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Companies are trying to reinvent the wheel during the latter part of the twentieth and into the twenty-first century. These wheels are 20-inches and larger in diameter, requiring a lower profile tire to properly fit underneath the vehicle. Often, these 20 inch rims with tires are thought of as an urban automotive accessory, but they are prevalent in the rural areas of this country as well. There are many things to take into consideration when upsizing the tire and wheel combination of your vehicle.

When looking at aftermarket rims, you have to decide what material you wish them to be made of. The most common materials used are polished aluminum and chrome. The benefits of aluminum rims are cost, weight and ease of care. Aluminum wheels, as a rule, cost a fraction of chrome wheels. They can be sprayed with off-the-shelf wheel cleaners and rinsed. The chrome rims require diligent care including polishing with a chrome polish and constant detailing.

To properly fit these rims onto your car, you must first make sure the wheels will fit. This normally requires a trip to a tire and wheel shop that has your particular rim in stock. Have them take your current wheel off and test fit the new rim to ensure a proper fit before parting with your hard-earned money. If the wheel fits, it is time to source a tire that is approximately the same overall height as what is on your vehicle, otherwise your speedometer will read incorrectly. Once this is done you can fit your dubs, as they are commonly called, inside your fender-wells and enjoy the new look of your car or truck.

When enjoying the appearance of your new rims, you must take extra care while driving through town and especially outside of town. The ever-present pothole will wreak havoc on your expensive aftermarket wheels. The sharp drop off into the hole can and will bend the lip of your 20 inch rims to the point that the wheels is no longer usable on your vehicle. If it bends far enough, fast enough, the lip of the wheel can crack, causing a small air leak, which can flatten your tire. When driving on a low or flat tire with a 20 inch wheel, you can ruin the tire very quickly, incurring more cost as you have to replace a two hundred dollar tire.

Now that you got your new wheels its time to clean them. There are so many different products out there so how do you know which one is right? Make sure you apply a cleaner that is safe on chrome, alloy, or whatever type of rim you just bought.

Another thing of concern with wheels of this size is theft. Larger wheels are like a bulls-eye for attention, so what can you do to make sure they stay on your vehicle? You can purchase wheel locks, which is a special lug nut that only the owner will have the key for. You can also get an after market security system for your vehicle. With all that combined, you should be in good hands.

One last tip, consider where you live as well! If you are in a wintry climate that is prone to getting those snowy and icy storms, keep the old set of alloy wheels as well. Put those on to keep the new ones from getting tainted with salt and the numerous dings that could happen from sliding around on the ice.