Lightest alloy wheels for FJ60?

[DesertRose]

I'm wondering if anyone has done any research on the lightest wheels for FJ60s and would be willing to share.

For the conservation project vehicle I want to reduce the pre-sprung weight as much as possible - so I've begun the confusing and crazy task of wading through a bunch of wheel suppliers. Some don't even give weights.

There's so much to consider, but the end goals I'm trying to keep in sight besides fuel economy would be a size that is widely available throughout the world (this vehicle's going to be shipped to Europe & driven to Africa, and also south into Mexico, Central, and South America) - so 16s make sense but aren't absolutely necessary; and also, because of the places I want to go, I want good and strong wheels, too. If possible (and this is tough these days of blingy wheels!) not flashy - I prefer factory steel and flat black for looks anyway.

Too much to ask?

 

[ntsqd]

Steel wheels & light weight don't mix, at least not in a wheel suitable for the application. My suggestion for a starting point would be any of the forged aluminum wheels like those made by Alcoa for M/T (though AIR not all M/T wheels are forgings). I suspect that they may not be absolutely the lightest, but I'd give up some weight for strength. There is an exceptionally light OE 8 lug option, but I don't know of a 6 lug equivalent.

Can always paint or powder coat them black to reduce their "profile."

 

[p1michaud]

Aluminum wheels.

... I want good and strong wheels, too. If possible (and this is tough these days of blingy wheels!) not flashy...

They are not cheap, but have you considered the: Outback TX-1 wheels?

Cheers,
P

 

[Mike S]

Rose

Stock Toyota steel wheels are not light - they are heavier than most aftermarket steel wheels. BUT...

They are tough. They dent (not break) and can be hammered back into round in the middle of nowhere. They are available.

I think 16" would be wise, since it will significantly improve the selection and availability of correct tires for your project.

I would look for weight savings elsewhere.

Mike

 

[DaveInDenver]

I have American Racing Outlaw II wheels and they are in fact much lighter (about 8 lbs) than the factory steels that came off. But like Mike S said, I've beat the rims on those old steelies back into shape and these alloy wheels just have bits of broken aluminum around the rim instead. I would definitely consider all aspects of the usage before concluding that alloy wheels are 'better'. I live with the missing chunks of aluminum because alloy wheels do help you accelerate a bit quicker and all that, but if I didn't commute to work in my truck and it was only a recreational truck I would definitely have steel wheels on it.

 

[ntsqd]

Patch has been my DD, but currently is not. I took the typical steel aftermarket wheels (AR 767?) off in favor of some aluminum wheels. Ironically this happened after ceasing being used as a DD. The improvement in ride quality made it worthwhile. There is a saying in road racing that 1 pound off the unsprung suspension is worth 5 lbs off the sprung part of the vehicle. I feel that wheel weight reduction is an efficient place to work, more so than in buying ELS parts (Expensive Lightweight Stuff) for the rest of the rig.

I think that the oft touted concept that "you can beat a steel wheel back into shape, but you can't do so with an aluminum wheel" needs revision. Maybe you can repeatedly beat steelies back where you may only get one or two chances with aluminum, but I have done it - it is possible to do. Forgings do this better than castings, which is one of the reasons behind my original suggestion.

 

[preacherman]

I also have some American outlaw II wheels on my jeep and they are much lighter than the stock steel fj60 wheels. If I remember right price is reasonable as well at under $80 a rim.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I think that the oft touted concept that "you can beat a steel wheel back into shape, but you can't do so with an aluminum wheel" needs revision. Maybe you can repeatedly beat steelies back where you may only get one or two chances with aluminum, but I have done it - it is possible to do. Forgings do this better than castings, which is one of the reasons behind my original suggestion.

I dunno, I've never had the chance to try straightening my alloys, just missing chunks of aluminum. I beat the snot out of my factory wheels before switching. I dunno what the consensus amongst the Internet wisdom, but my personal take is steels are much more forgiving of a hammer and solid punch than cast alloy wheels. Never personally owned forged wheels, so no comparison.

 

[ntsqd]

One set that we beat back into shape was definitely a casting. I don't know if old castings got a bad rap or if the new casting methods result in a finer grain size that allows for more massaging before they break.

How common is it to bend a wheel in Africa? I've never bent one or been around when one was bent that wasn't a racing situation. Seems like the slower you go the exponentially less likely you are to bend a wheel, but then I've never been to Africa either.

 

[DesertRose]

Thanks for all the great input.

I have to wonder, for my application, just how often I might have to beat a forged alu or steel wheel?

Consider:
- I'm not racing (okay, so maybe we might have to flee some technicals in Chad or a raging elephant in Namibia . . .)

- I am not a recreational rock crawler and would usually with any other choice avoid crazy rocks when overlanding if at all possible

- The purpose here is definitely to reduce the pre-sprung weight, for the conservation value (conserving fuel); everything I've read points to tires/wheels making a big difference (both weight and tread patterns) because of the sheer physics

I have eyed those TX-1 wheels, Pierre - great choice. I might not be able to do them for a couple reasons, but they are definitely excellent. I'm trying to find very similar ones but am not having a lot of luck.

Alcoa might be the ticket, with some powder coating to make them less blingy - both for my own aesthetic choice and 'cause in 3rd world countries I'd rather they look cheaper.

 

[p1michaud]

Anohter aluminium wheel.

I have eyed those TX-1 wheels, Pierre - great choice. I might not be able to do them for a couple reasons, but they are definitely excellent. I'm trying to find very similar ones but am not having a lot of luck.

Another low bling option would be the Wheeler's Off Road 16" black alloy wheels. I've picked up a set and have been very happy with them so far althoug I've scratched them up on rocks but I was expecting it.

A few pictures here.

The only draw back is that they are not offered in 7" wide wich may not be desirable from a field repairability (making up words here) point of view especially if you plan on running a skinnier tire (say 265/75R16, 235/85R16 or 255/85R16). It makes re-setting a bed on such a narrow tire much more difficult with a wider rim (i.e. 8" wide vs. 7" wide).

Heck, you could even go with a zebra stripe pain on the wheels for a total safari look! Happy wheel hunting.

Cheers,
P

 

[DaveInDenver]

I am not a recreational rock crawler and would usually with any other choice avoid crazy rocks when overlanding if at all possible

Crawling has generally been the reason my wheels get dinged. Note that I don't bend wheels, but tear up the rims edges from rock rash. I am certainly far, far from a hard core rock hound, but I'm also not a particularly great driver. Hoping that the modifications I'm doing this spring help, but IFS, stick shift and stock gears has always meant I'm something of a jerky driver... It's tough to be smooth when your low-low crawl is only 45:1 and you have to ride the clutch a lot.

Like ntsqd says, it could certainly be a result of me using some of the cheaper alloys out there and Alcoa, Outback, Weld, etc. might be a higher quality. For your application I do think an alloy wheel makes sense and in generally I don't disagree with the basic rule of reducing unsprung weight. Just throwing out there that my experience has been less robust with my alloys than my factory steel wheels. Toyota wheels are heavy but stout, both steel and aluminum, and so it's also not a fair comparison to hold after market wheels up against them for reliability, either.

 

[DesertRose]

Crawling has generally been the reason my wheels get dinged. Note that I don't bend wheels, but tear up the rims edges from rock rash. I am certainly far, far from a hard core rock hound, but I'm also not a particularly great driver. Hoping that the modifications I'm doing this spring help, but IFS, stick shift and stock gears has always meant I'm something of a jerky driver... It's tough to be smooth when your low-low crawl is only 45:1 and you have to ride the clutch a lot.

Like ntsqd says, it could certainly be a result of me using some of the cheaper alloys out there and Alcoa, Outback, Weld, etc. might be a higher quality. For your application I do think an alloy wheel makes sense and in generally I don't disagree with the basic rule of reducing unsprung weight. Just throwing out there that my experience has been less robust with my alloys than my factory steel wheels. Toyota wheels are heavy but stout, both steel and aluminum, and so it's also not a fair comparison to hold after market wheels up against them for reliability, either.

Well said. Almost everything like this is a tradeoff . . . it's just the deciding part.

Thanks so much everyone.

 

[Sloan]

Bringing this back from the dead after doing some research and thought I would post up if anyone was looking for the info. Most 32-33 inch tires from BFGoodrich are 46-48 pounds so there isn't much room for improvement there unless you are willing to go smaller. The only tire that can save you 5-6 pounds per tire is the 33-9.5 AT but they have been discontinued. I talked to American Racing and there teflon Mojave wheels are 26 pounds each as are the Toyota 15-5.5 wheels. When I heard back from the distributor for the TX-1 wheels I was shocked that a 15x7 is 16.3 pounds per wheel and the 16x7 is 20 pounds. If I switched to those it would save at least 10 pounds each over the Sahara edition wheels that I am running now. Now if that 1 pound unsprung weight is true, removing the 40 pounds by switching to these wheels would be the equivalent of removing 200 pounds off the truck. Oh well, just sharing some info.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Yep - The TX-1 wheels are light. They are on the FJ60 now as it sits in the TLC shop.

Extreme example, but I remember when I switched from factory steel split rims on my FJ40 - probably 40 pounds each - to American Racing Outlaw IIs at probably 25. It was literally a new vehicle. It felt by comparison as though someone at the tire store had grafted on an all-coil suspension while I was waiting.