Many people want to change the rims and tires of their trucks to give them a new look. When they can not find the factory-made wheels, they try to fit another size or bigger rims like 20 inches for their vehicle.
Will 20 Inch Rims Fit on my Truck? You can fit 20-inch rims on your truck, but the tire’s overall diameter should be the same. In addition, you should measure the bolt pattern offset and backspacing before placing the new wheels. 20-inch rims are aesthetically appealing and provide additional control to the vehicle, but they decrease the mileage and acceleration and affect the speedometer reading. You can add these bigger rims on Chevy Silverado, Ford F150, Toyota Tacoma, and Tundra trucks.
Bigger tires offer better and improved ground clearance for your vehicles.
Can you change the rims size of the truck?
You can change the rims size of the pickup but it is challenging for many people.
Ideally, you should stick to the manufacturer’s specifications and tires. This is because changing one part will affect the performance of other parts.
You can change its size without actually changing the overall thickness of the tire. However, its overall diameter and the outer tire should match the manufacturer specified tire size.
For example, when replacing it with a bigger rims, change the outer rubber tire to a thin covering. It will keep the diameter the same. In case of downsizing, replace the tire with a thicker rubber tire.
Why would you add 20-inch rims to your truck?
Replacing the rims on your vehicle is not a simple task. However, it should provide more benefits than the previous wheels. 20-inch rims are bigger and have many advantages over 18 inches rims.
First of all, they are bigger and are more appealing to the eyes. Many drivers want to make their vehicles more aesthetically appealing.
Wider rims have less sidewall, and most of the tire shows on the outer side. As a result, your truck stands out in looks as compared to the other vehicles.
Bigger size wheels give you additional control over the tire during driving. They are thicker and lift the pickup higher on the road.
In addition, it will increase the ground clearance of the pickup. They are rigid and have a grip on the road, so they are easy to control.
18-inch rims also have their benefits for the better performance of a vehicle. They decrease the wear and tear of the suspension and brake system of the pickup.
They have more sidewalls and act as a cushion for suspension and other vehicle parts.
They are comfortable to drive but decrease the aesthetic appeal of the pickup. However, you can drive smoothly with them on a rough and bumpy road.
The preferred size depends upon your choice and the type of truck you are driving.
Things to consider before adding 20-inch rims to your truck
Each vehicle has some specs for the size of the wheel. You have to consider them before adding 20-inch rims. Here is a detailed description of these specs.
Bolt pattern
It is essential to choose rims with a bolt pattern that matches the lug pattern specified by the manufacturer.
Otherwise, your pickup will not accept it. Bolts or nuts are 3 or 5 holes in the wheel around a big central hub bore. They serve as an attachment site for the wheels to the truck.
They keep the tire in its place with the help of bolts. The manufacturer specifies the number of lug nuts and their distance from the central hole. There are various bolt patterns, and each vehicle has its own pattern.
They are written in codes, and each code has two numbers. For example, 3-4.25 is a bolt pattern of a wheel.
In this code, 3 is the number of holes or lugs, and 3.25 is the diameter of the central bore. So you should know the bolt pattern of your truck and 20-inch wheels before replacing them.
Wheel Offset
It is also specific for all the pickups. It can have three values zero, positive, and negative offset.
A zero offset is when its hub mounting surface is even with the centerline of the rims. A positive value means the mounting surface is towards the front of the centerline.
A negative means the mounting surface is towards the back of the wheel centerline.
Measuring the offset ensures that the bigger tires have enough space against the suspension and braking system of the truck.
Wheel backspacing
It is the distance of the mounting hub to the innermost lip of the wheel. It also ensures that the tires work independently of all other parts of the pickup.
It is measured in millimeters and shows enough space, and the tires will not rub against the suspension frame and braking system.
Finally, it shows the position of the mounting pad in relation to the wheel width.
Disadvantages of changing the size of the rims on your truck
Besides all the benefits of installing the 20-inch rims, it has some disadvantages. Here is a brief description of all the drawbacks.
Decrease in acceleration
Trucks with 20-inch or bigger size rims increase the vehicle’s overall weight. The driver has to make more effort to run it.
It will increase the burden on the engine, and you have to put extra effort into moving it. It increases the rolling resistance on a rough road. It will decrease the acceleration of the pickup on the road.
Decrease control of the steering
Tires with wider rims also increase the workload on the steering. The steering will face difficulty in moving pickups with bigger tires.
It makes the steering heavy, and the driver will have less control over it. Driving a vehicle with wider wheels comfortable than smaller wheels.
Wrong speedometer reading
Replacing the rims with a bigger one can also affect the speedometer reading. They are heavier, and tires move slowly on the road.
The speedometer will misread the information and perceive it as slow speed. You have to recalibrate the speedometer according to the circumference of the tire.
Higher cost
Replacing the wheels of the vehicle is a costly procedure. They are more expensive than thinner rims.
You also have to spend money on installing them. Their maintenance is also difficult because they wear out quickly.
Will adding a 20-inch rims decrease the truck mileage?
Yes, adding them will decrease the mileage of the pickup. It lowers the fuel economy in various ways.
First, they are heavier, and the engine has to burn more fuel to move them. Accelerating or stopping them will also burden the braking system of the vehicle.
It needs more revolution to move faster on the road, so more fuel is required per revolution.
You have to spend extra fuel to accelerate them. They make the front of the truck less aerodynamic, and more fuel is required to drive the pickup.
The increased rigidly and high rolling resistance on the road also increase the MPG of the pickup.
On what trucks you can add 20-inch rims
Many truck manufacturers have the option of upsizing and downsizing the rims and tires. Here is a list of tracks on which you can add 20-inch rims
- Chevy Silverado
- Ford F150
- Toyota Tacoma
- Toyota Tundra
- RAM 1500
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