original wheels

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WildcatHemi

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im curious what wheels my truck rolled off the line with. i ran my vin number and it just says 17” aluminum wheels. when i bought the truck it had 20” kmc wheels. i traded those on some 20” factory black aluminum wheels. now i want to go back to 17” i know it doesn’t matter which 17’s i get as long as i like them. im just curious.
 

Jeepwalker

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He didn't say why. Maybe because he likes "the look" of the stock wheel/tire pkg. Or more comfortable on long drives than thinner tires??? Those painted wheels are actually really great long-term. Brake dust washes off real well. Brake dust doesn't tend to corrode the painted AL wheels, where it will the chrome. Up here in the N. Chrome wheels look great but eventually corrode and look terrible. I myself like the chrome ...but the AL wheels if taken care of (and he's from TX), a guy can carefully 'buff' the clear coat and make them look like new. And get many yrs out of them.

I don't mind the look of those stock wheels though ..(mine are similar! -- Awww Shucks, lol!!) :D
 

pacofortacos

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Those are the stock Outdoorsman 17, which are fine with the stock tire size.
They are too narrow to go up in tire size though as they are a 7" wide rim IMO.

If you want to run a larger 17" tire, look for the stock 8" wide wheel, the truck will handle better on the highway. Rebel wheels are 8" wide.
 

mikeru

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Those are the same wheels the 2015 Tradesman I used to own came with. It got the “upgraded” wheels because it had the option that also came with chrome bumpers. They were a lot better than the steel wheels the base Tradesman came with.
 

Grams

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Wheels are such a popular modification these days…. I suppose one reason is because that’s such an easy alteration in most anybodys’ skill level…
…. I belive Most owners do it for LOOKS. …and that’s why it’s such a personal choice.

BUT…most owners also are unsware that the factory spent beaucoup money on engineers and testing when they settled on OEM wheels…. for Handling, Braking, and Safety considerations…. Not just “looks”.

When owners change from OEM to aftermarket wheels they assume considerable liabilities of which they may be unaware…. especially as they simulataneously may change tire sizes… all in the pursuit of different “looks”.

Tire size affedts braking efficiency. A larger circumference tire will Reduce Braking capability….because it has the same effect as installing SMALLer brakes. This means braking Distances are Increased…. while brake-LIFE is Reduced.

Larger tires also increase footprint…. and that can reduce hydroplane speeds…due to footprint-to-GW ratio.

Turning radius, weight capacity and distribution, over/understeer handling str all be altered to unknown qualities. Lawyers love those sort of things.

Thinner aspect-ratio tires carry their own differences in capacity as well.

My previous ride was a ‘12 Tradesman with steel wheels and those glued-on chrome dressings…. which I eventually learned to ignore. But after 10 years I happened upon a craiglisting of NOS aluminum wheels like I pictured in post #6. I always liked their looks and the seller had removed them the moment he got his ‘14 truck home from the showroom. He wanted $200 for the set of 4 and I lept at them.
My main reason for wanting them was not “looks” however. I had suffered untold re-visits to Discount Tire Re-balancing my tires and I was “tired” of THAT. DT suspected the steel wheels….which I didn’t believe…but “what the hey!” the price of NOS aluminum wheels that I preferred for “looks” called to me.
I bought and installed them with new Michelins.

That was when I was out-of-state on our next trip and when that old man ran his red light and T-boned another truck that was forced Into-Us!

Total loss.

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WildcatHemi

WildcatHemi

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hahaha. i agree those are ugly wheels. im not going back to those. im actually thinking about going with these. i only have two right now but working on building up to 4. once i have 4, i will be putting 35x11.50x17 falken wildpeak at4’s on them.
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