16 inch steelies

daniel glavin

daniel glavin

Forum Member
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
58
Location
portland, oregon
Car Year
2002
Car Model
Outback
Transmission
Auto
Does anyone know of any 16inch steelies that fit subarus? I am interested in finding an after market product that isn't just your basic steel wheel and it seems that everything I can find is made at 15inches. I've scoured the internet and haven't had any luck finding anything that will fit 16x6.5 wheel with the 5x100 bolt pattern.

The issue I am having is that I already bought my off road tires a couple months back so I could start hitting the trails, and now that I have the budget to upgrade my wheels my options are limited to 16inch unless I sell my wheels and buy new ones, or there is some way to fit my current tires on a 15 inch rim.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Dan
 
Oh. And I forgot to mention. I have a 2002 Subaru outback and the tires im trying to fit on 16 inch steelies are 215/75/r16 Cooper Discoverers M+S
 
The Forester SG has 16" steelies from stock that should fit your Outback but they are mud catchers...
 
Yeah I know of those ones. Also, I hate chrome and spraying or plasti dipping things just doesnt look the best.
 
I want steelies for off roading. They're more durable and possible to repair because they bend instead of break.
 
what's wrong with foz steelies ?

I don't imagine you'll find much else.

Here are your options:
https://www.wheelfitment.eu/PCD/5x100.html

really - the probability of breaking an alloy wheel is very low -- that's what spares are for.

Cost of second hand OEM alloys is also very low.
 
daniel glavin said:
I want steelies for off roading. They're more durable and possible to repair because they bend instead of break.
Click to expand...

You can ask TireRack for wheel load ratings. No need to buy sketchy wheels.

My in-town wheels are the stock ones, my offroad wheels are...Enkei Racing RP03. Lightweight but strong, they offset to a degree the weight of my KO2s. In fact, the car accelerates well and stops very, very well.
 
Hmm interesting. Well this is the first I have heard anyone saying to hit the trails with alloys. I will look into it more. I'm glad there are options out there. Thanks guys.
 
They have minor scratches but that is it.

The few Subarus I have seen on trail were on stock aluminum wheels.

Some alloy wheels are barely at the minimum load rating though. I would not buy those.
 
The rally wheels are not steel wheels either. Like the Braid Acropolis, lightweight aluminum, exceptionally strong.
 
Have any suggestions on how far over the load rating the wheels should be for an offloading application?
 
daniel glavin said:
Have any suggestions on how far over the load rating the wheels should be for an offloading application?
Click to expand...

Well that's the big Q!

Rally wheels would be awesome, Braid wheels are not that pricey in the smaller sizes.

There is astoundingly little useful info on wheels, unlike tires. Subaru does not publish the load rating of the wheels but it is apparently in the ballpark of the stock tire of each model.

So, that means 1,700+lb for me. Most wheels offered by TR came with ratings in the 1200-1400 range, 1200 being the minimum TR would sell (1/4 of GVWR). The RP03 are 1530. Now, the stamps on the wheels are by bolt pattern and that becomes an even more complicated question.

The Method rally wheels, which are 24 lb in 17" size, are in the 1800lb range, I think. They look great and are somewhat popular with Subarus but do not save any weight over stock wheels.

A guy on the OB forum just got lightweight Drag wheels from Discount Tire for his KO2s. They assured him that the Drag wheels would be fine offroad. Drag are cheap wheels that emphasize looks. I chose Enkei Racing due to rigorous manufacturing and testing procedures.

I guess we are all on our own when it comes to wheel decisions. I have done enough on the RP03 without issues.
 
Not sure it is still true but steel wheels used to notoriously not balanced and or straight, especially Subie ones.
Alloys are spun cast so have to be. Motorcross and offroad bikes and only have alloy wheels. Only have alloys ( carefully chosen) for decades and only ever had a problem once, where a steel wheel would have been just as dead as the alloy one. Alloy gets it strength from shape and thickness so is stiffer ( and admittedly more likely to ultimate fail) but the load to destroy them will do the same to a steel wheel. Steel wheels also crack ( there is a pic of one on this forum somewhere). The welds also fail ( they are all welded). In a nutshell steel wheels ahve no substantial advantage over well designed and made alloy ones. Just chose carefully
 
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