It’s hard to hit the trails today without seeing a parade of Jeeps flaunting many different styles of wheels. Some are works of art that look as if they were derived from a Kaleidoscope mounted to a CNC machine … some with twisting spokes, stars, hundreds of bolts and even skulls, milled into the aluminum. While we do appreciate these modern sculptures, usually cast in flat black, we went in search of a more traditional off-road wheel that would work well with our new, blue Jeep JK Rubicon. 

Black Rock Wheels has several new offerings for the off road Jeep and truck market, including some simple products in steel, a few modern aluminum creations, and the all new Intruder Beadlock, available in the first quarter of 2011. In our quest for simplicity, Cody Currie, Brand Manager for Black Rock Wheels, showed us their new aluminum “Yuma,” wheels and we had to search no further. 

Unlike our first JK Project, this Jeep is not in need of hard-core bead-lock wheels, as it will likely not see 9+ rated trails at this point in its life. The Yuma is a basic, traditional off-road wheel, from the classic eight-hole design to the polished aluminum and clear coat. The look of the Yuma announces that it’s all business and ready for trails and rocks.  A small accent of flat black powder coating was applied to each hole, giving it a fresh 2011 look and feel.

But a wheel is a wheel, right? Wrong! We’ve seen wheels bend, break and shatter. In an extreme case, we even saw a wheel come apart so quickly, it was as if it exploded, sending shrapnel flying in every direction! Design, construction, quality control and testing each play a large role in maintaining customer satisfaction and safety. Each Black Rock Wheel is designed in house, is constructed of the quality materials and is tested thoroughly before ever hitting the market--and trail or street.

Center caps are also included with every Black Rock wheel, whereas many manufactures offer them as an option. Our Yuma caps were a bit too long for our taste, so we cut them down, created a new flange, and painted black over chrome.

The Black Rock Wheel team, located in Ontario, California, consists of members who have been associated with off-road sports and the community for their entire lives. These guys know what it takes to build a reputable and lasting product.

Part of our interest in testing out Black Rock’s wheels is because the company is somewhat of a new comer to the off-road industry, producing wheel for more than two years in the market. One reason for earning quick success has been achieved by setting themselves apart from the competition. Black Rock offers custom-built wheels, whether it be an offset not offered by other manufacturers, a simple 360 degree weld for the ultimate in strength or your choice of valve stem location. They are one of the few companies who can build you exactly what you need at a fair price. They’ve also recently released their new line of “toy hauler” wheels and off ATV wheels as well.

As we put the final touches on our blue Jeep Rubicon, the Black Rock Yuma Wheels really gave the contrast needed to set the brilliant color off. The traditional look was exactly what we were looking for, and each tire and wheel combination balanced out true.  We now look forward to seeing what Black Rock comes up with next as the company evolves and develops new products.  As we go wheel shopping in the future for other Jeep projects, Black Rock Wheels will be at the top of our list. 

Conact:
Black Rock Wheels
http://www.blackrockwheels.com/