Which Wheels Look Better: Full-Face Steel or Ecco Cast Aluminum?
- Thread starter Vtx531
- Start date
Living in the rust belt I'd definitely take the aluminum rims.
Any steel rim more than 3 or 4 years old is a heavily pitted rusty mess.
if it weren't for the corrosion problems, I tend to like the steel rims. If you bend a bead lip on a rock you can then use the same rock to bend it back.
Any steel rim more than 3 or 4 years old is a heavily pitted rusty mess. if it weren't for the corrosion problems, I tend to like the steel rims. If you bend a bead lip on a rock you can then use the same rock to bend it back.
Living in the rust belt I'd definitely take the aluminum rims.
I have a set of stock TJ steel wheels that are chrome. They were on my '03 TJ from new until when I got it in 2013. The Jeep was well taken care of by the original owners. I only used them for about a year and they were in great shape when I removed them and still are. If you like the look of chrome it's a nice alternative to paint as they hold up well.
OP
OP
Mine came with chrome wheels as the original equipment; same as the steel wheels in your original post but chrome. I first changed them to Ravines and then MOABs.
OP
That is definitely an advantage of the aluminum rims. If the paint or coating gets compromised, it turns silver/gray from corrosion which blends right in (for the most part).Living in the rust belt I'd definitely take the aluminum rims.
I think the steel wheels might be okay if I avoid driving on salty/slushy days.
If the whole Jeep was aluminum then it wouldn’t be a problem but what good is it to have rust free wheels with a rusty tub that is falling apart?
OP
Those look nice.
A lot of people end up with Moabs at the end of their wheel journey. I didn’t like moabs when they first came out. The way the lugnut holes are shaped in combination with the center cap looks like a flower. But they are growing on me.
OP
Tray Burge
TJ Addict
These are both butt ugly, neither. I had the one's on top and threw them in the garbage when I got nice wheels put on.
Tray Burge
TJ Addict
Yours look good though, mine looked anemic with my tiny tires.
I sold a set of the original aluminum wheels for $225 a number of years ago. They had tires with 1/2 tread but I was pretty surprised someone was interested in them .
Last edited:
Of the 2 types originally posted , I'd go with the Eccos. I know they came in 2 colours and I think a 3rd. I put a set of graphite coloured wheels on my tear drop and really like them. I think they also came in a shade that is between the light ones posted by the OP and the dark ones that I have.
I did too about a year ago. I got $200 CDN (about $150 US) without tires. They went on to an XJ. The guy colour coordinated them with his Jeep and they looked great. I also sold a set Canyons recently for the same price. They went on to a Ford Ranger. The guy said he'd been "searching for years". Funny thing, he lived around the corner from me.
OP
Yes. I think for most trailer axles (Dexter, Rockwell American, etc.) you have to if you're using Jeep wheels. The center hole of a Jeep wheel won't clear the axle hub. I've used 2" spacers on 3 trailers with Jeep wheels and in each case they also compensated for the wheel back spacing.
This is a pic from my off road trailer build. Note the larger diameter of the spacer centre hole. A Jeep wheel would not fit over the axle hub.
I've seen a couple posts about rust. It's really not the steel that's the problem as much as piss poor paint from the factory.
Even with rust I've never had a tubeless tire on a steel wheel leak air from the bead or where the valve stem mounts. Those leaks haven't happened to my Moabs or my wife's Subaru (yet) but I just replaced all four of my daughter's stock alloy wheels from her Cobalt due to three of them having leaks from corrosion. One of those had the leak stopped for a month or so 3 different times by the best repair shop I know and trust. Luckily the daughter doesn't car at all about what her car looks like so she got Cobalt steel wheels and doesn't even care about hubcaps. Those weren't my first three alloys with leaks from corrosion and probably wont be the last.
Here's one of her alloy wheels doing what it does best since it's not to heavy and I don't have to screw it into the ground every time I move it.
Even with rust I've never had a tubeless tire on a steel wheel leak air from the bead or where the valve stem mounts. Those leaks haven't happened to my Moabs or my wife's Subaru (yet) but I just replaced all four of my daughter's stock alloy wheels from her Cobalt due to three of them having leaks from corrosion. One of those had the leak stopped for a month or so 3 different times by the best repair shop I know and trust. Luckily the daughter doesn't car at all about what her car looks like so she got Cobalt steel wheels and doesn't even care about hubcaps. Those weren't my first three alloys with leaks from corrosion and probably wont be the last.
Here's one of her alloy wheels doing what it does best since it's not to heavy and I don't have to screw it into the ground every time I move it.
