I'm looking to replace my stock wheels and tires on my Bruin 350 4x4. I've decided on tires (26" swamplites) but I'm not really sure what wheels to go with??? Are there pro's and con's about steel or alum. wheels? Which is more durable? etc.... I know that with alum. the weight is less, somewhat.
Any input in this matter will be a big help. I'm going to buy the pkg. within the next week. thanks in advance.

 

Great choice of tire[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] Thats what i have. Look at my pics, those are delta series chromed steel rims. I would 100% reccomend steel, if your riding rough terrain, rocks, logs, ect. They are stronger, because they are steel of course, vs aluminum which will bend easier. Aluminum are fine for the dunes, and tracks, but i wouldnt want them for rough trail riding. My buddy and his friend trashed some nice aluminum rims within a week of riding the same trails i ride. All of there tires were leaking, and it was a nightmare for them. They have steel rims now.

 

thanks v2rider , your input has helped. I think the steel wheels are the right call for me. Do you think my 350 might be to underpowered for 26" swamplites. Should I go with the 25" s instead. Sorry bout all these questions but I want to make the right desicion on this matter. Thanks.

 

I dont know much about the bruin, but if it were me, i would stay with 25" tires. Ive seen alot of dissapointed people get into thick mud with oversized tires, and the power runs out and it wont turn the tires in thick stuff. I stayed with my stock size, and havnt had any problems going thru anything i want

 

i agree on the bruin 25s bigger bikes bigger tires

 

Aluminum is lighter but with a steel wheel, if you bend it, you can take rock and unbend it to some extent. Aluminum is not partial to being beaten with a rock. Aluminum wheels do look cooler though. Many tires now have a bead designed to protect the wheel from rock impacts that would bend the bead. But that will only work to a certain extent. Maybe steluminum (light and hammerable) is the answer. BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

actually a good aluminum wheel is way stronger than a steel wheel, look it up. the only thing is, when the alum wheel does go, you can not bend it back like a steel one. i had mine crack once, for about $50 you can have it welded and polished, i can't tell it was ever cracked and have not had a problem since

 

Interesting to here you people talking about the steel wheels being stronger in rocks. Ever been to a desert race? I have never seen a racing ATV with steel wheels, and desert racing means you are gauranteed to hit lots of rocks at high speed, especially when they run you on a motorcycle course that is narrower than the ATV. Most people use aluminum wheels with reinforcing rings, and the rest of them use aluminum wheels with beadlocks. No one uses steel wheels. We have been running the same set of reinforced aluminum wheels on our YFZ for two years worth of desert racing, and although the wheels are scratched up from busting trail through the brush, they are still straight.

I really don't think steel wheels are stronger than a good aluminum wheel. Non-reinforced Douglas aluminum wheels are not going to cut it though. You can also buy utility ATV style aluminum wheels with reinforcing rings, like these. The only real advantage to steel wheels is they cost less.

 

We are talking BIG rocks, not golf ball sized rocks. Ive heard more people than not , including 3 different tire and rim sales people from different companies that were selling me the kit, that for my riding, which is rough rocky terrain, steel is better. Two friends of mine had aluminum rims, and they ride were i do, and they had to junk the rims after two weeks, and get steel because their tires were leaking from the dents. The tire dealer said the aluminum rims are for show, and sand dunes. He wouldnt tell me that if he wanted to make money. He told me that so i wouldnt call him when the aluminum rims went to shat

 

Who said anything about golf ball sized rocks? Never been on a desert race course have you. I stand by what I said before, even though I'm sure they have much bigger rocks in Minnesota than they do in the Rocky Mountains [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]. We'll just agree to disagree on this one.