Dodge Aluminum versus steel factory wheels

[Doc Mayhem]

I have a 2006 Dodge Ram quad cab CTD 4x4 and am looking for opinions on the aluminum versus steel OEM wheels. I currently have 285/70-17 tires and next time will probably go with 285/75's to get a little more highway speed and am considering picking up a set of ST base steel 17x7.5 inch wheels. I like my current aluminum rims and the 8 inch width gives me some more leeway to go with a wider tire, if need be, but really wish somebody would make a taller 265 or 285 tire. Anyway, the east coast winters are really eating up the aluminum rims and I find steel wheels seem to deal with the winters better, plus I prefer the simpler base trim. Any thoughts would be great, thanks in advance.

 

[my1stcummins]

Have you considered powdercoating the aluminum rims? You could go black for a more "basic" look.

 

[Doc Mayhem]

I had considered that also. Either way I would buy another set of wheels, to minimize down time.

 

[Rovertrader]

Toyo has some tall/skinny stuff in the A/T and M/T.

 

[Regcabguy]

I ran 285-75-17's on my forged aluminums and still wore the centers out prematurely at 36,000 miles. I had them pumped to 65 psi most of their life. A 7.5 rim would be worse. I'd find another set of the aluminums.

 

[bobcat charlie]

Find a set of the factory chrome steel wheels. I believe they are 8.5" wide and the 'chrome' is a glued on facia...just pry it off and you have wide black wheels!

 

[coder]

The aluminum wheels have clear-coat on them that is what gets thrashed, you can have them buffed out and re-coated with a thinker coat of clear coat, and cover then with some good wheel wax and they will look like new and last longer. Or as noted have then stripped and powder coated or painted.

Here's copy of the 2007 Dodge Truck Wheel Specs, it is the same as 06.

 

[Regcabguy]

In the past,I've used aluminum wheel polish on American Racing wheels only to discover that they were clearcoated. The polish ate the clearcoating. That same polish doesn't dent these forged,polished ones on my '07. I don't believe mine are clearcoated. Darn good wheels. Quite a bit lighter than the chrome clads my neighbor had.

The big secret continues as to the load rating on these wheels. I'm assuming that they are at least 3195# as that is the rating on the stock tires.