Thread: Alloy V Steel rims.

Originally Posted by Marty110

Just something else to consider - Boost alloys are rated at 960kg per rim - my van weighs 1400kg tare, so 2 boosts will carry 1920kg within their rating so I can only load a max of 520kg in the van - this includes fluids so my 180 litres of water takes out 180kgs.... not much left by the time I add a couple of jerries, gas bottles food, etc. By contrast my ZU rims are rated at 1400kg/rim and my Wolf steelies at 2,200kg/rim. Just thinking out loud......... I reckon I wouldn't fit Boosts to a van - I will put them on my work trailer maybe - its a lot lighter.

Where did the rim load ratings come from?

Cheers
KarlB

I was wrong about the Boosts - trouble with going from memory - but only by 10kg. Attached a photo of the back of one of my Boosts - they are rated at 970kg. The ZU rim load rating is here: Zu Rims Ltd - World Class Rims! and the Performance rim here: http://www.performancewheels.com.au/...roup=4&Cat=4WD the TX-1 being the most popular one I have seen on Defenders. The Wolf rims here: http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-...d-ratings.html
Hope this helps.

oops!! meant to also add that I went for the ZU for the increased offset - in 16x7 the Performance only goes out to -4

Not sure what a Boost or Zu rim with a tyre weighs, but my Wolf rim and 255/85/16 tyre came in at 40kg. I can tell you chucking them on the roof is a struggle.

not sure what the Boost alloy weighs but my ZU rims are only 10.4kgs each and I can tell you that to lift my spare on the ZU is substantially lighter than lifting my Wolf rim spare on my work trailer!! If I had to lift onto the roof I would definitely prefer to be lifting the ZU!! One other benefit of the ZU is it is really easy to get your hands in and clean out mud caked in behind the wheel after a serious bogging.

ID fit steelies....

They can be beaten into shape, welded and bodged pretty much anywhere. And they dont mark as easily when you get onto them with manual tyre wrangling tools.

right, went out to the shed with scales and ZU rim is 10.4kg, Boost is 12.2kg and Wolf is 15.4kg. Add a General Grabber 235/85 at 22.4kgs and you get ZU at 32.8kg, Boost at 34.6kg and Wolf at 37.8kgs. All heavy to lift onto a roof rack at my age!!

4WD Action mag assessment put alloys ahead of steel due to their inherent strength - so you were less likely to damage them - and surprisingly also found that they can be beaten with a hammer almost as well as a steel rim. They made the point that 'modern' mags are a far cry from older ones. These days with plug repairs kits (seen some bloody big holes plugged for temporary travel) and most people carrying 2 spares, for most of us alloys would be adequate. But, would I head off up the CSR on alloys or steels........... I have used both over 38yrs of off roading and I have no problems using either wheel type - so comes down to personal preference at the end of the day???

I'd go the Alloys for sure. Anyone who tells you that Alloys are not strong enough are still living in 1984!