, I went with a refurbished OEM rim which was a little more money, they had replica wheels which were cheaper. When I was getting the bent rim fixed, the local guy who fixed them had a bunch of cracked and really broken aftermarket wheels littering the shop that he couldn't fix, he said the OEM wheels tend to be bendable back, but the aftermarkets tend to crack. Maybe you can find a cheap set of OEM ones on ebay, either used or refurbished.

 

[eyeofthetiger]

Originally Posted By: dblshock
hub centric.


I have never had a problem with this, and I usually skip the hub centric rings on aftermarket wheels.

 

[CharBaby]

Personally, I wouldn't do it! However...
Look for some Hyundai/KIA takeoff( someone hat is selling their own) wheels on Craigslist or ebay in your 4 lug size be it 15" or 16".

 

[Virtus_Probi]

I used to use the same set of rims for winter and summer and finally decided to buy a separate set for the winter tires so I could easily swap the sets myself. Didn't want to spend a ton of money but I didn't want steelies, either, so I looked at some clearance alloy wheels on TireRack and found some Modas I liked the looks of for about $100 each (IIRC). I poked around some more and it seemed like Moda was a decent enough brand and ordered the full set of winter tires, wheels, TPMS, etc. all at once...I felt confident that they would fit properly and they came with centering rings that were correct for my setup.
I've had them since 2014 and have had no issues. I know going a bit narrower with snow tires is popular but I just keep it simple for myself and buy them in the same size as my summer tires.
I would expect that going with a larger wheel and a lower profile tire would compromise the ride somewhat, probably with the benefit of holding corners a little better, but if the OPer wants to keep the ride quality that he has now going with the OEM wheel size is likely the way to go.

 

[eljefino]

Since you run 4x100 rims there are OE alloys going back into the 1990s. Not necessarily OE Kia-Hyundai but OE for someone... like Saturn! They'll be OE-tough and wobble free, so long as they weren't abused.

Just make sure the hub bore is the same or bigger and they have FWD offset (they all will).

I have lugcentric "wrong" OE rims on my car and it's still smooth rolling.

 

[Sayjac]

I've only purchased aftermarket alloy wheels once, for an 01 Civic. The OE black steelies became rusty looking as steelies tend to do after some time. As they often do, Discount Tire had promotion on wheels so decided to go alloy rather than buy new steelies or repaint to the OE. Went with an inexpensive MB seven spoke wheel in same 15" size as oe. Never regretted the decision, they looked great, easily cleaned and no rust. Yes they require the hub centric ring, but they came with the purchase and it was never an issue. Wheel I purchased linked, discontinued at DT/DTD now I think.

https://www.discounttire.com/buy-wheels/mb-wheels-seven-x/p/73108

Only advice I'd give based on my experience, stick to OE wheel size.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: Sayjac
I've only purchased aftermarket alloy wheels once, for an 01 Civic. The OE black steelies became rusty looking as steelies tend to do after some time. As they often do, Discount Tire had promotion on wheels so decided to go alloy rather than buy new steelies or repaint to the OE. Went with an inexpensive MB seven spoke wheel in same 15" size as oe. Never regretted the decision, they looked great, easily cleaned and no rust. Yes they require the hub centric ring, but they came with the purchase and it was never an issue. Wheel I purchased linked, discontinued at DT/DTD now I think.

https://www.discounttire.com/buy-wheels/mb-wheels-seven-x/p/73108

Only advice I'd give based on my experience, stick to OE wheel size.


I did the same thing back in 2004 for my 04 Altima. I kept the OE steelies for the winter and the wheels from DTD for the summer. Now, I'm using the DTD wheels for the winter on the 15 Altima

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: NewEnglander
Long story short. I am spending more time driving and it will continue into the summer, so planning to pick a new set of aftermarket wheels for the Rio. Something a bit more sporty, fun, and good looking but aiming to avoid a harsher ride. What does the forum recommend for sizing? I have been happy with the ride of the 15" alloy wheels and love my tires, so leaning towards same size wheel. But what are arguments for moving up to 16 or 17? Also, any considerations for what I should look for in terms of manufacturer, process, strength, etc? Thanks in advance appreciate the wit and wisdom of everyone here!


Cheap, strong, light.

Pick two.

 

[circuitsmith]

I went from 16" steel to 15" alloy on my Matrix.
Weight went down 9lb per wheel.
Easier to steer when parking due to 195 width vs 205.
Less road noise.

 

[meep]

I enjoyed the look of the ARX (american racing) alloys I put on my last truck. They also pushed the tires outward about 1/2" each. With a mild lift (1") and a slightly larger tire, the pivot point for steering remained in the center of the tire and did not effect steering feel while braking. Tire width stayed the same.

On another car I bought factory take-offs with a larger dia wheel and went down in aspect ratio for a similar diameter. That was also a good experience.

I agree with an earlier post about 60 series. To me, 70 series starts to mush a little for sport handling. 60 series is still comfortable while providing all the lateral grip I've ever needed for sharp movements. 65 series in a sedan I found to be a good favorite for me. 65 series on the same car and tire is quieter on the highway than a 60 (compared between two same-model volvo sedans).

Someone above said to not worry about the rim and buy better tires. I disagree. A taller tire will still roll more and you'll see it wear funny with cornering forces after a while. For sporty driving, the 60 series tire/wheel combo has always provided me with better stability to the tire without being silly with inflation pressure.

In general, I have found that smaller wheel size also reduces weight, and thus handle minor road imperfections better because the suspension can deflect and respond with less drama. On rough roads or high speeds this is a huge bonus.

I'm obviously not in the "bigger is better blindly" camp. Bigger "can" be better to a point with yesterday's vehicles. With today's, it's about the opposite. When I bought my truck (in base work-truck trim) I asked them to downsize the wheels. Not a fan of 20s.

-m

 

[camrydriver111]

When I went from 16 inch to 17 inch in my Altima I definitely got a firmer suspension feel with the 17 inch. If you want a sporty feel without being harsh then going up one inch should do it.

I would be careful with aftermarket wheels though. I once had aftermarket wheels that were out of round, and no amount of balancing could fix the vibration. Some of the aftermarket wheel quality is simply scheisse.

If you live in a cold climate I like the idea of getting summer tires and using the Nokian for the winter.

 

[SatinSilver]

American Racing, Enkei, etc have reputations for being durable and Enkei makes wheels for many car companies. I'd stick with a 15 inch wheel for the lower cost, more tire sidewall for a better ride, etc...

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