Cherokee Chat General non-tech Cherokee chat
XJ/MJ/ZJ/WJ
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: DashLynx

Help me decide wheels, por favor!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-02-2010, 10:21 PM
  #1  
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
 
SteelBlue99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default Help me decide wheels, por favor!

Ok, so i have decided that the tires i'm going with are 265/75/R16's (Basically 32's) but i have a few questions about wheels. I can't decide between steel or alloy. The price different isn't significant enough to help me, so i need your guys help.

1. I read that 16x8 Cragar Soft 8's weigh 37lbs a piece. Anyone know what factory 15" Steel Wheels weigh?

2. Most of the wheels i'm looking at are 4.5" Backspacing. Will that work? I've got a 4.5" Long Arm lift, if that makes a difference.

3. Pros / cons of steel & alloy wheels?

What would you guys do?

Like i said, the price difference isn't much. I'd like to save the weight, because steel wheels are heavy. However, if there isn't much weight difference between steel and alloy, i'll probably just go with the steelies.

As always, any and all help is much appreciated! Thanks!
Old 08-03-2010, 12:22 AM
  #2  
CF Veteran
 
troy fritz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,471
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Steel bends and alloy breaks.I went with steel so if I bend one I can pound it out and get home.If alloy breaks then your done.Also ,if you wheel it then they are going to get scratched and dull.Steel is easy to repaint.
Old 08-03-2010, 01:09 AM
  #3  
CF Veteran
 
jiffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: san bruno, ca
Posts: 2,820
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Year: 9teen98
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Default

if there's not much difference in price, i'd go for the alloys.
Old 08-03-2010, 01:11 AM
  #4  
Honorary Moderator
 
96_xj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Gilbert AZ/Las Cruces NM
Posts: 8,135
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 11 Posts
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 upgraded
Default

i would go the 16x8 steel rim (soft 8's is my choice) with a 4" or -12 backspacing.

Price should be about $60 a rim.

like posted above steel bends, alloy breaks.
Old 08-03-2010, 01:34 AM
  #5  
Seasoned Member
 
R Cannon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 HO
Default I painted my stock steelies.

They look new now.
Old 08-03-2010, 03:16 PM
  #6  
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
 
SteelBlue99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by 96_xj
i would go the 16x8 steel rim (soft 8's is my choice) with a 4" or -12 backspacing.

Price should be about $60 a rim.

like posted above steel bends, alloy breaks.

I do like the Soft 8's. For example, though Pro Comp's Soft 8's 16x8 come in 4.25 Backspacing. Plus, they're $85 a piece. For about $25 more per wheel, i could get some nice Pro Comp alloy's. The only difference is the backspacing on the alloys is 4.5". Is there a huge weight difference between alloys and steel wheels?
Old 08-03-2010, 03:25 PM
  #7  
CF Veteran
 
superj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: corpus christi, texas
Posts: 2,004
Received 40 Likes on 35 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 I6
Default

depends on the type of wheel you are getting.
Old 08-03-2010, 04:06 PM
  #8  
CF Veteran
 
Tural's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Forest, VA
Posts: 3,379
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Default

alloys weight quite a bit less than steels. i'd go with alloys all day long. you're not gonna be bending and breaking wheels every week, it's a once a year incident, if that. and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to replace one instead of beating it back straight. although, i have already scratched the everliving poopoo out of my wheels, but that's because i like getting really close to rocks and i don't take air out of my tires when i wheel.
u said the steelies weigh 37 lbs.
my alloys weight 17 lbs. a piece. 15x8.5(actual measurement) and 3.75" backspacing.
so, the just the gas mileage you save will pay for the alloys.
if it's just an offroad toy, then steelies might be more suitable for you. bend it on the trail, beat it back, air it back up.
i guess, the gas mileage and the parasitic power loss is the only disadvantage of steelies.
Old 08-03-2010, 04:15 PM
  #9  
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
 
SteelBlue99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

It's not going to be JUST an offroad toy (although mostly) i will be driving it on the highway as well. Will 4.5" backspacing work, or will i have to get spacers? The gas mileage i'm not terribly worried about, the main thing is stopping. Although the increased MPG would be nice. I'm not too worried about breaking them either.
Old 08-03-2010, 04:28 PM
  #10  
CF Veteran
 
Tural's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Forest, VA
Posts: 3,379
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Default

Originally Posted by SteelBlue99
It's not going to be JUST an offroad toy (although mostly) i will be driving it on the highway as well. Will 4.5" backspacing work, or will i have to get spacers? The gas mileage i'm not terribly worried about, the main thing is stopping. Although the increased MPG would be nice. I'm not too worried about breaking them either.
less rolling mass takes less effort to stop.
with a 4.5" lift, i would definitely get less backspacing than 4.5". you gotta go out as much as you go up to maintain your rollover leverage. they do make steelies with 3.75" backspacing. although, 4.5" backspacing will clear your leafs and control arms, you will not need spacers.
sounds to me like you MIGHT have more use for alloys than steelies. mine cost $350 shipped for all four, and i got them in two days. not trying to bury my face in your business, just informing you
Old 08-03-2010, 04:28 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
tomcarey88's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: delaware.milton
Posts: 676
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1996-1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I-6,4.0-246000+miles
Default

go black rock there cheaper an they come with center cap,which is saving you like 15 buck s http://www.quadratec.com/products/92613_03XX_B_PG.htms
Old 08-03-2010, 07:01 PM
  #12  
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
 
SteelBlue99's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by Tural
less rolling mass takes less effort to stop.
with a 4.5" lift, i would definitely get less backspacing than 4.5". you gotta go out as much as you go up to maintain your rollover leverage. they do make steelies with 3.75" backspacing. although, 4.5" backspacing will clear your leafs and control arms, you will not need spacers.
sounds to me like you MIGHT have more use for alloys than steelies. mine cost $350 shipped for all four, and i got them in two days. not trying to bury my face in your business, just informing you
Yea, that's what i'm going for, is the less rolling mass, making it easier to stop. Where did you order your wheels from?

Originally Posted by tomcarey88
go black rock there cheaper an they come with center cap,which is saving you like 15 buck s http://www.quadratec.com/products/92613_03XX_B_PG.htms
I do like their wheels, however the problem i'm having is their backspacing. It seems like all the wheels i find in 16x8 are 4.5" or 5" of backspacing. I'm having a hard time finding 16x8's in the right BS.
Old 08-03-2010, 07:56 PM
  #13  
CF Veteran
 
Tural's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Forest, VA
Posts: 3,379
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Default

Originally Posted by SteelBlue99
Yea, that's what i'm going for, is the less rolling mass, making it easier to stop. Where did you order your wheels from?
ebay, but i called the guy and he sold it to me for less, because he didn't have to pay paypal fees.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/15X8-...Q5fAccessories
Old 10-22-2014, 01:11 AM
  #14  
Newbie
 
jeepct's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Storrs, CT
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Default Mystery Wheels

What wheels did you end up going with? I thought i gathered you got pro comp alloys with 4.5 BS, but I've searched everywhere for this wheel and it just doesn't exisit. Lost....
Old 10-22-2014, 01:13 AM
  #15  
Banned
 
93_xjcherokee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: tucson
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 9 Posts
Year: 1992
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Steel wheels. I have aluminum and I am willing to trade for steel wheels


Quick Reply: Help me decide wheels, por favor!



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:14 AM.