How to Choose the Best Wheels for Your Jeep or 4x4
Why Do I Need Aftermarket Wheels?
Upgrading your Jeep or 4x4 with a set of Aftermarket Wheels is one of the best modifications you can make. A new set of wheels can enable the fitment of larger tires, enhance capability off-road and add rugged style to your 4x4! However, choosing the right set of wheels for your trusty 4x4 can be overwhelming, as the huge amount of options make it incredibly hard to decide! While style mostly comes down to personal preference, its important to understand the differences in functionality between the different wheel types.
Non-Beadlock wheels
These are the traditional style and most common Jeep or 4x4 wheels, made from either steel or aluminum. Non-beadlock wheels are the type your vehicle came with from the factory. Non-beadlock wheels are an excellent choice for daily drivers, off-roaders and overlanders. While they don't offer any bead retention while aired down, they still can be aired down off-road as long as you are careful not to go too low. Typically you shouldnt air down past 10-12psi on non-beadlock wheels.
Ideal for:
- Overlanding
- General purpose off-roading
- Excellent Daily Driving
Non-beadlock wheels are avaliable in a huge variety of styles and finishes so you can truly customize your rig the way you want!
Beadlock Wheels
Beadlock wheels provide exceptional off-road capability and are available in both steel and aluminum. They’re ideal for those who spend most of their time navigating tough trails, deep snow, sand, and rocky terrain. The locking ring secures the tire bead, allowing for extremely low air pressures off-road with minimal risk of debeading. However, most beadlock wheels are not DOT-approved, and many tire shops cannot service them. Keep this in mind, as installation may require a specialty 4x4 shop.
Ideal for:
- Extreme off-roading
- Hardcore rockcrawling
- Deep snow/sand trails
These wheels are generally heavier than non-beadlock options and may offer less variety in design and finishes, but they make up for it with their impressive off-road capability.
Alternatives To Traditional Beadlock Wheels
Icon Rebound Pro
Many modern wheels combine bead retention technology similar to tradtional beadlocks with the convenience of a DOT-approved non-beadlock wheel. The Icon Rebound Pro's(shown above) feature patented InnerLock technology instead of a traditional beadlock ring, offering fully DOT-compliant bead retention. These allow for ultra low tire pressures while off-road with minimal worry for losing a tire bead. Checkout our video on the Icon Rebound Pro Wheels!
Ideal for:
- Hardcore Off-roading
- Hardcore Overlanding
- Daily Driving
Method Beadgrip Wheels
The Method Beadgrip Wheels are offered in a huge variety of styles, finishes and feature bead retention technology. These wheels bridge the gap between conventional wheels and beadlocks. Found on both the inner and outter bead, Bead Grip grooves engage the tire bead for a stronger hold at lower pressures. Best of all, these wheels install the same way as non-beadlock wheels, ensuring any tire shop can easily work install tires on them. They are a lightweight and incredibly durable option perfect for everyone from hardcore off-roaders to daily drivers!
Ideal for:
- Off-roading
- Overlanding
- Excellent Daily Driving
Hutchinson Beadlock Wheels
Hutchinson Rock Monster Beadlocks are another great option for beadlock capability with a DOT approved construction. Instead of an outer beadlock ring, the two-piece Hutchinson wheel is bolted together and locks both sides of the tire securely with an inner beadlock ring. This innovative design secures both sides of the tires bead, unlike most other beadlocks which only secure the front facing bead. These are the same style beadlock wheels used by the US military. Needless to say, with the Hutchinson Beadlocks you can air down to single digit PSI's without worrying about losing a tire bead! Checkout our video on the Hutchinson Beadlocks!
Ideal for:
- Hardcore off-roading
- Hardcore rockcrawling
- Daily Driving
Wheel Spacers
Wheel spacers are a great upgrade if you're fitting larger tires on stock wheels. Larger tires can rub against the fender, bumper, and inner fender liner when using stock wheels. Wheel spacers mount to the wheel hub, pushing the wheel and tire outward to provide additional clearance for larger tires. This makes them an excellent solution for keeping your stock wheels while accommodating wider tires. As long as the wheel spacers are installed with red loctite and torqued to spec, they are a perfectly acceptable solution for gaining a wider stance and fitting larger tires!
Checkout our video on wheel spacers!
Benefits Of Airing Down Your Tires
Before you choose your set of wheels, its important to understand the importance of airing down if you plan on off-roading with your Jeep or 4x4. As shown in the photo above, airing down your tires provides much better traction and comfort by allowing the tires to fold over obstacles better than a tire at street pressure. An aired down tire provides both a wider and much longer contact patch than a tire that is not aired down. Driving off-road with fully inflated tires provides a rough, bouncy ride that can even put additional stress on your drivetrain!
However, airing down your tires can increase the risk of debeading, where the tire separates from the wheel. This is an important consideration when choosing off-road wheels, as beadlocks may be a better option if you plan to run very low PSI. While non-beadlock wheels can still be aired down, it's essential to be mindful of how low you go.
We offer a huge selection of tools to get your tires aired down quickly, plus we offer fast and effecient air compressors to get you aired back up faster after your trail adventure!
Whichever set of wheels you decide to go with, be sure to checkout our full selection of wheels and tires!
