America

Rolling ESSENTIALS | A Guide to Wheel and Tires

By John Mata Jr.

January 11, 2021

A Guide to Wheel and Tires for Street, Track and Off-Road Terrain

 S o your truck needs a new set of wheels and tires, huh? Well, lucky for you, the selection of both is seemingly endless in the aftermarket. To help you make your way through the mass mounts of wheels and tires out there, we’ve stepped in to introduce you to some of the latest and greatest rolling wares on the market, as well as some of the tried and true selections that lead the pack in performance. 

Whether you’re looking to build your truck to look good at the show, perform its best on the track or devour off-road terrain off the grid, we’ve got you covered. These days, it’s important to do some homework first before spending your money on components for your truck that may not deliver exactly what you’re after. From billet showstoppers, to tires designed to grip and grab their way through an autocross course, to wheels destined for a mud bath—get what you need for your truck right here. Let’s get rollin’!

WHEEL

STREET • A collection of wheels that have been finely tuned to deliver balanced helpings of good looks, great fit and high performance.

Bullet Wheel

The Bullet wheel is the latest addition to the US Mags Vintage Cast lineup. The Bullet is a cast one-piece wheel with a split five-spoke design in either chrome or textured anthracite and milled with a diamond cut lip. The initial sizes are 20×8 and 20×9.5 for 5-lug Chevy trucks.

US Mags Wheels us-mags.com 

Silverado HD 20-Inch Wheel 

Personalize your truck with these 20-inch high gloss black, authentic Chevrolet Accessories wheels that are validated to GM specifications. For those who like to stay true to OE add-ons, these will certainly do the trick. Factory center cap, lug nuts and lock pin, and tire pressure monitors are also available.

Chevrolet 888-940-2438 accessories.chevrolet.com

847 Tangent Wheel 

Designed to fit a wide variety of truck fitment applications, Center Line’s 847 Tangent wheel features a turbine-inspired spoke pattern and a killer high gloss, black milled finish that will look great on just about any truck. The Tangent wheel is available in 17-, 18-, 20- and 22-inch diameters to meet the size and style of your pickup.

Center Line Wheels 877-283-6347 centerlinewheels.com 

Torque Thrust II Wheel

For years, Chevy truck owners craved a version of American Racing’s classic Torque Thrust II wheel in a larger size. It has been available in 18- and 20-inch sizes for years, with a 22-inch update of polished and chrome versions in early 2020. Now, the Torque Thrust is available in the updated 22×9- and 22×11-inch sizes in two new finish options—gloss black and mag gray with machined lip (shown). No more shopping around for a wheel that has a comparable look to the TTII. Get the real thing right here in the size and finish you’ve been dreaming about forever.

American Racing 702-529-1410 www.americanracing.com

Speedway Wheel

One of the shining stars within Billet Specialties Legendary Series, the Speedway wheel will give your truck the look of track performance straight out of the box. The Speedway wheel is available in 18- and 20-inch diameters with multiple bolt patterns and backspace options available, so no matter what your ride height or suspension setup may be, you’ll be able to take advantage of one of Billet Specialties’ best looking wheel designs to date.

Billet Specialties 800-245-5382 www.billetspecialties.com 

159 Spike Wheel

Available in three different finishes (chrome, satin black and gunmetal), Raceline’s Spike wheel features a modern 10-spoke pattern with a flush face contour, with a scalloped ridge that adds detail and increased wheel rigidity. Choose from diameter sizes ranging from 18 to 22 inches for a look that will finish your truck off just right.

Raceline Wheels 714-893-4160 racelinewheels.com

Attack Series Wheel

Give your truck an aggressive look whether you’re driving it on the streets or at the track with Rocket Racing’s Attack wheel. This wheel is stout, lightweight, and priced to fit budget-minded builds. A unique dual-direction production process allows Rocket wheels to be custom-tailored to fit just about any vehicle application. The Attack wheel can be ordered in a variety of finish options to complete the style of your performance street truck.

Rocket Racing Wheels 888-307-7525 www.rocketracingwheels.com 

OFF-ROAD  • Attractive and durable, these wheels are the epitome of rugged sophistication at its finest.

Paradox Wheel

The Paradox wheel is Cali Offroad’s rendition of a classic full-face wheel design with its personalized modern touch. The Paradox is offered in the shown gloss black finish with milled spokes, as well as a high polished version to better suit your rig. Available diameter options run from 20-, 22- and 24-inch selections with widths up to 14 inches for all popular 5-, 6- and 8-lug truck applications.

Cali Offroad 626-363-1676 www.calioffroad.com 

Voyager Wheel

Cause some havoc with Mayhem’s Voyager wheel, which is the latest flow formed addition to their lineup. The Overland inspired wheel is designed to reliably get you to wherever you need to go no matter the terrain. The shown finish is Mayhem’s dark bronze option—a matte black option is also available for the Voyager wheel. All popular 5- and 6-lug trucks can benefit from this stylin’ off-road wheel selection.

Mayhem Wheels 626-363-1676 www.mayhemwheels.com 

ADD Pro Wheel 

Designed to complement the existing Addictive Desert Designs (ADD) wheel lineup, the Pro wheel model has been specifically crafted to fit 6-lug ’04-’20 Ford F-150 trucks and ’10-’20 Raptor models. The 17×8.5-inch matte black wheel features a 2,600-pound load rating and is built to the toughest strength and safety standards in the industry.

Addictive Desert Designs 855-233-8992 www.addictivedesertdesigns.com

Millennium Wheel

Motiv Off-Road has just introduced its all-new Millennium wheel, which was built from the ground up to be a true off-road capable wheel with multiple sizes and offsets to fit a popular truck and SUV models. The split 8-spoke design is sunk into the barrel to give the wheel a premium deep concave look. With diameter sizes ranging from 17 to 22 inches, the Millennium wheel will be a great addition to your lifted pickup.

Motiv Wheels 714-990-2233 www.motivwheels.com 

Chasm Wheel

Brand new from Weld is the off-road Chasm wheel. The one-piece, flow formed wheel is available in 20×9-, 20×10- and 20×12-inch sizes in 5-, 6- or 8-lug bolt patterns to fit just about any truck or SUV on the trail. The Chasm features a gloss black milled finish and a deep lip design that was purposely engineered to clear the biggest brake packages, which is always helpful when building a true lifted performance vehicle.

Weld Off-Road 800-788-9353 www.weldwheels.com 

Compression Wheel 

The Compression wheel from ICON Vehicle Dynamics features a very bold appearance with sharp lines and a concave spoke design that would look good on just about any big, rugged truck. ICON manufacturers all of its wheels to work in tandem with upgraded aftermarket brake setups and feature an optimized wheel position for a free path of suspension travel and steering function. Get this wheel in the shown bronze finish, satin black, or titanium options for 5- and 6-lug applications.

ICON Vehicle Dynamics 951-689-4266 iconvehicledynamics.com

Ranger Raptor Dyno Gray Wheel 

Originally designed for the Ford Ranger Raptor, which was not originally available in the US, the Dyno Gray wheel is now available in North America exclusively through Ford Performance Parts. The premium OEM aluminum 17×8.5-inch wheel fits ’19 Ranger 4WD models and features a matte Dyno Gray finish, “Ford” Raptor/Ranger style center cap and comes equipped with TPMS sensors and application tool.

Ford Motor Company 313-296-8853 performanceparts.ford.com

TIRES

STREET  • Improved handling and overall performance for the streets and road courses.

BFGoodrich g-Force  Rival S Tire

Whether you’re on the street, autocross, or time attack track, BFG’s g-Force Rival S tire will deliver equally optimum handling performance. This hunk of rubber was designed to compete, and they offer ultimate grip and quick warm-ups to get them grabbing on any paved surface. The Rival S is an actual semi-competition tire that is legal to run in many performance events, including the Goodguys Pro Touring shootout.

BFGoodrich Tires 877-788-8899 www.bfgoodrichtires.com

Proxes ST III Tire

Toyo’s Street Truck series tire has been a hit on the show circuit as well as at track events for years, and the Proxes STIII street/sport truck all-season tire delivers a sharp appearance and top-notch performance handling in one single package. A wider tread pattern than previous generations and a silica-based tread compound allow this tire to stop up to 6 feet shorter in wet conditions. With a factory 40,000-mile warranty, STIII rubber will deliver the handling you expect with a quiet ride and consistent wear you deserve from a high-end sport tire.

Toyo Tires 800-442-8696 www.toyotires.com 

NT555RII Tire

Nitto has designed its NT555RII tire to benefit those who choose to rock them every day while still enjoying time at the track with it as well. The high-grip compound and semi-racing construction increase traction at the starting line. Nitto recommends that a pair of the NT55RII drag radials be put on the driving axle, and a pair of NT555 G2 tires thrown on the non-driven axle for optimal performance on the pavement. Both tires offer tread patterns and sizing to optimize wet and dry performance on today’s modern street machines.

Nitto Tire 888-529-8200 www.nittotire.com 

ControlContact Sport SRS+ Tires 

Continental Tires has always been known for designing high-performance rubber, and the release of its ControlContact Sport SRS+ tire only further solidifies that fact. This tire delivers all-season traction, responsive performance, and long-lasting tread life—not to mention a great look to boot. The SRS tire also features easy-to-read wear indicators, making it easier to quickly monitor their health.

Continental Tire 800-847-3349 www.continentaltire.com 

Grabber UHP Tire

General Tire has cooked up quite a tire here, as the Grabber UHP boasts bold ultra-high performance all-season traction and excellent handling prowess in wet and dry road conditions. Advanced V-shape directional tread with grooves work in tandem to deliver even wear and extended tread life. A second-generation silica tread compound makes for excellent handling, braking, and overall tire grab year-round.

General Tire 800-847-3349 generaltire.com 

OFF ROAD   • Built to blaze new trails—and get there in style.

Baja Pro XS Tire

The Baja Pro XS is the world’s tallest DOT approved light truck tire. It has been designed after the extreme Baja Pro X and really is a necessary equipment for a truck built to tackle both on-road and rugged off-road terrain. With a tough four-ply bias construction, this tire can handle just about any stretch of land put in front of it. The Baja Pro XS is available in 10 sizes ranging from 35 to 58 inches tall.

Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels 800-222-9092 mickeythompsontires.com 

Tamarock M/T Mud Terrain Tire

A solid square shoulder increases contact with the ground, and an aggressive sidewall design prevents damage while increasing grip when submerged in mud and during rock climbing. The wide and deep grooves enhance anti-skip performance during rain and snow conditions. Tamarock M/T is a solid all-season off-road tire choice for any lifted setup.

Arroyo Tire 877-449-4335 arroyotires.com 

Ridge Grappler Tire

Those looking to take full advantage of their performance lifted truck will certainly appreciate what the Ridge Grappler tire has to offer. First, it is a hybrid terrain tire that performs equally well in both mud-terrain and all-terrain worlds. It is all thanks to the dynamic hybrid tread pattern that makes truly impressive off-road capabilities possible. This tire also provides a quiet and comfortable ride with deep, aggressive sidewall lugs to assist with on- and off-road handling. Just with all of Nitto’s Grappler lineup of tires, the Ridge Grappler offers two unique sidewall designs to choose from on every single tire—select for yourself whether your truck would benefit more from a more traditional or aggressive block design showing.

Nitto Tire 888-529-8200 www.nittotire.com

Gripper X/T Tire

Fuel Off-Road’s Gripper tire line has sure made lots of fans out there, and the X/T further capitalizes on all its successes. This particular tire features a protruding sidewall design and aggressive lugs that allow it to eat up any type of terrain thrown its way. Tremendous traction comes standard, as does balanced performance when on paved roads, making the X/T an ideal option for trucks battling both worlds. With a wide variety of sizes and options to choose from, these will prove to be a perfect fit.

Fuel Off-Road www.fueloffroad.com

RAZR MT Tire

Maxxis makes high-performance tires for pretty much anything with wheels on it, and the RAZR MT is its flagship mud terrain tire. With deeply sculpted center blocks to maximize traction and an innovative sidewall design to improve side traction and puncture resistance, Maxxis has upped the stakes in off-road rubber. This tire is tough yet sophisticated enough to provide a quiet ride when driving on the pavement is absolutely necessary.

Maxxis www.maxxis.com