Wheel musings (3 Viewers)

[msapers]

I'm getting to the point of choosing wheels for my 72. These are my finalists. I'll explain my thinking and I welcome yours. Note: Most of these pictures come from this site. I've cropped them to just be wheels and tires. Even if your choices aren't for me, I mean no disrespect to anyone's rig at all. If I have saved a picture of your 40, it means that I really like it.

I'm still debating paint color, likely Dune Beige or Heath Grey. Tires will be 33's Fender flares in the back.

Chrome/polished aluminum wheels - No. Non starter. They just aren't for me.

Steelies with caps - Kind of/maybe. Weak contender
Pros:
1. Available new.
2. It's the cool combo right now.
3. Undeniably a classic look.
4, Will absolutely fit.

Cons:
1. It's the cool combo right now aka it's what everyone is doing.
2. I'll end up scratching the wheels taking the caps off.
3. Narrower than I'd like.
4. I don't like the look of them widened.

Steelies with no caps: I like this, Medium contender.
Pros:
1. Available new.
2. It's the other cool combo right now.
3. Very cool utilitarian look.
4. Will absolutely fit.

Cons:
1. Narrower than I'd like.
2. I don't like the look of them widened.

White spokers - I like this. Medium/strong contender
Pros:
1. Available new
2. Available from Summit with custom width, offset and backspacing
3. Cheap
4. Classic 1970's look
Cons:
1. Only looks right with certain paint colors
2. Weirdly looks better on a faded rig than a shiny one.
3. Mostly seen on trailers these days.

Black steel D spoke wheels - These have grown on me. Strong contender
Pros:
1. Available new
2. Available in a wide array of sizes, backspacing etc.
3. Cheap
4. Look great with beige/tan paint and other black accents (fender flares, etc)

Cons:
1. Doesn't look right with some colors/accents

FJ60 style wheels widened to 8" and powder coated - I really, really really like this a lot. Strong contender.

Pros:
1. Toyota wheel
2. Looks great
3. Will absolutely fit.

Cons:
1. Expense to have widened and powder coated. Not a huge deal but it's there.
2. Potential for mistakes to be made in the widening process.
3. Fully custom wheel, so not easily/quickly replaceable in the event of damage/theft.

So, is there something I'm missing? What say you all?

 

[JohnnyC]

16¨ gray steelies no hucaps... 8.25r16 Michelin XZL

pic from @peteinjp

 

[charliemeyer007]

I'm with you at no chrome flash. Steel can be pounded back in shape on the trail. Aluminium breaks.

Taller tires for the rubber overdrive effect, good IMHO. Wider tires don't help on snow and ice.

I had mine painted Flat Tan. I took the color wheel at the paint shop outside and match it to the dirt and then ask for that it in flat. Took nearly 3 gallons. 7 coats on the outside 5 one the inside. Flat paint back 1983 then couldn't be thinned and had to be shot straight.

 

[pb4ugo]

I've not scratched the stk wheels when removing or installing the hub caps. The clips get scratched. They look good widened.

If you wheel with stk wheels and no hub caps, you have a good chance of screwing up or bending the hub cap clips.

I was fortunate to find 5 wagon 15x8 white spokes from a mud member for cheap yrs ago. Evetually I'll run 35x12.50's

 

[Pighead]

To my thinking only two types of wheels look good on a LandCruiser, stock steelies, either with or without hubcaps and black rockcrawlers. These are 15x12 with a 2" backspace

 

[beran earms]

I like all the choices except the white wagon wheels. I'm sticking with the stock steelies with hub caps and 35" tires. As far as "the cool combo right now" comment, I don't think that's the case at all. It's been cool since the 60's and I don't see that being a fad and going out of style anytime. Let's face it IT IS COOL!

 

[msapers]

I like all the choices except the white wagon wheels. I'm sticking with the stock steelies with hub caps and 35" tires. As far as "the cool combo right now" comment, I don't think that's the case at all. It's been cool since the 60's and I don't see that being a fad and going out of style anytime. Let's face it IT IS COOL!

They are definitely cool. I only meant that on a resto mod like mine, that combo is very popular. That's not a bad thing at all. On an uncut 40, nothing looks better but what I really don't like about them on my rig in particular is that I have cut rear fenders with flares. The stock wheels look too far inboard to me on a rig with flares. I suppose I could patch/replace my quarters or just outboard my springs and run FJ60 axles, but that seems like a lot of work just to get wheels to look right.

 

[pb4ugo]

Back in the day, I always liked my aluminum slots but hated that they were 10" wide. I've found 8" wide is the proper wheel width. A 15x8 with proper backspacing offers more stability off road and sort of fits within the rear fender opening. I would run a 35-12.50 mud tire. I've been considering a bias ply.
Overall I think they look better.