opinions on wheel of choice on a new black Lariat? 18" chromes,20" chromes,18" alum,20"alum

 

20 Aluminum.

 

I also have 20" aluminum, and i will say that 20" tires are spendy, if thats a concern for ya you might wanna go smaller. 20" do look good though. I paid 950$ for a set of 20" cooper discover m/s tires installed, thought that was a bit eek! However it could be because they are snow tires, never priced regular tires and ive never bought any tires over 15" before as I come from driving rangers and only had my 2008 sport trac with 17" rims long enough for one set of tires. However I figure if i can afford a 50K truck i can put 1K worth of tires on it every few years.

 

I have a 2010 with the 20" alum. Looks AWESOME. I think those shoes make the truck. 18" are too small and the 20" chrome look out of place to me with the design. Plus they ate really expensive. $1000 on top top if the $1500 chrome package. No thank you.

 

I would say it depends on where you live. If you have a lot of potholes to deal with, like I do in NE Ohio, I think it is better to have the forgiveness of more tire sidewall so would go with 18's. If not, the aluminum 20's look great. Check www.tirerack.com and compare tire prices if you plan on keeping this truck long term.

 

post pics anyone? i have the chrome package so i thought i should just stick with chrome..
anyone have pics of their trucks with the chrome package and aftermarket chrome or aluminum wheels?

 

Are you talking about chrome steel wheels? Because all wheels are aluminum. It's actually Chrome plating over an aluminum wheel. Or are you just talking about the finish. If you live in a area that uses salt or chemicals on the road, either of these finishes will take a beating. Both also need frequent cleaning especially chrome as brake dust can cause corrosion and damage the wheels. Aluminum wheels are tough to keep up with as they need continual polishing to keep their luster. What about an option like this?

 

I agree. It really does depend on where and how you plan to use your truck. If you will only ever be on good paved roads and if you like the look of 20's they are a viable option. If, however, you plan to use you truck on gravel roads 18's or even 17's are a better option. I'm still contemplating going to 17's for my non-winter tire and wheel set-up on my new truck.

 

Take note of the fact that the wheels on the Raptor are 17" diameter. You need the extra tire sidewall width to cushion the ride on rough terrain (which probably includes Midwest roads after a few freeze-thaw cycles).

As for chrome-plated aluminum wheels, the wheels on my 2009 Taurus Limited are aluminum with a chrome-plated appearance. But when you examine them closely, you can see that the chrome plating is actually on a plastic overlay that is attached to the wheel. I've not looked at the chrome 18" or 20" wheels on the F-150s, but it wouldn't surprise me if they are made the same way.

 

bb37,

They are the same...plastic covers with chrome plating.