Truck drivers often overlook the importance of installing aftermarket wheels and solely focus on appearance. While upgrading your wheels can enhance your truck’s appearance significantly, it is not the only factor you should be paying attention to. There’s much more to your tires than enhancing your truck’s appearance; choosing the right tires for your truck can also improve traction and provide you with a very smooth and quiet ride. Below we’ll discuss four factors that will help you choose the right wheels for your truck!
1. Tires
Your tire type can greatly impact the truck’s handling capabilities and driving experience. For instance, Highway truck tires are designed to enhance highway performance as it provides ride comfort, offer long wear and deliver low road noise. All-terrain truck tires are a better choice if you often require travelling off-road or under some challenging terrain conditions. The aggressive tread design on all-terrain truck tires increases traction as they feature deeper tread depth, more prominent tread block elements and wider tread grooves that increase traction when driving off-road or on uneven terrain. Mud tires offer maximum traction and are typically installed when trucks frequently encounter muddy, soft or rocky off-road terrain. Since mud tires generally come in large sizes and feature tread lugs that firmly grip any uneven surfaces, they provide you with maximum traction on rugged terrain. You can definitely depend on mud tires for a safe and smooth drive while off-road or on challenging terrain.
2. Wheels
Your driving conditions will heavily affect the type of wheels you need for your truck. The wheel type can significantly affect your truck’s performance off-road and on the street. Steel wheels are usually the preferred choice for off-roading as they are affordable and easy to repair. The weight of steel wheels increases the weight of the truck, enabling it to firmly stick to the road and quickly make it through snow, mud, gravel and other obstacles on the road. If you rarely drive off-road and usually drive on the street, then cast alloy wheels would be the best option for you. It is not advised to have cast allow wheels if you're frequently off the road as the metal used in cast alloy wheels is composed of lightweight aluminum that is more malleable than other types of wheels, making it more susceptible to damage if used off-road. For drivers who spend time on-road and off-road, forged alloy wheels are the ideal choice as they are more durable and resistant to damage. The dense alloy has the strength of the steel wheels but isn’t as heavy and can be used off-road as they’re easier to fix than cast alloy wheels.
3. Size
It’s important to know that not all tires will fit your truck. When upgrading your tires, you must ensure that the diameters of both the tire and rim diameters are the same. A general rule of thumb is the larger your tire, the more grip your tires will have on the road. If you’re a frequent off-roader and constantly tackle rocky terrain, you will probably be looking to upgrade your tires to at least 35-inch tires. Extreme off-roaders will be more comfortable with 37-inch tires or larger. Before installing your next set of wheels, talk to a specialist to find the best wheel size for your truck.
4. Weather Conditions
Similar to SUVs and car tires, you must consider the weather conditions when purchasing your new truck tires. For instance, the winter season varies across Canada, so it’s crucial to ensure that you have the right set of tires that can withstand the cold. In some places, you might only need one set of truck tires throughout the year, while in cities like Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton and Kelowna, you will probably need a set of truck wheels only for the winter season. Learn more about the importance of winter tires and how to choose the right tires here.
Canada Custom Autoworks: Your One-Stop-Shop for All Your Truck’s Needs
We aim to provide our customers with the right truck tires and wheels to ensure that all their needs are met. Our experts offer a free consultation to all customers to help them find the best fit for their trucks. Contact us today to learn more about our truck wheels and tires, or visit one of our many tire shops across Canada!