What Is The Right Fit For Wheels?

Quality, integrity, and value - these are important factors when you consider making any kind of purchase or investment. The Tire Rack focuses on each of these factors in selecting the wheels that we offer to our customers.

Creating Quality, Integrity and Value

Proper size is more than a round wheel of an exact diameter. To properly fit on a vehicle the wheel must have the proper bolt pattern, centerbore, offset, width and load capacity. The Tire Rack sets stringent guidelines for the wheels they offer so that you can be sure you are getting the right fit.

What is measured to ensure proper fitment?

The Tire Rack offers a wide range of wheel styles from around the world and we scrutinize the quality of the products that we offer, setting very stringent guidelines of our own. Wheel manufacturers that supply to the O.E.M. (Original Equipment manufacturers) market must follow certain procedures during the design, testing and manufacturing process to maintain a consistently high quality product. All of the wheel manufacturers supplying product to the Tire Rack use manufacturing processes that meet or exceed strict O.E.M. requirements.

The unique manufacturing processes and technologies used by these companies result in a wide range of wheel styles and performance levels for us to offer to our customers. From winter package wheels that require less sophisticated technology to the high stress demands of racing applications, we have manufacturers that can provide wheels for every driving need. One common denominator in manufacturing processes is the ability to consistently create wheels to a specified size. But proper size is more than a round wheel of an exact diameter. To properly fit on a vehicle the wheel must have the proper bolt pattern, centerbore, offset, width and, most importantly, the proper load capacity for the vehicle.

Load carrying capacity, important no matter what the vehicle, is critical in wheels for light trucks or sport utility vehicles. You might feel that these types of vehicles have a load capacity that has been set high to allow this vehicle to perform off-road. But that's not the case. A good portion of the additional load comes from the fact that wheels on light trucks and SUVs are supporting tires with a much larger outside diameter than standard passenger vehicle tires, thus exerting much higher forces on the wheel. For this reason always verify the load capacity of any wheel that you are going to install on any vehicle to make sure it meets or exceeds that of Original Equipment wheels.

Wheel styles recommended for your vehicle by the Tire Rack (whether online or by a member of our sales team) are offered only if they have sufficient load carrying capacity as well as all the exact wheel dimensions and attributes specific to your vehicle.

Maintaining Quality When Upgrading

Brake upgrades are a popular performance enhancement. Whether seeking to improve the appearance of a vehicle after open-spoke, brake- revealing wheels are installed to improve stopping ability on the track or to shorten stopping distance for safety's sake many brake upgrades result in a larger brake system rotor or caliper or both.

These types of brake upgrades are sold at the Tire Rack. As a result, we have added a new aspect of wheel measurement - the area inside or on the back of the wheel - to our fitment information and wheel design/manufacturer requirements. When buying wheels you will be asked if you have upgraded the brake system on your vehicle. This will help determine which wheels are the correct fitment for your vehicle in combination with the installed brake system to ensure proper clearance and performance.

All Things Considered

Back to quality, integrity and value. Working closely with the wheel manufacturers whose products we carry, every aspect of fit and function is taken into consideration before any wheel is sold, even before the design is on the drawing board. You'll see the quality in the finish and design. You'll respect, as we do, the integrity of the companies who produced the wheels and become more aware of the importance of attention to proper fitment attributes when you feel the performance benefits. And you'll be impressed with yourself for finding the best value...where all things really are considered...at the Tire Rack.