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Need-to-Know Info When Installing Aftermarket Rims

Updated: May 7

Five Things to Consider Before Moving Forward with a Wheel and Rim Installation


Besides car audio, one of our favorite parts of vehicular customization are wheels and rims. There is arguably no better way to distinguish your car from the thousands of others like it than a set of aftermarket rims or wheels. Chances are, you’ve at least thought about what your ride would look like after a custom rim installation featuring one of the industry’s best rim brands. The personality of the car elevates to something else entirely, which is why so many people gravitate towards wheel and rim installation when considering how to give their ride more personality.

The tricky thing about making any sort of major change to your wheels is that there’s issues that may arise if you don’t do your homework. Granted, you may have thoroughly researched the nation’s best wheel brands and have a few in mind, but you need to consider all the factors beyond aesthetics. Installing new rims or wheels is a major change to the car. The challenge with getting anything aftermarket is that you might unknowingly pick the wrong wheel or rim for your ride.

Not to worry, though. We’ve been in the game long enough to know the most common problems that arise when dealing with custom wheels and rims. The following are five things to consider before moving forward with your upgrade.

1 – Consult with Experts and Do Your Research

It’s totally okay to admit that you don’t know absolutely everything when it comes to wheel and rim installation. The situation you want to avoid at all costs is putting money down on aftermarket rims or wheels that aren’t the right fit for your vehicle. A great way to do that is by consulting with experts who have experience in these matters.


You can feel free to reach out to Stereo Depot about this. We have in-house wheel and rim experts who will be happy to discuss your upgrade.

2 – Be Extra Careful with Sizing

No matter how good the wheel looks, if it doesn’t fit, it’s not going to work. There’s no two ways about it. Having said that, you should very easily be able to find your vehicle’s wheel size with a quick Google search or by referencing your owner’s manual. Making sure the size of your new wheel is a match is critical, especially in those cases in which your front and rear wheels are different sizes. The same can be said for installing new rims; however, having the wrong size rims is less disastrous than the wrong size wheels.

Once again, lean on the expertise of an expert on this if you don’t know for sure. The team at Stereo Depot is happy to help.

3 – Consequences of Changing Wheel Diameter

You’re free to change the wheel diameter of your car, but there are some potential consequences in doing so. First, it’s worth noting that your car’s performance is predicated on your wheels staying the same size as they are now. By changing your wheel diameter, you’re potentially going to compromise a few things from a performance standpoint.

For instance, your speedometer will read slightly inaccurate. Additionally, changing the wheel diameter may affect your traction control and ABS systems. You may also experience degraded driving performance due to a change in gear ratios or with how the suspension components work with the new wheels. There’s a lot that can go wrong when changing wheel diameter, which is a big reason why we recommend talking to an expert before doing anything.

4 – Consider the Weight and Material of Your Wheel and Rim Installation

This one harkens back to number 3. If changing the diameter of your wheel can change how your vehicle performs, so too does changing the weight/material of the wheel. People who are upgrading their wheels tend to get so caught up in matching the size that they forget about the weight and wheel material.

If you go to a much heavier or much lighter wheel or a wheel composed of a weaker metal, you’re going to see a change in how the car handles and holds up against potholes.

5 – Always Go with Quality (Even If It Costs a Little Extra)

It’s not at all difficult to find wheels that have the exact look that you want, but looks aren’t everything. At the end of the day, your aftermarket wheels need to be able to handle all the rigors of driving. Make sure you thoroughly research the company that you’re considering buying aftermarket wheels and/or rims from. Check their reviews and make sure they’re legit. If customers are saying they’ve had trouble with their products, it’s probably best you find your wheels elsewhere.

Visit Stereo Depot for Your Wheel and Rim Installation

Now that you know about the potential red flags of aftermarket wheel installation, the next step is to hook up with the experts so you can kick things off right. As we mentioned, Stereo Depot has in-house experts that can walk you through your wheel or rim upgrade. We can also show you numerous products to help you with the selection process. We carry all the best rim and wheel brands. Simply visit our shop to get started.

We have two convenient locations – one in San Diego and one in El Cajon. Feel free to stop by either one and we’ll be happy to discuss car audio upgrades. If you want to set an appointment or send us an email, use the contact form on our website.


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