Few things dress up a Jeep or truck than a new set of off road wheels, but there are some performance benefits as well. Here are some of our favorites.
The best off road wheels will improve your driving experience for all kinds of applications, while also add a little bling to your Jeep or truck. Whether you require a wheel that will withstand a great deal of pressure or you require something lightweight for better control on the pavement, it pays to pick the right off road wheel.
Well, fear not; we have you covered. We’re looking at the most revered off road wheels for your Jeep or truck. We’ve got options from some of the top wheel producers in the industry designed for a variety of purposes.
Let’s dig in.
Table of contents
1. Editor's Choice: American Racing AR172 Baja
Designed to fit large trail tires, American Racing’s Baja off-road wheels are just what you need to hit the trails in style. The cast aluminum fabrication ensures that you’re investing in wheels that are built to last.
You will appreciate the sleek finish that American Racing delivers in the Bajas. They boast a rather aggressive design that is sure to add character to your Jeep or truck.
You can get these off road wheels in 15-, 16-, or 17-inch sizes in a huge variety of bolt patters to fit most any vehicle. Two finish options are also available – satin black or polished.
Each wheels carries a lifetime structural warranty and a one-year finish warranty against peeling or lifting of finish. The AR172 comes with a center cap, though lug nots are not included.
User reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with owners raving about the look and performance of the wheels on their vehicles. A couple of buyers mentioned needing spacers to fit some models, so be sure to double check with the seller to ensure proper fit for your vehicle.
2. Best Value: Pro Comp Steel Series 51 Rock Crawler Xtreme
As one of the highest-rated off road wheels on the market, the Pro Comp Series 51 Rock Crawler Xtreme provides some the best performance around.
Available in either gloss black or flat black powdercoat, the Pro Comp Series 51 off road steel wheels have thicker welds that serve to provide exceptional resilience.
As an added bonus, these are not the most expensive wheels around. This means you should have some gas money left over so you can get out and put some miles on them. They lack a little of the “bling” of alloy wheels, but they are a whole lot easier on your back account.
Available in 15-, 16- and 17-inch sizes, the Pro Comp Series 51 wheels are offered in wide array of bolt pattern configurations. Each wheel has a maximum load capacity of 2000 pounds (1600 pounds on the 15-inch wheels).
Looking at user reviews, feedback is largely positive. Several owners recommended buying the center caps to complete the look.
3. Customer Favorite: KMC XD Series XD820 Grenade
KMC’s XD Series Grenades are fabricated from a single piece of cast aluminum, ensuring that these wheels provide years of performance and reliability.
The XD820 Grenade is offered in 16-, 17-, 18-, 20-, and 22-inch sizes, along with bolt patterns designed for most any Jeep or truck. Load ratings range from 2500 pounds per wheel all the way up to 3640 pounds. You can also get the Grenades in a variety of accent colors to suit you ride.
What’s more, KMC stands by its wheels, providing a lifetime warranty of the structural integrity of the Grenades. As such, you can buy with the confidence that your wheels are backed by the manufacturer.
As far as pricing goes, these off road wheels don’t come cheap. But with their eye-catching looks and the excellent reputation of KMC, paying a bit more starts to make some sense.
4. Best Beadlock Option: Pro Comp Series 75 Trilogy Beadlock
While these aren’t street legal, if you are looking for next level performance you need to consider a set of off road beadlock wheels like the Pro Comp Series 75 Trilogy.
Beadlock wheels mean you can run lower tire pressure without worrying about your tire popping off your wheels. Lower tire pressure means more traction on slick rocks. And an added benefit of off road beadlock wheels is you can install them without a tire machine.
The Series 75 Beadlock features an eight-spoke design and is engineered to be 27% stronger than its predecessor. The beadlock ring is double the thickness of the original and is forged from 6061 aluminum.
Other features include countersunk bolts that stay protected from rocks and impacts, and Nordlock washers designed to ensure the ring hardware stays properly torqued. According to Pro Comp, the new beadlock ring features a 45-degree diamond knurl pattern, while the bead area of the wheel uses Pro Comp’s Infini-Grip figure eight pattern. Together, this setup is designed to ensure your tire stays locked in place no matter how low the air pressure or how hard the impact.
These are the most expensive off road wheels on our list, but if you want to take your rig to the next level or plan to do some racing this is the cost of admission.
5. Fuel Off -Road Vapor
As some of the most intimidating wheels to make the grade, Fuel Offroad Vapors are a powerful, aggressive-looking off-road wheel that is sure to give your Jeep or truck style and appeal.
Each wheel is fabricated out of cast aluminum to ensure longevity and reliability. These rugged off-road wheels sport a unique 6-spoke design and are available in sizes ranging from 15 to 22 inches.
Sold in singular units, you’ll need to purchase a complete set. And they are some of the pricier wheels that we reviewed, four wheels will set you back a good chunk of change.
As such, be prepared to spend a hefty sum if you want to deck out your ride with these premier wheels. It’s also important to add that these are some pretty heavy wheels, with weights ringing it at as much as 65 pounds for the big 22-inch wheels.
Each unit weighs in at nearly 50 pounds. The rims measure 9 inches wide and boast a machined black DDT exterior.
Fuel Off-Road Vapors can support 2100 pounds to 3700 pounds, depending on the wheel size and configuration. They are tough, attractive, and built to deliver the highest level of performance.
How do you determine what wheel size to get when wanting to upgrade your wheels and tires?
The rule of thumb is not to mount a tire that is larger than half the diameter of the wheel you choose to get. So if you want a 20″ wheel, don’t mount anything larger than a 40″ tire, or with 17″ wheels, nothing larger than a 35″ tire. You also want to ensure that your new wheels have adequate clearance from your brake calipers. Finally it’s good to install your wheel/tire combo and cycle the steering wheel from stop to stop to ensure that. you don’t have any rubbing issues. You may need to change your wheel offset, tire size or add a wheel spacer to give you the necessary clearance.
What are the benefits of changing out my wheels?
First and foremost, there are a million (ok, maybe not a million, but a lot) different wheel styles/designs for you to choose from. This gives you the opportunity to make your off-road rig look unique and add that personal flare to it. Many of these wheels are also much stronger than the wheels that have come from the factory on your Jeep or truck, so they’ll stand up to the rigorous abuse you can put them through on the trails. Finally if you opt to swap out your traditional wheels for beadlock wheels, this allows you to run much lower tire pressures for maximum traction without worry of rolling the bead off of your wheel.
Additional Resources
- Beadlock Wheels Buyers Guide
- Tire Selection 101: The Basics for Picking an Off-Road Tire
- Buyer’s Guide: The 10 Best Mud Tires
Recent Updates
10/6/2021: Updated product descriptions, updated product links, added FAQ, Added Additional Resources, Ranked products.
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