# Safety concerns with mixing alloy and steel rims? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** winter, tires, wheels\ **Created:** [January 8, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/safety-concerns-with-mixing-alloy-and-steel-rims/24586 "2009-01-08T16:03:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![clmadison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@clmadison](https://community.cartalk.com/u/clmadison)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/safety-concerns-with-mixing-alloy-and-steel-rims/24586/1 "2009-01-08T16:03:14Z")
I am looking to get some used rims for my snow tires. I do not need the rims to match. Does anyone with experience in these matters know if having mixed wheel types would jeopardize safety? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/safety-concerns-with-mixing-alloy-and-steel-rims/24586/2 "2009-01-08T16:37:54Z")
The wheels for your winter tires don’t have to match what’s on the car, but they should match each other. I would not mix steel and alloy side-to-side on the same axle, except in an emergency. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/safety-concerns-with-mixing-alloy-and-steel-rims/24586/3 "2009-01-08T17:20:44Z")
Aren’t you going to use four winter tires? I hope so. Buy four steel rims for your four winter tires. Some junk yards and used tire retailers have steel rims at reasonable prices, and they will have four that match. ---
**Author:** ![clmadison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@clmadison](https://community.cartalk.com/u/clmadison)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/safety-concerns-with-mixing-alloy-and-steel-rims/24586/4 "2009-01-08T18:47:43Z")
Yep, I was planning to use four, new, matching snow tires. Thus far the prices from the folks who have all four are not as reasonable as the folks who have just two at a time. But, as it turns out, even if the four wheels do not from the same car, they are all steel. No alloys have made it to the salvage yards. Thanks for the input. I am going to try to find four used steel rims. That sounds like the safest and cheapest bet short of just buying 4 brand new rims. Cheers, Chris ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/safety-concerns-with-mixing-alloy-and-steel-rims/24586/5 "2009-01-08T19:34:25Z")
I suggest checking [tirerack.com](http://tirerack.com) for their prices on winter tires and steel rims. The cost shipped included the tires mounted/balanced to the rims at no charge. The steel rims I believe are only $50/each usually if available in your size. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/safety-concerns-with-mixing-alloy-and-steel-rims/24586/6 "2009-01-08T21:36:47Z")
There may be. If your car doesn’t come with steel wheels, your tires might be farther apart or closer together and not track properly. I would like to think that there would be no difference but I don’t trust car makers anymore. I haven’t heard of a problem, so I have to make them up. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/safety-concerns-with-mixing-alloy-and-steel-rims/24586/7 "2009-01-08T22:19:38Z")
Whether steel or alloy, the critical characteristics of the wheels should be the same. Those are the lgg pattern, the diameter, the rim widthn and the offset. The offset is the characteristic that determines your track width. [www.carbibles.com](http://www.carbibles.com) has a good primer on this subject. I recommend a visit.