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I have a 91 toyota HiLux 4x4 ute, and would like to put a set of mag wheels from a toyota Prado on it that I saw on trademe, however they are 16 inch, and my ute has 15 inch wheels and tyres. I was wondering if this would cause problems. The stud pattern is the same.

Robert

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 8 September 2008

Below is a reply I gave to a similar question on mag wheels. If you go to a bigger rim you need to fit a low profile tyre to retain the same rolling ratio as the original tyre / wheel. Go to a tyre store or a Toyota dealer and ask if the conversion is possible. Be very careful for the reasons listed below and remember once you have purchased the wheels off trademe you own them. There may be better safer options if you talk to the tyre store or dealer staff first.

Previous answer - I advise some caution here. Even if the mag wheel is the same size (including width) you need to make sure the wheel offset is acceptable for your vehicle.

The amount of offset a wheel has determines where the wheel sits in relation to the inner suspension / brake components and the outer body panels.

The last thing you need is the wheel or tyre fouling on objects especially when turning or when the vehicles suspension is working overtime on undulating road surfaces. The amount of offset can also have a bearing on the handling characteristics the car has, and these may change dramatically in some circumstances if a non genuine wheel is fitted.

Go to a tyre shop and ask if they have a calculator that will determine what a suitable alternative mag wheel would be. Or take the wheel you wish to fit to them and ask for the offset to be measured and compared to what you have as standard.