The WheelAllstars.com Blog

WheelAllstars.com Announces Affiliation With The Tire Rack

wheelallstars — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:58:38 +0000

WheelAllstars.com is proud to announce that we have teamed up with one of the Nation’s most trusted rim and tire dealers- The Tire Rack- to be able to offer our customers the largest selection, best prices, and best service on the web. If WheelAllstars.com and The Tire Rack can’t get it for you, it simply can’t be done. Be sure to check out the special deals at The Tire Rack along with selection at WheelAllstars.com. Together, we have thousands and thousands of options for any vehicle and any taste and well over 100 manufacturers to choose from. Happy shopping!

Until next time- remember, bling responsibly!

Buying The Right Wheels and Tires

wheelallstars — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:43:32 +0000

We know you’ve heard it before, but it’s critical enough to bear repeating. It’s also a bit daunting, too, that the tires on a vehicle are the one single link to the road surface. Think about that for a moment. You can have the most powerful engine, the most sophisticated transmission, the most elaborate super-trick suspension, and every other automotive widget known to mankind, but it all ain’t worth a tinker’s damn if the tires (and wheels) are subpar. In a way, it’s really a bit strange but that’s just how the operation of the automobile is.

Luckily, after examining the facts in the above-noted fashion, you can rest assured that tire technology is at an all-time high and it keeps getting better. In fact, it’s actually quite amazing that while crummy tires can hurt a great car, great tires can do wonders for a less-than-fantastic car. In other words, there are some instances where tire technology is way beyond many of the cars on the road.

The technology that makes wheels and tires as good as they are is also what can make the subject quite intimidating. Our purpose here is to try and put a finer point on some of the basics of wheels and tires, and how to select them, too. Think of it as a wheel-and-tire primer that will provide you with some ground-floor facts when it comes time to make a replacement tire purchase or a wheel-and-tire upgrade.

For starters, there’s tons of information on the sidewall of any tire and we cover that thoroughly in Sidewall Graffiti. There you’ll find the full scoop on exactly what all the numbers mean.

If you’ve bought a vehicle new and come to the point where you need to replace the tires, there are several ways to go. Of course the easy way is get the exact size and make that came on the vehicle when it was new. Beyond that, you might consider going to a better quality tire or one that improves dry and/or wet handling that’s still the same size as the OE tire. The next step would be to switch to different rims and the reasons for doing that are numerous. Some people merely want a different look for the wheel while using the same tires that came on the original wheels. While this might be OK if you want to make an appearance change right away, we think it’s better to wait until you need new tires anyway, then upgrade to a larger diameter wheel and tire all at once.

Known as the plus sizing concept, this basically means that if you have a 15-inch wheel, plus one would be a 16-inch wheel and plus two would be a 17-inch wheel. But before we get further into wheels, we want to shed some light on what you should know when walking into a tire store to buy tires for your existing wheels. And, of course, this info also applies when you’re doing a wheel upgrade, as well.

Choosing the tire that’s right for you involves numerous considerations. But to make the process less scary, keep these two simple guidelines in mind when considering tires. First, know your expected needs and driving uses. This consideration is important to overall driving enjoyment and a well-run tire shop will help you determine your tire needs before you lay down any green. But be sure that you and the salesperson communicate accurately as to your true requirements. Second, find a source or store that you trust enough to recommend the type of tire that fits your needs. Remember, the salespeople don’t know your needs, you have to tell them. If they’re good, they’ll ask you the right questions to come up with the right tire. For example, they’ll know to factor in tread life, ride and handling, and driving conditions to help you determine which of these parameters are most important to you.

You might be wondering what some of the questions could be. Here’s a list of what you should think about before entering a tire store.

Tread life considerations: What’s your idea of how long a set of tires should last? Keep in mind that in some instances, a tire’s wear rating is done through manufacturer testing and may not be the most accurate representation of a tire’s true life expectancy. One way to get a handle on a tire’s projected life expectancy (besides what they’re warranted for, say, 40,000 miles for example) is to look at part of the UTQG (Uniform Tire Quality Grading) rating. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires each manufacturer to grade its tires under the UTQG labeling system and establish ratings for tread wear, traction and temperature resistance. These tests are conducted independently by each manufacturer following government guidelines to assign values that represent a comparison between the tested tire and a control tire. While traction and temperature resistance ratings are specific performance levels, the tread wear ratings are assigned by the manufacturers following field testing and are most accurate when comparing tires of the same brand. Tread wear receives a comparative rating based on wear rate of the tire in field testing following a government specified course. For example, a tire grade of 150 wears 50 percent longer than a tire graded 100. Actual performance of the tire can vary significantly depending on conditions, but the tire’s UTQG tread life number can help you get in the ballpark as to how long a tire will really last.
Wet weather requirements: Most of us live in a climate where inclement weather is a factor at least part of the time. Clearly if you live in, say, Washington or Oregon, you’ll want to look more closely at a capable wet-weather tire than if you’re in Arizona or Nevada. For those of you in Snow Belt states, some kind of four-season type of tire will be the minimum you should consider if not an all-out snow tire for the winter that you swap for standard tires in the milder months.
Speed rating: Even in the plains and Western states like South Dakota, Nebraska, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada where the rural interstate speed limit is 75 mph, how often do you think you’re going to need a tire that’s speed rated for anything over 150 mph? Be honest and knock down your required speed rating to, say, and H-speed rated tire that’s still good for 130 mph. You’ll pay less and likely not notice the difference in the real world. For reference, the most common speed ratings you’ll come across on the majority of tires are shown in the chart below. Speed ratings signify the safe top speed of a tire under ideal conditions. For just about any street car, a V-rated tire will be more than adequate, unless the car will actually go faster than 150 mph. Usually, most ultra-high performance handling tires have a speed rating of at least V, so while you might want the ultimate handling of that type of tire, be aware that part of what you’re paying for (the speed rating) is something you’ll never use. For those who want tires that make a car really stick in the twisties, it ends up that many get the speed rating anyway, even though they don’t need it. That’s not a bad thing, but also be aware that tires with higher speed ratings are usually made from a softer rubber compound and generally will have shorter UTQG tread life ratings and, furthermore, will not actually last as long in the real world.

Q= 99 mph
S= 112 mph
T= 118 mph
U= 124 mph
H= 130 mph
V= up to 149 mph
Z= 149 mph and above
W= 168 mph
Y= 186 mph
Ride Quality: A low-profile tire such as a 50 or a 40-series looks great, but can be harsh over bumps or potholes when compared to a 55 or 60. In general, a lower profile tire also exposes the wheel to damage more easily. Lower profile tires also have stiffer sidewalls, which improves handling but increases rides harshness. It’s all about compromise and there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Noise: Some tread designs are noisier than others and it varies significantly between tire brands and tread designs. If most of your driving is on lower-speed city streets, then this won’t be much of a factor. But for highway driving, you’ll want to consider your options, especially if you’re driving an SUV on pavement most of the time. A good salesperson will be able to tell you which tires are quieter among those you’re considering; even those of the same make that are in a different line can vary in road noise.

A better-looking wheel makes a world of difference on many cars and trucks. Besides appearance, the plus concept is a key reason to switch wheels. Plus sizing your wheels and tires is the best way to improve both the performance and appearance of your vehicle. By using a larger diameter wheel with a lower profile tire it’s possible to properly maintain the overall diameter of the tire, keeping odometer and speedometer changes negligible. By using a tire with a shorter sidewall, you gain quickness in steering response and better lateral stability. The visual appeal is obvious; most wheels look better than the sidewall of the tire, so the more wheel and less sidewall there is, the better it looks. The idea of plus sizing is illustrated in the photos that accompany this story. Pretend that the four wheels we show you are for the same car, rather than the Focus, Miata, and two 3 Series BMWs they’re actually mounted on. Two of the wheels (the Miata and Focus) are 15 inches in diameter, while the BMW 323iT (a wagon) and 328i have 16- and 17-inch wheels. If a car has a 15-inch wheel, then upgrading to a 16-inch wheel would be plus one and a 17-inch wheel would be plus two. You could also say that if a car has a 17-inch wheel (such as many performance cars do) then going to an 18-inch wheel and tire would be a plus one. If the car has 15-inch wheels, the 18s would be a plus three.

Besides plus sizing, other factors should be considered before shelling out big bucks for wheels. The benefits of a good-quality alloy wheel are numerous. And, of course, many cars come with them as factory original equipment. Either way, you end up with reduced unsprung weight compared to steel wheels. This is a factor affecting a vehicle’s road holding ability. Unsprung weight is the portion of a vehicle that’s not supported by the suspension (i.e. wheels, tires and brakes) and therefore is most susceptible to road shock and cornering forces. By reducing unsprung weight, alloy wheels provide more precise steering input and improved cornering characteristics. The added strength of a quality alloy wheel can also reduce tire deflection in cornering. This is particularly critical in a car equipped with high performance tires where lateral forces may approach 1.0g. Better brake cooling is another benefit. The metals in alloy wheels are excellent conductors of heat and improve heat dissipation from the brakes. The risk of brake fade is also reduced under more demanding conditions such as spirited driving on a twisty mountain road. Additionally, alloy wheels can be designed to allow cool air to flow over the brake calipers and rotors. The lighter rotational weight of alloy wheels can even provide a slight increase in acceleration and fuel economy.

These days it’s tough to buy truly bad wheels and tires. While some wheels are lower quality than others, as is also the case with tires, there are so many good ones out there that you will usually have several possibilities from which to choose. As we’ve said here, be straightforward with what you really need and factor it in with that ever-present budget consideration and you’ll be well grounded when it comes to keeping your car or truck on the ground.

Until next time! Remember- bling responsibly.

Our New Rims and Tires Are Here!!

wheelallstars — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:28:18 +0000

The wait is over- they’ve arrived. WheelAllstars.com is proud to announce the inclusion of the following World-Class rim and tire brands to our products line. With these brands, our tradition of offering the World’s finest rims continues, as does our tradition of offering them at up to 50% OFF! We are also starting a new tradition- to offer the World’s finest tires and the best rim and tire packages.

We spent the better part of the last six months researching and testing different offerings from some of the most recognizable names in the rim and tire industry. What you see below is far less than half of the wheel brands we researched. The tires were evaluated using the same criteria of quality, performance, and value as the rims. We truly have something (MANY “somethings” in most cases)
for anyone’s wheel and/or tire requirements.

We are working hard to get all of these products on our website. In the meantime, please contact us

for more information, pricing, and/or to buy current products from these fine rim and tire manufacturers.

Now, introducing our latest rims and tire brands:

5Zigen rims
Advan rims
AMG rims
ASA rims
AT Italia rims
Avarus rims
BBS rims
Borbet rims
Breyton rims
Carroll Shelby rims
D. Earnhardt rims
Enkei rims
Fikse Wheels
Ford Racing rims
G-Games rims
Gram Lights rims
Granite Alloys rims
Hamann rims
Hartge rims
HRE rims
Kazera rims
Kosei rims
Lexion rims

Lowenhart rims
Maya/Maido rims
Moda rims
OZ rims
PIAA rims
Racing Hart rims
Rays rims
Rial rims
RO_JA rims
Rota rims
RH EVO rims
Sport Edition rims
SSR rims
Tenzo rims
TR Motorsports rims
Weds rims
WedsSport rims
WORK Wheels
Volk Racing rims
Zinik rims

FREE SHIPPING on all of the above brands within the Continental (Lower) 48 states when you purchase a set of 4 !

In addition to these above rims, we have a special relationship with Dolce, Katana, Lenso, Ninja by Katana, and Samurai by Lenso to offer factory authorized, warehouse prices direct from the manufacturer!

BFGoodrich tires
Bridgestone tires
Continental tires
Dunlop tires
Firestone tires
Fuzion tires
General tires
Hankook tires
Hoosier tires
Kumho tires
Michelin tires
Nitto tires
Pirelli tires
Sumitomo tires
Toyo tires
Uniroyal tires
Yokohama tires

Tires are available stand-alone or as part of a rim and tire packages.

FREE SHIPPING on ALL of the above tire brands within the Lower 48 States when you purchase a set of 4!!

Dolce DC 6 Chrome Rim- On Sale NOW through January 31, 2009

Our Top 5 Chrome Rims and Black Rims

wheelallstars — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 03:35:49 +0000

Frank White

The DONZ Frank White chrome rims. Available is 22 and 24 inch.

De la Vega

The DONZ De la Vega 20 inch chrome rims. Also available as an all black rim with polished lip or a silver rim with polished lip.

Pro Comp Series 6004

The Pro Comp Series 6004 20 inch chrome rims.

Costellano

The DONZ Costellano chrome rims. Available in 22 and 24 inch.

Ultra Wheel Reflex

The Ultra Wheel Reflex chrome and black rims. Available in 18, 20, 22, and 24 inch.

Above are the most popular rims in our extensive lineup of chrome rims, black rims, and custom rims. Visit WheelAllstars.com to see ALL of our top-quality rims and wheels.

Happy Holidays and The Best For The New Year!

wheelallstars — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:59:12 +0000

Everyone at WheelAllstars.com wants to wish you and your’s Happy Holidays and the best for the New Year.

May your Holidays be filled with warmth and happiness and may you always be surrounded by the ones you love.

As we prepare for 2009, may the New Year be better than the last.

FREE Custom Finishes Now Available!

wheelallstars — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:56:45 +0000

Leave it to your friends at WheelAllstars.com to watch your back when it comes to the products you really want. Yes, we’ve done it again!

We are proud to announce custom color finished rims from DONZ, Estrella, and Rennen. You might be saying…I thought you guys could always do that. You are right, we have always been able to, but now….it’s a NO CHARGE option on MOST of their rims! That’s right, add a single color to most of their rims for no extra charge. Two or more colors as well as pinstripes and just about anything else you can think of is still available for an adidition fee. We can even have them MATCH THE COLOR OF YOUR VEHICLE provided you give us your paint code. The rims can be partially painted, fully painted, just the spokes, just the lip…whatever you desire.

This is an INCREDIBLE service to have available at your fingertips, let alone for no extra charge. There are but just a handful of production rim manufacturers that will add any color of your choice to their rims—let alone at no cost. Companies that will match your vehicle’s paint color can be counted on even fewer fingers.

An example- This is the Donz Messina w/ Custom Red Finish

We love special and custom orders, so contact us to discuss your wildest ideas. It stimulates our little creative minds.

Let’s not forget that some of our other rim manufacturers offer a degree of customizing with some of their wheels too.

So, you want a totally unique look? Don’t we ALL. Have us custom finish a set of rims for you and ride in style and be the envy of your friends and neighbors. Believe us, people will be amazed to see your vehicle’s actual color on your rims instead of a one-shade-fits-all variety of the typical blue, red, gold, black, or white. We have already done a couple and our customers have been FLOORED by the results.

There’s A New Rim In Town

wheelallstars — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:29:09 +0000

WheelAllstars.com is proud to announce the expansion of our on-line store. We have been diligently researching and reviewing MANY manufacturers over the last few months and we have finally finished. The verdict- fewer than half met our criteria of “more bling with less ka-ching” but, for those who did make it, we will be ADDING THEM to our line-up.

Brands like Enkei, OZ, Rays, HRE, BBS, Borbet, AMG, Avarus, Lowenhart, and other are only weeks away! In the meantime, contact us to discuss further. These new lines will expand our chrome rims, black rims, custom rims, and others to approximately DOUBLE the current available brands available from WheelAllstars.com! This will mean approximately 50 premium quality, very high value rim brands to choose from.

In addition to rims, we will be adding approx a dozen more lines of tires in order to offer a HUGE selection of tires as well as rim and tire packages to those who desire them. This will nearly TRIPLE the tire brands we offer.

Just like the brands we carry now, our new lines will offer something for every budget, every taste, and every vehicle. As always, prices will be up to 50% off retail, all rims will ship for half off normal rates at the very least while many will ship FREE!

As our dealer authorizations roll in for each brand, please bear with us as we add the plethora of new products to our site and don’t forget about the outstanding brands we already offer.

Until next time…..BLING RESPONSIBLY!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Which Aftermarket Rims Will REALLY Fit My Ride?

wheelallstars — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 02:34:44 +0000

At WheelAllstars.com, we get this question all of the time and for good reason. Just because a rim is available in the proper bolt pattern for your vehicle doesn’t mean it will fit correctly…or at all for that matter. We have touched on this topic in a couple earlier posts, but it bears mention again in more detail.

There are a lot of variables to consider when buying aftermarket rims for your vehicle. The obvious and most thought off aspect is rim diameter. Diameter, however, is just a piece of the puzzle and, in some cases, actually plays less of a role than often overlooked criteria.

Diameter is certainly a concern but can easily be addressed. As long as your new rims and tires are close (we recommend within 1 or 2 inches) to the overall diameter of your OEM rims and tires, you will be OK 95% of the time. Of course, there are exceptions to this such as super high performance cars with very tight tolerances such as Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Corvettes, etc. These car, in general, require more attention when fitting with custom rims anyway. Going with a combination that is too big in diameter and/or width on any vehicle will lead to nasty rubbing issues.

Second is bolt pattern. This is very obvious. If you can’t get the proper bolt pattern, you’ll never get them to go over the hub bolts in the first place. These pattern have to be EXACT or driving the vehicle will hollow out the mounting holes in the rim.

Now, we get to some less known but equally important issues that must be addressed.

Are the rims hub centric or lug centric? To some people, this is totally new territory. In simple terms, a lug centric rim is one that relies primarily on the mounting lugs to center the wheel on the axle. A hub centric rim relies more on the outer hub of the axle to center the rim. There are plenty of each kind in the aftermarket world, but there are more lug centric designs in order to accommodate the myriad of variations of vehicle hubs out there. Ideally, you want your wheel ending up being a good fit in both areas- lugs AND hub. This may require the addition of readily available adapter rings.

What about offset and backspacing? All vehicles come from the factory with a “factory” offset. Offset is the distance from the exact center of the rim to the outer edge of the rim whereas backspacing is the distance from the inside bolting surface of the rim to the outer edge of the inboard side of the rim. Offsets can be positive or negative. Positive offsets move the wheel closer to the vehicle. Negative offsets do the opposite. Most vehicles have a positive offset (even more specific, most passenger vehicles have offsets between +20 & +45) whereas many lifted 4×4′s will need negative offsets because of the width of the tires and rims. Going to a larger rim (especially wider) will often require moving to a lower offset for proper fit. Spacers can also be used to push the tire further out from the vehicle. While spacers are an industry acceptable means to do this, you are better off just getting the proper offset in the first place. Spacers will bolt to the hub and then the rims will bolt on from there. This would then mean two sets of bolts on each hub to check torque on periodically and require the removal of the rim every time to get to the spacers to check them. Pushing your rims and tires out from the vehicle significantly further than stock will result in a wider turning radius and more stress on the hub, knuckle, and axle components.

Finally, even if everything is exactly as it is supposed to be, this doesn’t assure a fit. Take, for example, the new Infiniti G37 Couple, Subaru WRX STI, and others. These vehicles have such large and elaborate front braking systems that most rims (again, even if everything is as it’s supposed to be) will not clear them. These vehicles require aftermarket rims with unusually big backspacing (and typically low or even negative offset), which most rims designed to fit cars do not have. While we have a few one-piece rims that will fit these vehicles, most of our customers will choose a casted, 2 or 3 piece wheel made specifically for them. The factory stated offset for the 2009 Infiniti G37, for example, is 45. Try putting just about ANY aftermarket rim on this vehicle with an offset of 45 and you are in for a disappointment. They won’t properly clear the front calipers.

Buying rims on-line is certainly the best way to find the best selection and prices. This does not, however, mean that it is necessarily an easy task for some vehicles. Even though most on-line dealers have shopping carts and buy-it-now options to where you can do your own thing and never have to speak with anyone to make your purchase, it’s always worth it to speak to a knowledgeable dealer rep before laying down the green. At WheelAllstars.com, we welcome your inquiries. It’s our job to help you.

Until next time…..bling responsibly!

Black Rims Are The New Bling

wheelallstars — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:37:03 +0000

What’s hot in custom rims? Wheel diameters keep getting bigger and bigger. SUV’s and trucks in particular are now running 28 to 30 inch rims. 24 inch rims are almost commonplace. Even compact Japanese car owners are asking for 18 and 20 inch rims these days. With all of this “size matters” stuff going on, however, have you noticed all of the black rims that manufacturers are now offering? Have you noticed how many black rims are now seen on cars, trucks and SUV’s. The bottom line is this- BLACK RIMS ARE HOT!

Konig Beyond

Manufacturers often describe black wheels in the following manner: painted black rims, chrome and black rims, gloss black rims, matte black rims, flat black rims, powder coated black rims, satin black rims, charcoal rims, graphite rims, hyper black rims, iridium black rims, black rims with a machined lip, black painted rims with polished stainless lip, black rims with a diamond cut face, chrome rims with black spoke caps, chrome rims with black inserts, carbon finished rims, anthracite finished rims , and black chrome rims. Black, gloss black, black with polished lip and/or face, and hyper black are the most popular descriptions used by manufacturers. Some of our manufacturers even offer a myriad of lip and insert colors to go with their black rims such as yellow, red, blue, green, diamond plate, etc.

Black rims are usually painted black and clear coated. Hyper black rims use a powder coated process that adds much more depth to a custom wheel. The powder coating process is usually done in several steps until the face of the wheel has a beautiful, bright black luster. So far, relatively few manufacturers are offering “hyper” black rims but the trend is growing substantially as they realize how much more “bling” this finish adds to the rims. Anthracite is a form of coal that has a high luster and custom wheels and rims with this finish resembles a chunk of this type of coal. The black chrome finish has both a shiny and reflective finish and is very similar to chrome in appearance.

The number of wheel choices available these days can be mind boggling! If you are looking for something different for your car, truck or SUV then take a little time to look at all the different black custom rims available today.
We offer them all here at WheelAllstars.com and, as always, you can contact us for more information and assistance in choosing the right rims for your ride.

Happy motoring and remember…bling safely!

OUR 2009 RIM LINEUP

wheelallstars — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:30:30 +0000

WheelAllstars.com is proud to announce our 2009 lineup of some of the World’s finest chrome rims, black rims, custom rims, truck rims, SUV rims, and more. You will continue to find a fine selection, the newest styles and models, discounted prices on EVERY RIM (even special orders) up to 50% off retail, discounted shipping, and rims that are the epitome of value and performance.

Here is our lineup-

American Racing

Centerline

Cragar

Dick Cepek

DONZ

Dropstars

Eco

Estrella

Ion

Keystone

Konig

Mickey Thompson

Momo

Motegi Racing

Primax

Pro Comp

Rennen

Twenty Inches Strong (TIS)

Ultra Wheel

Voxx

Weld Racing

Wheel Replicas

XXR

ZEN

….and MORE!

Please remember that, do to space restraints and manufacturer’s stipulations and restrictions, we are unable to list every available wheel on our site. We have MANY more available and sell EVERY current rim from every manufacturer we represent. If you don’t see what you are looking for, CONTACT US. We WANT to hear from you and it’s our pleasure to help you.

It’s time for you to ride in style. You know you deserve us. Check us out TODAY and be the envy of your friends and neighbors.

Until next time………