Steel V Alloy

My personal preference is steel. Seems stronger and in worst situation they will bend, while allow may crack. Also I am in big doubts that allow any lighter – sure aluminum lighter, but there are much more of it! Alloys great for look – thus I spare them for sedans.

Cheers
Serg

Which alloys Towie - machined or cast !

Machined is better but steel is better than both , but the other reason for steels particularly in a troppy is that you can get the wheels offset out to increase your track width and stability, can't do this readily with alloys.

Got an XR400 with a cracked alloy rear wheel.

Towie

Alloys are stiffer than steel and generally weigh less which is why they first appeared on competition cars years ago. They did not bend as much as steel when pushed to the limit through corners and they helped to reduce unsprung weight which improved handling.

On a 79 series with all the unsprung weight in its live axle front axle, about all they are good for is looking pretty.

I would prefer steel on a 79 but seeing you already have them and don't drive in a manner that is likely to break one, you might as well keep them. I would only buy steel in your case if I wanted to use tyres that could only be fitted to split rims. Keep in mind though if you do break an alloy, it is usually unusable and not economical to repair.

A steel wheel may bend a little easier on impact and is also not economical to repair properly in most cases but at least you can hammer it back into a usable shape in the bush and it is a lot cheaper than an alloy to replace.

Brian

Towie

I ran Alloys through some serious off track stuff and never had a problem. Didn't bend or crack the alloys, but like you, I am careful where I put the wheels.The problem came with the tyres.

I have since reverted back to splits and crossplies for some serious treks over trackless country.


Cheers

Thanks guy's eveything is a compromise when making tough decision and doing research isnt it!
Not really up on the splits and crossplies but if i changed rims i guess i would have to consider various options and might get all to much for my limited mechanical & mental capacity....
Think it easier to stick with Alloy's untill i trash one then replace them with steelies.
I know i can run 285's at maximum with these rims so that may have to do for now..

We managed to break a Nissan steel split rim on the Tanami this year. The tear was well over 90degrees nearly parallel to the bead and crossed over under the spokes. Made for an interesting ride once we got back on the tar.
Geoff

Towie,

having just returned from a big trek, I have decided to move from my ROH alloys (they came on the vehicle when I bought it) to $100 steel rims. I've never had an issue with the alloys to date but I had to do a fair bit of work on repairing tubeless tyres and converting them to tubed once the sidewalls were torn on this trip.

Whenout there you don't have all that U-beaut equipment that the tyre places have and being a bit of a novice in the tyre changing area (not any more mind you after 27 punctures!!!) as most of us are, it concerned me that it would be a loit easier to do some damage to the alloys as opposed to steel when stuffing around changing the tyres. ie; using a bead breaker or the troopy as a bead breaker, shoving in tyre levers or any other length of steel for the purpose etc etc.

Just my opinion but often one point that might get overlooked in the debate.

Cheers. Mick

Had alloys on my 60 series for years and then cracked 2 of them on a trip through the Gulf country (cracked through the spokes so) and were unrepairable so now stay with steel rims. Have put a couple of dints in the steel but out with the hammer and you are back on the road.

Cheers Rod

Steel rims are not immune from cracking. We recently had to replace all the steel wheels on our work Commodores due to cracking. The odd one with mags was okay. Mr. Holden kept that pretty quiet.