Steel wheels - spoked or modular?

Hi, after the groups excellent advice on tyres, I ordered a set of BFG
AT 235/85R16's for my Defender 90, and because they blew my budget I
decided to get them fitted to my existing rims for now and to purchase
better ones later. However, my excitement of trying out my new tyres
was quickly dampended by the fitter pointing out that my existing rims
needed tubes, and they don't have any tubes of the right size in stock.
As I was going to buy new wheels in the long term, I thought I'd phone
round a couple of places to get some wheel prices as I was going to have
to buy tubes anyway. Unfortunately none of the local 4x4 traders could
guarantee a delivery by Saturday, and because I am very keen to take
part in the Salisbury Plain off road treasure hunt I had to stump up the
extra price for tubes for now which the fitter could get for tomorrow,
and go back to plan A for changing the wheels later.

Anyway, enough rambling, suffice to say that I can not find much
information to help me choose between steel spoked wheels and the
modular wheels. Is there a preference anybody can share with me? Is it
purely cosmetic? And will they fit over my drum brakes on the rear? I
do not want alloys particularly, unless there is some dramatic benefit
to them off road other than cosmetic. And Richard could you supply a
price for steel wheel options please

Advthanksance,

Dave.

Hello I would go for the modular but that is purely for cosmetic reasons I
would like some for my rangie, I have seen plenty of defenders and series
with steels I cant see there being a problem especially as they would be 16"
wheels,
I look forward to meeting you on Saturday I am the navigator of my friends
disco

Cheers Bren
"Dave Gibbs" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Hi, after the groups excellent advice on tyres, I ordered a set of BFG AT
> 235/85R16's for my Defender 90, and because they blew my budget I decided
> to get them fitted to my existing rims for now and to purchase better ones
> later. However, my excitement of trying out my new tyres was quickly
> dampended by the fitter pointing out that my existing rims needed tubes,
> and they don't have any tubes of the right size in stock. As I was going
> to buy new wheels in the long term, I thought I'd phone round a couple of
> places to get some wheel prices as I was going to have to buy tubes
> anyway. Unfortunately none of the local 4x4 traders could guarantee a
> delivery by Saturday, and because I am very keen to take part in the
> Salisbury Plain off road treasure hunt I had to stump up the extra price
> for tubes for now which the fitter could get for tomorrow, and go back to
> plan A for changing the wheels later.
>
> Anyway, enough rambling, suffice to say that I can not find much
> information to help me choose between steel spoked wheels and the modular
> wheels. Is there a preference anybody can share with me? Is it purely
> cosmetic? And will they fit over my drum brakes on the rear? I do not
> want alloys particularly, unless there is some dramatic benefit to them
> off road other than cosmetic. And Richard could you supply a price for
> steel wheel options please
>
> Advthanksance,
>
> Dave.

Modulars, 8-spokes - they will all fit and look OK. I've had both, and
can only say that the mods I have look far better than the 8-spokes
after a year or so on the vehicle. The 8-spokes seem to rust very
rapidly and look tatty in short order, whereas the modulars (silver)
have been on the road and in competition for a couple of years and
still look new (if I clean 'em).

Please make sure that the tyres you have got are suitable for tubes -
often the tubeless type are NOT suitable with tubes, as they have a
rough surface inside that will abrade the tube and then you get a
blowout - which with a tubeless tyre can be pretty quick and
catastrophic. Your fitter *should* be able to tell you this.

Alloys look better and as they are (in theory) lighter, they give
better handling on the road. Off-road, this matters not, and the fact
that alloys can crack if you hit them hard, whereas steel wheels will
bend, means that hardly anyone uses alloys for serious off-road
activity. Steels can be hammered back into shape in an emergency,
whereas alloys are scrap.

You can probably get a set of modulars from Craddocks, Paddocks et al
for around a ton a set (Mangels being a good choice) - personally, I
would have burned the credit card and got the wheels along with the
tyres, and had it all right from the start. Tubes ain't cheap, and if
you go tubeless you won't have much use for them.

HTH

DaveP