I am thinking about buying new wheels.  Some people seem to think that aluminum is better because you can't balance a steel wheel well.  This sounds ridiculous to me.  Anybody have any insight on this?  

steel is just fine, It bends on the trail instead of breaking,  

I used to be all about steel wheels because of the cost and the fact that you can (sometimes) bang them back into shape when they bend. But I've been running aluminum for many years now and I think the weight advantage should not be overlooked. Steel wheels are heavy, especially  when you are considering sizes bigger than 15x10. Yes, I have broken aluminum wheels, but the force required to break the wheels also resulted in bent or broken axle housings, suspension components and so on. I was clearly abusing my Jeep. Steel wheels can bend on regular old obstacles at slow speeds and sometimes they cannot be pounded back into useable shape (they end up leaking). I have also pounded an aluminum wheel back into shape without cracking it. Overall, my pick would be aluminum, it's lighter so it will cause less wear and abuse on your drivetrain and get you better gas milage and performance. Remember, every 10 pounds of added rotating wheel weight is like adding 100 pounds to your Jeeps chassis.

Look for cast or forged aluminum wheels with thick bead areas for best results. Avoid spun aluminum wheels.  

good point but you should see the pile of aluminum wheels I have with the outer lip broke off from mild obstructions, The latest being a set of rubicon moab wheels, all five of them are missing pieces we had to send another rig home to get another wheel and tire to get off the mountain, (I was the only one with a jeep), If you go to alloys get rim protectors. I like the alloys and thats what I use but there is nothing wrong with the steel wheels, when I go do some serious wheeling I swap my nasty looking steels on, my brother works for Les scwab tires and never seems to have trouble balancing the steel wheels, the alloys are a pain unless the customer lets him put the old bang on weights.  

You make it sound like your aluminum wheels loose a major chunk every time out. Clearly not the case. If so ya might want to switch to a less brittle wheel. I've had real good look with American Eagle, American Racing, Alcoa and lots of others. It's the thin-lipped ones like the Weld super-singles and spun wheels that don't work.

Aluminum and steel wheels alike can use tape weights. I have personally installed them on steel and aluminum wheels to balance out tires as big as 44 inches. So yes, they both balance fine. I prefer to stay away from pound-on weights because they get torn off in mud, rocks, and logs. Yes, tape weights can also get knocked off, however, if you clean the area with brake cleaner prior to install and tap the weights in place with a small hammer they will stay on. Also, it helps to put duct tape over them and tape them to the inside of the wheel to make sure they stay put.  

I was thinking about going with 15" steel ProComp Series 152 or Eaton simulated bead locks with 35x13.5x15 Toyo Open Country MT's.  Any experience with either of these brands?  I think that most people would recommend a 10" wide wheel with a 13.5" tire.  Do you guys think I should go 8" or 10".  And does anyone make a 15x9?  I have only seen 17x9's.  

I do loose a piece everytime out using factory wheels, I can buy 3 steel wheels for the cost of 1 alloy that wont break. like I said I'm with you all the way on the alloys but the cost is a factor for many people.  

Sounds to me it depends on what kinda wheelin you are into.  Yes I have  the stock moab wheels, with 265/75 rubber, and  I have scratches, and grind marks all over, all five of them.   I seriously considered switching to 15inch steel,  cheaper rubber was one attraction,  but after lots of research, and watching the cost of moab wheels fall off the face of the earth, I stuck with my stockers.  Reasons,  looks sharp,  much lighter,  ( biggie here as, we take excurions deep into canada and pull a teardrop,  so every extra pound counts   and since we are basically out there alone, in the wilds of canada,  I am very technical about my off-road  driving skills.  We are in it more for the touring then to see if we can blast up a steep hill or go over a tough obstical.  thnx, but I'll just go around , enjoy the view, and get out alive!   This doesn't mean that I never play, but thats another story.  I like my alloys.   By the way,, I'm partial to the Eatons, only cause I went to high school with them, and know that they are from a good family, in the wheel and tire business for three generations, and put out a *** nice product for the bucks.    lateron  

i'll take and post picks when i get home  

I like steel wheels, I have many miles on my steelies in the woods and on the street, and havent had a problem them.  I work in a garage and dont have any trouble balancing either.  

heres my stock moab wheels, the third set.



 

Yeah, swap out to a less brittle wheel that has more material in the bead area and you won't have that problem. Really high quality and reinforced aluminum wheels will not break like that. You may want to even consider beadlocks or a welded-in wheel ring. Both will beef up the wheel significantly.  

My next set will be the high dollar wheels with some protection, just couldn't pass on the moabs when I manage to find them cheap. If I go to a bead lock I'll probably use an air up insert, any comments on those?
I don't do much trail riding I go wheelin.  

I was looking into to staun internal beadlocks for a set of steel wheels but when I priced the set of regular black steel wheels with the internal beadlocks and SS IROKs it came out only 100 dollars cheaper than a set of Poison spyder customs beadlocks and a set of SS IROKs. Im really thinking the poison spyder rims are the way to go because the weight of a steel rim plus the internal beadlock plus tire will be way more than the aluminum rim and tire combo.  

I like the idea of the internal lock because they lock both beads, not just the outside. they can run completely flat and not slip or come off.