How to Buy Road Wheels

If you want your car to look different than the factory model, one of the quickest things you can do is to replace the factory-supplied road wheels with aftermarket wheels.

Things You'll Need

• Road Wheels

Instructions

Decide What You Want

1. Decide what size wheels you want. Do you want the same size wheels that you have, or do you want wider or taller wheels? A wider wheel lets you fit a wider tire on your car, resulting in a bigger "footprint." The bigger tire-contact patch means that your car will have better acceleration and cornering capabilities on dry pavement and that it will be able to stop sooner. A taller rim is more dramatic. Fit them with a lower profile tire, and you will retain the same overall tire diameter as stock.

2. Determine the style of wheel you want. The decision is purely subjective. Choose from chrome or polished aluminum, brushed billet (a solid piece of metal), wire wheels, spoke wheels or monochromatic rims that match the exterior paint of your car.

3. Consider your car and how you drive it. Is your vehicle front- or rear-wheel drive? Do you haul or tow heavy loads?

4. Check the backspacing, which is the distance between the innermost edge of the wheel and the mounting surface where the wheel bolts to the axle hub. Remove the wheel and lay it face down on a flat surface. Place a straightedge across the inside edge of the wheel and use a ruler to measure the distance from the straightedge to the wheel-mounting surface. You need sufficient backspacing to avoid clearance problems with suspension components and wheel wells.

5. Consider offset, which is the distance from the center of the wheel to the wheel's mounting surface. If the mounting surface is in the center of the wheel, the offset is 0. A positive offset is when the mounting surface is outboard of the wheel's centerline. A negative offset is when the mounting surface is inboard of the centerline. Confer with the salesperson.

Choosing a Shop

1. Look in the yellow pages under "Automobile Parts and Accessories." There are auto-parts chain stores such as Pep Boys as well as smaller independent shops that carry wheels.

2. Visit the shops. Check to see the variety of styles and the number of brands the store has to offer. A wide selection assures that you will get what you want.

3. Make certain that the shop exhibits the wheels they offer.

4. Ask whether the shop can install the wheels.

5. Check out the installation area. Is it neat and clean? Are things organized well?

6. Select the shop with which you are most comfortable.