Choosing the Best Custom Wheels

Changing your vehicle’s wheels and tyres comes with multiple benefits, but the selection process can be overwhelming for some. Along with determining your needs, there are many factors to consider to make sure your wheel upgrade is the right choice for your car and your budget. To begin, it’s important to know which information is needed to buy new wheels.

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Custom Wheel Buying Considerations

When contemplating an upgrade to a set of custom wheels, the first thing to think about is why you’re making the change. Do you want to change your car or 4WD’s appearance, or are you pursuing increased performance? The reason behind your decision to buy new wheels will help you narrow your selection and make the right choice for your needs. Fitment is a critical consideration, and you’ll need to think of backspacing, bolt pattern and offset, as well as pricing.

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  • Bolt pattern: Each vehicle has a different bolt pattern, which is the number and position of the studs that attach the wheels. The vehicle owner’s manual provides this info, but wheel and tyre sellers can provide it as well. Before buying your new wheels and tyres, it’s important to ensure that the bolt pattern is compatible with your vehicle.
  • Width and diameter: the vehicle’s factory width can also be found in the manual, but it depends on the suspension design. If you are buying new wheels but you’re retaining your factory tyres, simply choose wheels the same width as the factory set. Diameter is also an important measurement, as it tells you the maximum size of the wheel and tyre combo you can use.
  • Backspacing is the distance between the wheel hub and its inner edge. Most cars and 4x4s have extra backspacing, which allows the fitment of larger wheel and tyre combos. The backspacing on the vehicle should be large enough for the upgrade.
  • Offset measurement is one of the most difficult parts of buying a new set of wheels. It’s the distance between the wheel centre and the mounting surface.

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Pricing is a primary consideration when buying custom lightweight wheels and tyres. As with other major automotive purchases, you often get what you pay for. There are luxury wheels for tight budgets, but there are also pricey options. It may help to have a budget set before shopping begins, and it may also help to regard a new set of wheels as an investment.

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Benefits of New Tyres and Wheels

A new set of Fuel rims and tyres can make your vehicle look, feel and handle much differently, and you can match your selections to your tastes and your driving habits. Aftermarket wheels are usually lighter than those from the factory, which can improve ride quality, fuel economy and a variety of other factors.