# 16" or 17" Pro's / Con's



## Clevername (Oct 5, 2009)

Okay - I looked but couldn't find a simply answer to my question....

I have a 2000 Chevy 1500 that currently runs 16" aluminum wheels. I am going to buy some stock steel rims for my truck and want them in black.

I have found a couple sets of black ones that are 17". My original plan was to buy 16's and have them powder coated black if need be. I have found several sets of used steel wheels in my price range...

Question is this: Can I run 17" rims on my truck without issues? I don't want to run into problems with wearing out parts, rubbing etc. I understand that 17" tires will cost more when I purchase them but thats negligable due to the fact that this is not my daily driver and tires last me quite awhile...

Should I stick with 16's and do the extra work (since I have had problems finding blacked out stock 16's) or buy the 17's all ready to go?

Information: I will not be plowing in this truck. Just your typical driving and occasional "off road" for hunting purposes.....


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

My 2009 has 17" rims on it. Tires are reasonable. As far as clearance goes, the 17" is just the rim diameter, has nothing to do with tire height or width. So my feeling us you would be fine to go with the 17", as long as the bolt patterns are comparable.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

17s will work just fine


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## Clevername (Oct 5, 2009)

So essentially I can run the 17 inch rims with tires that "replicate" the same size I am running now is what your saying?

This would obviously not cause any issues with parts, speedometer and such which is what I am concerned about...

What size tires should I be looking to get to put on these 17's when the time comes.....


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

17's are new 16's

sizes are pleantfull and prices have come way down in the last few years.

as for size, usually knocking 5% off your aspect ratio will get you pretty darn close.

so if you were running 245/75r16's, look for 245/70r17's to keep the same overall size.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Wow. Someone understands aspect ratio on their tire sizes.


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## Clevername (Oct 5, 2009)

Allrighty - I appreciate the info thus far reference these tire sizes...

My next question is how wide should I be able to go. I currently am running the 245. As I said - I do not want to go any wider than I have to but if I run into a super deal on a set of tires that will work I don't want to pass it up due to ignorance....

At the same time I do not want to give up performance or cause issues simply cause the tires were a "deal"....

Again - I am not plowing with this truck. Just average driving when I do pull it out of the garage every couple of weekends. I have a take home car so this truck gets used for hunting and the occasional road trip....


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

i've seen a lot of guys run 285/75r16's on the factory rims. most of the time the will rub just a little bit at full lock.

if you get much wider than that you will start to see weird treadwear. the tread becomes so much wider than the rim that the tire does not mount right and the tread will not flatten out on the road. plus they will rub quite a bit.


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## 32vld (Feb 4, 2011)

meborder;1490452 said:


> 17's are new 16's
> 
> sizes are pleantfull and prices have come way down in the last few years.
> 
> ...


The same overall size is not saying the diameter of both size setups is the same, identical, equal.

Size not the same the speedometer will be off.

Cast aluminum wheels are better balanced and made to tighter dimensional specs, meaning form a more perfect circle, so less wheel weights are needed to balance when you mount a tire.

Cast aluminum wheels weigh less, saving fuel.

Reduce unsprung wheel weight, helps ride.

Cast aluminum wheel is closer to a perfect circle that is why cast wheels stopped coming from the factory having tires matched mounted. Steel wheels need to be matched mounted.

The steel wheel has where the lowest part of the circle that forms the diameter is where the hole for the valve stem is located.

The widest part of the tire was marked with a yellow dot to indicate where the tires side wall height was the greatest. Thus the tallest part of the tire was installed to fit where the valve stem was to get the tire to form the best possible even circumference. To get the smoothest ride.

So you have the best type of wheels.
Want to replace them with an inferior designed wheel.
That will take more expensive tires because they are 17".
With a possible throwing off of the speedometer.
And if speedometer accuracy in not cared about the increased tire diameter may reduce wheel well clearance to where you may not be able to install snow chains.


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## jmac5058 (Sep 28, 2009)

You found 17" steele rims for a Chevy thats not a 2011 or 2012 ? Do you know the lug pattern is now diffrent since 2011? I have a 2009 and have never found steele rims for a set of winter snows.


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

32vld;1497745 said:


> The same overall size is not saying the diameter of both size setups is the same, identical, equal.
> 
> Size not the same the speedometer will be off.
> 
> ...snip boring diatribe ...


cooper at3's as an example

LT245/75/R16 DIA= 30.37"

LT245/70R17 DIA = 30.55"

That is less than 0.5% difference, if you think your speedometer is more accurate than that, i defy you to prove it.

same over all size means same overall size.
that includes diameter.


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## Clevername (Oct 5, 2009)

32vld;1497745 said:


> So you have the best type of wheels.
> Want to replace them with an inferior designed wheel.
> That will take more expensive tires because they are 17".
> With a possible throwing off of the speedometer.
> And if speedometer accuracy in not cared about the increased tire diameter may reduce wheel well clearance to where you may not be able to install snow chains.



You say Aluminum is best. I am only going based off the problems I have had with aluminum in the past versus never having any problems with steel in the past. I have never had a problem with Steel wheels corroding in the winter time. The last 2 sets of alumimum wheels I have had - have corroded ever so slightly over time and I come out to a flat tire in the most inconvenient of times. Never had problems with this when I ran steel....
One could argue that steel wheels are inferior to aluminum many ways or vice versa. Ever try to bang a aluminum wheel back out after bending it, to at least get you by in a pinch?
Tire expense is not an issue in my situation really. As I said - I have a take home vehicle for work. So I don't put alot of miles on this truck and will not have to buy tires as often as most people. A good pair will last me forever when I am only driving it on the weekends....
Over all size will be the same - I do not forsee a issue of being off enough to affect my speedo and if its off a mph or so, who cares... I don't
As stated - I am not plowing with this truck. If I need snow chains for any reason - I should have turned around miles ago. LOL

I understand the whole lighter is better and more efficient. Everything I have come to see was maybe another mile per gallon more if I run aluminum. As far as heat and breaking deficencies - I have spent plenty of time in vehicles running steel wheels. (Reserve LEO) and know how brakes can deplete under extreme speeds. I can tell you - that I don't race this truck and or pursue other vehicles in this truck.

I can't say with the amount of driving I do in my trucks that I have ever seen a noticable difference in handling / braking / etc between steel or aluminum. Not saying there isn't or that it would not be more noticable when plowing perhaps. I just don't do enough of that for it to weigh in on aluminum versus steel choices. 



jmac5058;1497934 said:


> You found 17" steele rims for a Chevy thats not a 2011 or 2012 ? Do you know the lug pattern is now diffrent since 2011? I have a 2009 and have never found steele rims for a set of winter snows.


Yes - I found 17" steel rims for a 2000 Chevy. They came off a 2011 Chevy Tahoe Police Package. I know nothing of a lug pattern change in 2011 so I can't speak of that. Perhaps we are talking about different animals? Did they change the lug patterns on the 2500's or something along those lines? My truck is a 2000 1500 regular cab.

I know that they slipped right on my 2000 chevy without a problem... I had no problem finding steel wheels in 16" and 17" sizes. My chevy 2000 Chevy lug pattern is 6 on 5.5 with a 139.7 mm offset. This happens to be the same size for every 1500 type chevy vehicle I have ever seen manufactured in the 2000's at least....

I'm not an expert on these issues - just going off what I know or found out by asking questions. So if you all ever have something to correct me on - please feel free to do so.....


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## Clevername (Oct 5, 2009)

Clevername;1506738 said:


> Yes - I found 17" steel rims for a 2000 Chevy. They came off a 2011 Chevy Tahoe Police Package. I know nothing of a lug pattern change in 2011 so I can't speak of that. Perhaps we are talking about different animals? Did they change the lug patterns on the 2500's or something along those lines? My truck is a 2000 1500 regular cab.
> 
> I know that they slipped right on my 2000 chevy without a problem... I had no problem finding steel wheels in 16" and 17" sizes. My chevy 2000 Chevy lug pattern is 6 on 5.5 with a 139.7 mm offset. This happens to be the same size for every 1500 type chevy vehicle I have ever seen manufactured in the 2000's at least....
> 
> I'm not an expert on these issues - just going off what I know or found out by asking questions. So if you all ever have something to correct me on - please feel free to do so.....


The obligatory pics in case anyone was interested...

I have not yet found the center caps I want to use - so thats next on the list before the snow flies....









The work war mobile had to squeeze into the photo. Not bad shape for having 167K on that badboy....lol










So if anyone has some center caps laying around, in good shape and cheap - let me know. I would prefer chrome but will consider anything.....


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

check JC Whitney for center caps, perhaps....

i like a nice set of steelies on a vehicle ... always have, especially with chrome center caps.

man, i can't imagine how dangerous your work car is with those 17" steelies ..... which is, by the way, what all of the police spec cruisers have been using for quite a few years now. you'd think if there was a drawback by way of performance, they would not buy them for pursuit vehicles.

nice choice..... when the wheels on the truck start to get rusty, a wirebrush and some black paint fixes the problem... try that with aluminum.


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## Clevername (Oct 5, 2009)

meborder;1508460 said:


> check JC Whitney for center caps, perhaps....
> 
> i like a nice set of steelies on a vehicle ... always have, especially with chrome center caps.
> 
> ...


Actually found a set of center caps here locally. Looked in the junk yards, etc and nothing. Hit craigs list and done. I wanted to get the orignal aluminum caps but they don't give those babies away. Couldn't even talk my guy down at the city garage to come off a pair from a wrecked out patrol vehicle. LOL

Got mine in grey. Little steel wool action and painted them up. I'll post a pic when I get them on..

Yup - thats another reason I wanted to get the steelies. Just a little elbow grease and a spray can will keep them looking good. Once those aluminum's start gettign crappy - its not quite as easy of a fix....


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