What the F---!! Plastic wheels??

[Dr. Righteous]

I've been a 2014 Ram owner less than 2 weeks. Yesterday afternoon was my first change to give it a good wash that leads to scrutinizing the body panels, wheels, etc look for small defects; ya know. It was pretty clean already, but not clean enough.
Cleaning the 20" wheels I couldn't help but notice they appeared to be plastic covers. I realized I had a oil leak and crawled under it to find the oil filter was not on very tight. Looking at the back of the wheel I could see it had a plastic cladding over it.
I got to looking around (I've never owned a newer truck before) and was surprised to see how much of it was plastic.
It is a plastic truck. I had a whole box full of these when I was a kid.

I'm not a "big wheel" fan anyway. The tires on it are fairly new so when it gets time to replace them I'm going to go with a 17" wheel and probably BF Goodrich AT tires.

 

[TerraNewf]

Mine came with the 17's, no plastic. It depends which model and wheel your truck comes with. not all wheels are plastic covered

 

[BlownGP]

Welcome to 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha

 

[MADDOG]

Yeah, many manufacturers adopted plastic clad wheels some time ago and depending on the model of vehicle you still find them today.

You would not believe how ugly the steel wheel is underneath that plastic!

 

[Hemi450hp]

Dodge has been using chrome clad covers on some of the 20" wheels since 2003. This is nothing new.

 

[ExpressRules]

The "plastic" clad wheels in some ways are beneficial because you wont have to be worried about rust and corrosion. The amount of plastic used on the Ram is really no different from what all the other truck makers are doing.

 

[mohemipar]

I actually don't mind it at all. And it looks just like the real thing, with proof by the OP lol. Its not some of the real cheap looking crap you see on economy cars that is clearly a hub cap.

 

[HemiPower36]

I was surprised when I found out about the chrome clad wheel. The next day, I immediately went over to friends f150, same year truck as mine, to see if his truck had it. His truck did it fact have the chrome clad covers too. I didn't know what to make of the situation. Fancy hub caps on my mother f*cking LARAMIE?!?!

Anywho lol, I have since upgraded those wheels.

 

[BlownGP]

I actually like the 09-12 sport wheels


They would look good in 22s and not plastic.


I like the design a little better than RT 22s

 

[Casper]

Yeah, many manufacturers adopted plastic clad wheels some time ago and depending on the model of vehicle you still find them today.

You would not believe how ugly the steel wheel is underneath that plastic!

Model and year depending--my sport has matt-finish aluminum rims underneath the plastic cladding..

 

[BigRed4x4]

Plastic or not they're still better looking than any other Ram rims, besides mabye the sport trim.

 

[theviking]

Real chrome'd aluminum rims would not hold up in the salt belt. Or in most areas without some periodic maintenance. So be happy they are plastic covers.

 

[2015HD]

The fact you just noticed the material means the design works as planned

My 2014 Silverado had the same thing but an added Chevy bonus, cheep as*, rusty, Chinese steel wheels underneath which made the edges look like sh*it, love my chrome clad RAM wheels

 

[ExpressRules]

Plastic or not they're still better looking than any other Ram rims, besides mabye the sport trim.

I vote for 20" black on my Black Express.

 

[AustinB]

These threads never fail to make me laugh.

I paid $xx,*** for my truck... 3-12 months later - wtf these are plastic covers!!?

Give us one reason why they shouldn't be. How about 1 benefit that a real chrome rim has over the chrome clad...

IMO

 

[DannyMK2]

Dodge has been using chrome clad covers on some of the 20" wheels since 2003. This is nothing new.

my 2002 had them. 17" chrome clad wheels.

 

[Dr. Righteous]

These threads never fail to make me laugh.

I paid $xx,*** for my truck... 3-12 months later - wtf these are plastic covers!!?

Give us one reason why they shouldn't be. How about 1 benefit that a real chrome rim has over the chrome clad...

IMO

Least I didn't buy it new and pay all that deprecation. So I'm only allowed to say "Hmm, plastic wheel covers. Why that is odd."

 

[lonestar21]

Love my covers on mine

 

[14hemiexpress]

I love the chrome clads they are so easy to keep clean its unreal how well they shine up IMO. Its a alumninum wheel under so it's still a quality part just easy maintance.

 

[BigA]

I really like the wheels on my sport. They are machined/painted with a clear coat on them.