Wheel Talk

[olyelr]

For what it is worth, the AEV wheels are made in china also. They arnt happy about it, though, but cant find anyone in the states to make them at the moment.

They can get the wheels made in the states, but don't want to paid for it. It's all about price point.

Made In: China. And for the record, we’re not happy about it. At AEV, we remain committed to American manufacturing, and we would much rather have our wheels manufactured in the US. But right now, you can’t get wheels made in the US at aftermarket volumes.

What happened? Most of the US wheel manufacturing used to be based in California. In the early nineties, China targeted the wheel industry as a strategic growth industry. They set up incentives for the construction of wheel manufacturing facilities, began offering export credits of 22% on wheels, and fully subsidized the cost of new tooling. US plants couldn’t compete. Most US manufacturers ended up selling their equipment to China, created partnerships with the Chinese plants, and became middle men importing wheels back to the US.

Today, the only cast wheel plants left in the US are for high volume OE wheel programs. So unfortunately, buying from China is a necessary evil of being in the aftermarket cast wheel business. We have made the effort to buy from a high quality Chinese plant. Our plant also produces OE wheels for Volkswagen, Audi, BMW and Harley Davidson, among others. Our supplier has Americans on the ground in China who oversee our programs for us, and we have been over to China to inspect and visit the plant.

When lower volume manufacturing becomes feasible again in the US, we will be first in line. Over the past 20 years, the Chinese government has stopped subsidizing tooling, has been phasing out the wheel export credits, and as of 2011 they finally eliminated the wheel credits. We hope that in time, US plants will be able to compete and we will start to see some volume move back to the US.



That was copied and pasted from their website.

Also, they are not too woried about competing in price either. They came right out and stated that too.

[RustyPW]

What they say, and what they do is two different things.

[olyelr]

What they say, and what they do is two different things.

It is, or it could be?

[Jack187]

For what it is worth, I have been running the AEV Katlas for 6 months on 37" tires. They balanced perfectly and have had no issues with them at all. If the stock wheels had been 1/2" wider though, I would have stuck with them.

[Will]

I had AEV's on the Wrangler and loved them. I also talked to the dude before I bought them about the manufacturing process and yes he said made in China but they have their own QC onsite everyday making sure they are meeting their tolerances and demands. The up close quality and finish on them was absolutely flawless. I have contemplated getting the ones for the PW but not ready yet. Spent all my loose cash on those Kings I'm waiting on Need to go digging for more

[TwinStick]

My factory Alcoa rims are also made in China. No issues at all. I can definitely feel the difference in my American Racing Atlas winter rims though. MUCH more flex if doing an evasive maneuver. I figure it's the rims because the Cooper STT are 3 ply sidewalls, don't think the factory BFG's are, or at least were not in 2008 when we bought the truck.

[jersey1880]

Hutchinson makes Rock Monster wheels. Internal beadlock that is street legal and DOT compliant
http://www.rockmonsterwheels.com

[olyelr]

Hutchinson makes Rock Monster wheels. Internal beadlock that is street legal and DOT compliant
http://www.rockmonsterwheels.com

Pretty badass looking if i do say so myself!

http://www.rockmonsterwheels.com/produc ... duct=dodge

[adeluca73]

Hutchinson makes Rock Monster wheels. Internal beadlock that is street legal and DOT compliant
http://www.rockmonsterwheels.com

Those are the best looking & most functional alternatives to the stock PW wheels I've seen yet. Will the backspace back space on those wheels work on the 14+ 's & how big of a tire will they support?

[olyelr]

Hutchinson makes Rock Monster wheels. Internal beadlock that is street legal and DOT compliant
http://www.rockmonsterwheels.com

Those are the best looking & most functional alternatives to the stock PW wheels I've seen yet. Will the backspace back space on those wheels work on the 14+ 's & how big of a tire will they support?

Yes the backspacing will work just fine. They are rated for 3200 pounds. You could basically run any tire that fits a 17" rim.

[MoparToYou]

From the specs of that wheel, it looks like the Hutchison wheel is going to have the inner edge of the wheel 1" farther out than the stock wheel, and the outer edge of the wheel 1 1/2" farther out than the stock wheel. Does anyone know if the internal beadlock design of the Hutchison Rock Monster wheel will work with the stock TPMS sensors?

[Ducky's Dad]

Does anyone know if the internal beadlock design of the Hutchison Rock Monster wheel will work with the stock TPMS sensors?

Hutchinson says it works with your TPMS, but I think you have to specify when you order the wheels. Their bead lock is kind of hinky. It's a two-piece wheel with 16 studs on the 17" wheel, torqued to 100 pound-feet. As you are assembling the tire onto the wheel, you stuff a thick rubber ring into the center of the tire and that rubber ring presses the beads from the inside to retain them on the assembled wheel. I'm guessing that the TPMS sensor has to project through that rubber donut, so might require some sort of extension or maybe a different sensor that they ship with the wheel. No external bead locks on this wheel.

[Colibri]

They use a small aluminum bracket that holds the tpms on the middle of the rubber spacer. I've never had any difficulty or troubles with it. The design isn't hinky, it's field proven by the us military.

[adeluca73]

Man I'm really digging those wheels, it's kinda exactly what I'd look for in specs to warrant ditching the stock wheels. Any input on expected cost, mounting cost, & good place to order? Their web site has only like 5 dealers & most are in CA.

[Colibri]

http://www.high-impact.net/dot_approved_beadlocks.htm

I ordered mine through high impact, very easy to deal with, expect to pat around 450-500 a wheel probably. They're quite easy to mount as a diy project and I use ceramic balance beads in mine so there was no mounting or balancing cost. Order a couple extra o rings and you have to ask for the tpms brackets.

[olyelr]

Yeah, it may be hard getting a place like Discount Tire or the like to mess with them, but by all means it really should be a fairly straight forward do-it-yourself type deal. I am not sure if bb's can be used for balancing when TPM sensors are installed, though.

Here are a few pic's showing how they work...

Yeah, anywhere I saw them they were up around $480-490 each.

[Colibri]

4wheelparts discount no one will touch beadlocks. It would have to be a dedicated off road shop, but it really is very simple to do it yourself. A pair of tyre pliers makes disassembly super easy too.

http://www.tyrepliers.com.au/New/home.html

[Pit Slave]

I like Hutchinson wheels probably for a whole other reason, I could drive to the factory and get a set in 5 minutes. It kinda fits with the buy local and buy USA thing for me. lol

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[04Ram2500Hemi]

So apparently the best three choices (not in any order) is the Power Wagon Factory Wheels, H2 Wheels, or Hutchinson Wheels.

[2011TXPowerWagon]

I like the factory rims and the Method Rims.

[olyelr]

So apparently the best three choices (not in any order) is the Power Wagon Factory Wheels, H2 Wheels, or Hutchinson Wheels.

IMO its really just a personal preference for looks more than anything. Just about any wheel you can bolt on will provide plenty of strength for most peoples usage. If you are frequently airing down close to single digits, and being abusive when doing so, then getting a real set of beadlocks would be money well spent. Otherwise, its just a matter of being cool or going for that tuff look.

I think the factory wheels are one of the best wheels for looks. I just wish they were a bit wider with a bit less backspacing.

[2011RPW]

My methods came in yesterday...

[adeluca73]

Nice wheels, pics once mounted please.

[hammer40]

Man, I know the stock wheels are all I need but I really like those Methods.

[Graveltravels]

I have a set of the hutchinsons for my jeep. I also have a set of ultra beadlocks. Far and away the hutch's are the best. Easy to set up, tho the first one will take you 3 hours, the last tree will take you 30 minutes each !! And I have 38.5" trxus mt's on them, no balancing on them, and can run down the road at 70 mph.


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