Alloy vs. Steel

[Luxton]

ok... have read and heard stuff that alloy is weaker than steel, have also read stuff that says now they're pretty much the same strength... I'm confused :grin:

I know alloy's are lighter, but will they REALLY stand up to punishment?

What's your pref and why?

Cheers

[Milan]

Alloy. No rust and they stay round longer. Just don't drive on them without tires much. If you need to do that, then steel is better. Even the cheap steel. Otherwise, cheap alloy is at least as strong as cheap steel. Good steel rims are very heavy, good alloy rims are heavier than cheap alloy. So cheap aloy gives you light weight, some strength over cheap steel, does not rust and cost less than cold/hot forged rims.

[NS-jeeper]

But can you bang alloy back into shape? I had a car a few years back with alloy rims and they cracked rather then bent when I hit a pothole. Mind you it was a HUGE pothole.

[Jaguar]

I'm a fan of alloy. Unfortunately, they will crack instead of bend (I dunno if I could fix a bent rim good enough on the trail to get me home, so it might as well be a cracked alloy rim ), They are more expensive, And are prone to pitting (The alloy rims on my last jeep started to pitt after 2 years). IMHO it comes down to preference and $.

[cLAY]

I have also had alloy rims break chunks off.

Also the rust argument is mute in my books as none of my factory Jeep rims have rusted but every set of factory alum rims I've run across have reacted with the rubber to form a white film between the rim and tire bead causing a very slow bead leak not a big deal if you air up and down all the time but I was constantly telling my mom and sister to air up the tires on their GCs untill they finally went to a tire shop and had it fixed. Only solution is to remove tire from rim and buff crap off rim and re-install.

[Luxton]

I honestly don't think I'd drive on a rim that I've bent back into shape... at least, not for very long... which means, throw the spare on and go buy a new one.  So, I'm not OVERLY worried about cracking vs bending... unless damage is usually done to the tire when the crack happens that is.

so, basically, if the alloy cracks, it's toast... and, if the steel bends... I dunno, maybe it's just me, but I'd be replacing it.

so, does anyone know if the alloy rims out now will break at the same kind of pressure as the steel will bend at?  Is it a bit stronger, because it actually cracks apart?  is it weaker because it doesn't have the flexability?

Thanks a bunch

[FiEND]

i believe there is a few types of alloy besides just cast vs forged.  alloy on a car for instance would not stand up to much hard driving.  alloy on a jeep though will be tougher.  i've seen some alloys that specifically state not for offroad use.

steel is heavier so harder on suspension and drivelines, struts and all that good stuff .. not to mention stopping, power and fuel economy.

currently i have road hazard on my tires and rims so if i broke one it would be replaced.  but idealy i'll have a separate set for off-road vs normal driving.  preferably forged alloy but i havent looked at prices yet so might also be steel but i'd prefer not.

[SwampSinger]

I've chipped alloy rims before that's why i've decided to go with steellies now.

If I hit them on rocks and put a dent into them..... I can beat them back to shape...

I like that...

As far as being heavier... if you are running big tires on your rig it will be tought

on suspension and drivelines, struts and all that good stuff .. not to mention stopping, power and fuel economy.

no matter if you have steelies or alloy rims. Even if you have with 31" and alloy rims ... you will notice a difference in your stoping power and fuel economy ( I did).

I have steellies because I drive my Heep on the trail and it is convenient to repair. Steellies are not as "perty" as alloy rim but I'm not driving a pavement princess either (eventhough i've been called a grocery delivery Heep before  :lol: ).

It's cheaper to grap a hammer and beat your rim back to shape than getting the alloys rim fixed by a shop.

That's my 2 cents...

Cheers,

[01sahara]

It's cheaper to grap a hammer and beat your rim back to shape than getting the alloys rim fixed by a shop.

That's my 2 cents...

Cheers,

I had to have one of my stock 16" alloy weeks fixed after bending it on the trail. Cost me 75+GST to have it fixed. I could have bought a new steel rim at that cost. I use the alloy as my street tires and have the MT’S on steel rims. I changed back to the street tires and rims this week and Dom is right a noticeable difference in weight effecting breaking and fuel economy. I think a lot of the weight difference is in the tire.

Blair

[Milan]

Our experience thus far is a bit different. The cheap steelies seem to bend too easily. They also go out of round more easily. So it seemed I'd need a new steel rim several times a year even if it looked ok. When we did bend one and tried to hammer it back into shape it meant: 1 hit it leaked less, 2 hits it leaked even less, 3 hits and it leaked as much as before the attempted repair. It was a small dent that we believe an alloy rim would have withstood without damage. The thing is, where a steel bends alloy does not. Once the impact is so big to damage the alloy beyond use, the steel rim would have been bent so much as to hardly be put back in shape. When that happens you should have a spare anyway. Never had the alloy rims oxidize at the bead so much as to leak but steel rusts there and elsewhere. It probably depends on street (salt) use and washing more than anything. I have to admit that once I had new steelies powdercoated on top of the original coat, they're still looking good after couple seasons of use.

[GiS]

Also think forward to beadlocking....Can DIY on Steel...What about alloy?

Any interest in Alum rims?

[Luxton]

Also think forward to beadlocking....Can DIY on Steel...What about alloy?

Any interest in Alum rims?

not thinking about beadlocking.... have heard about legal issue's with beadlocks on the road, but have also heard that's bunk...

everything I've read about alum rims says they won't stand up...