Help needed: wheels, brands, 17s, 18s.....ahhhhh!

[Jguru23]

Hey all, so I am looking at new wheels for my 19 Sahara which came with 18" wheels. I was looking at mopar but everything seems to be 17".

1.) Can I/should I consider going from 18 to 17? Benefits vs drawbacks?

2.) Looking at wheel brands I am attracted to several that are Fuel and KMC. Are these good brands? Should I consider others?

3.) Will a aftermarket wheel (and its finish) hold up as well as OEM?

Sponsored

 

[autotragic]

Hey all, so I am looking at new wheels for my 19 Sahara which came with 18" wheels. I was looking at mopar but everything seems to be 17".

1.) Can I/should I consider going from 18 to 17? Benefits vs drawbacks?

2.) Looking at wheel brands I am attracted to several that are Fuel and KMC. Are these good brands? Should I consider others?

3.) Will a aftermarket wheel (and its finish) hold up as well as OEM?

Aftermarket wheel finishes in general are not as robust as what the OEM provides. This is true pretty much across the board. Generally you can expect to get a 1 year finish warranty for aftermarket wheels. You will have to take better care of them than what you get away with on factory wheels.

Unless you are paying forged wheel money or using OEM wheels you are most likely going to be getting a 1 piece cast wheel made in China. Pick whatever one floats your boat and if you really care make sure you get a lifetime structural warranty and not a generic "1 year materials and workmanship" warranty. The better the warranty the more expensive the wheel generally speaking. Even AEV wheels are cast in China but you get a better warranty than you get from Rock Trix on amazon and that's going to be the biggest difference.

As for 17s vs 18, etc...17s will generally ride better because you have more sidewall for a given tire diameter. This is a general thing for any tire though. 17s are easier to find and you will probably have a better selection to pick from for a Wrangler.

 

[Flip]

1.) Yes

2.) Yes & yes

3.) Yes

You're welcome

 

[Jeep Wick]

Hey all, so I am looking at new wheels for my 19 Sahara which came with 18" wheels. I was looking at mopar but everything seems to be 17".

1.) Can I/should I consider going from 18 to 17? Benefits vs drawbacks?

2.) Looking at wheel brands I am attracted to several that are Fuel and KMC. Are these good brands? Should I consider others?

3.) Will a aftermarket wheel (and its finish) hold up as well as OEM?

As autotragic said, 17's will ride better. They are arguably better off road as well, though depends on your use of the Jeep. The only real drawback is you can't use your old tires.
I think Fuel is the better of those 2, but I've done limited research. I also like Method wheels.
There are options that are stronger than oem, but they typically are more expensive. Find how their wheels are made and what specs they meet.

 

[Jguru23]

The wrangler can do 17s or 18s? Any other sizes?

 

[Flip]

The wrangler can do 17s or 18s? Any other sizes?

17" is the magic number bro and generally the larger the wheel the more $$$ the tires cost.

Don't over think it, just go with it bro.

 

[Jeepeto]

I run Fuel wheels on my F150 and KMCs on my Rubi. Both are good brands with a range of options. I’d stick with 17” wheels as the majority of off road tires are available in that size at a better cost, it will also provide more sidewall and better ride quality, both good things for a Jeep.

 

[Ratbert]

The wrangler can do 17s or 18s? Any other sizes?

A couple years ago my JLUR was totaled a week before Jeep Jamboree Moab. The trip was non-refundable, so we found a JKUR on Turo and rented that for the weekend.

It was pimped-out with 22s. Yeah: 22s. Everyone called it the pimp mobile. Tires and wheels that massive are horrible on the trail. You can't really air down since the sidewall is so puny, resulting in a stupidly harsh ride with very little traction. You also have to take everything really slowly or you'll damage the wheels. Not fun.

So yes, there are other sizes available. If you're going off road though, there's 17s.

 

[Jguru23]

I do mostly in town and some highway travel. Would I notice the difference just driving?

 

[Ratbert]

I do mostly in town and some highway travel. Would I notice the difference just driving?

The shorter sidewall of an 18" wheel will corner better. Slightly harsher ride though.

 

[autotragic]

I do mostly in town and some highway travel. Would I notice the difference just driving?

You can have a bad riding 17 or a soft riding 18 depending on tire compounds and load ratings. Everything about tires is a compromise. You can have a low profile tire rated for 186mph or a off road tire rated for 99mph...you can have a 33 in tire rated for 2,700 lbs at 45 PSI or a 33 in tire rated to carry 3,200 lbs at 80 PSI. There is a lot going on with tires and your choice has a huge effect on how well it rides and handles.

So first thing is decide what wheels you want then focus on what you want from your tires.

 

[Byron]

I have a '19 Sahara with the 18" wheels as well. When it came time to replace the tires, it was $2000 vs 5x17" Gladiator takeoffs I found on Facebook for $800. Gave it a shot and will never go back. The ride is absurdly improved. If you go that route though, watch out for TPMS sensors. They changed frequencies in mid 2020 so anything newer will have to be changed out for your JL to see them.
-Byron

 

[Jguru23]

Maybe a silly question but if most Jeeps have 17s what is the selling point of mine having 18? My Sahara came with a lot of bells and whistles that many Jeeps dont have but I dont know that the 18s were something to get hyped about.

 

[Ratbert]

Maybe a silly question but if most Jeeps have 17s what is the selling point of mine having 18? My Sahara came with a lot of bells and whistles that many Jeeps dont have but I dont know that the 18s were something to get hyped about.

Maybe the target market for a Sahara is perceived to be more focused on bling over functionality?

 

[Jguru23]

Well you know that true but these whack wheels with the chrome inlay is why Im shopping

Sponsored