'The Steel' Wheel FAQ's
After a fair few years and many questions later, find our hopefully-comprehensive FAQ's for the 'The Steel'.
Rather than scale-up a traditional car wheels, we chose to scale down the process used for HGV/ Agricultural wheel production. This allowed us to make them strong while achieving the aesthetic and fitment.
The chamfered of the bolt holes are designed to accept the original bolts used for the original steel wheels.
The wheels are load rated for all variants of the transporter chassis. T26, T28, T30 and T32.
In the pursuit of durability we have applied our Black, powder-coated finish liberally.
The Torque settings are the same as the original wheels 180 NM. Please check regularly after fitting.
We pack the wheels in a very considered way and to a level we deem good enough to make it to you unscathed. In the unusual circumstances the wheels arriving to you damaged, you must notify us within three days of receiving them or you will not be able to claim against damages. Please check all wheels when you receive them. Not when they get to the tyre shop.
We offer them in Black and Black only. That said, one can of PLASTIDIP (readily available in a variety of shades (you can peel it off if you change your mind as it is rubber based). You should be able to paint all 4 wheels very easily with just the one can, if used sparingly... Maybe grab a spare just in case...
The VW centre caps on the original VW steel wheels have varied over the years, some fit great as they locate on the bolts, others don't. They can definitely be modified to fit. The wheels also look great without them too.
These wheels are made from STEEL, not ALLOY. While we have worked hard to acquire a finish we adore on these products, we have chosen a manufacturing method favouring them lasting over being 'showroom' perfect. You will find blemishes, weld and minor scratches on THE STEEL from new.
If you're a stickler for perfection, these wheels and their finish might not be quite to your liking, which is fine. Just a heads up that they might not be for you. Again, we must stress how thrilled we are with their aesthetic, just attempting to manage expectations here.
Will the wheels fit your van?
Yes. If you have a Volkswagen Transporter 2005 - 2025. Adapters are readily available should you wish to fit them to something else. You'll need to know the PCD of your van and make sure it matches the wheels you want or you'll need adapters.
Which tyres can I fit on these wheels?
You can fit a vast array of tyres on our wheels. We've chosen the two sizes we love from from our favourite tyre brand Falken.
What is the load rating?
A tyre and it's load rating is a necessary requirement of law and while we understand certain folk are willing to exercise that law and have some leniency in this department, for the sake of not opening a can of worms and covering our asses, please heed the below information.
'Tyre load ratings are determined by the side wall construction. Big tall sidewalls have lots of compliance and can generally take higher loads.
Tyre manufacturers are all members of a trade body called ETRTO who dictate what the load rating is for a given type and size of tyre (hence why you find almost all tyres of a given size and type have the same rating).
The tyres shown on the pressure plate have all been tested and approved by VW to suit the van but under the bonnet on the left you'll see the chassis plate gives you the rated loads for the axles. It's these figures you need to adhere to (as well as the speed ratings) so; most vans will need 1550kg total tyre rating per axle i.e. 750kg per tyre which is about 101 load rating.
Heavy duty vans like the T32 versions have 1720kg axles so you need 103 rated tyres.'
Long story short..If your van is a T26, T28 or T30 you will need a 101 rated tyre.If your van is a T32 you will need a 103 rated tyre.
What do you want out of your van and how do you want it to look?
If you want a wheel and tyre setup that makes your van look just a bit more purposeful and drive a bit less like a 'van' and more like a car, without any 'invasive modifications' our Falken 'onroad tyre' tyre is great coupled with Bilstein B14 shocks (we can fit this setup to your van), it will be load rated, will not throw out your speedo or anything else too foreign. It has the same rolling radius as the original setup on your van and you'll be able to simply bolt the wheels on and hit the road. It'll add value to your vehicle. Come test a demo van of ours to understand the ride and difference it makes.
A 235-55-18 Falken wildpeak (our offroad tyre) will not only be load rated but will transform the look of your van into an 'overland' or 'swamper' style instantly. It is a brilliant, way to achieve a look that is vastly different and purposeful without the need to fettle with suspension or anything oily. The reason it is our most popular way we see our wheels purposed. The ride will feel slightly wavey along with road noise increasing slightly. A popular, and considered setup to a T5 or T6 van in our eyes.
Thinking of lowering or raising your van?
The standard shocks on your van have been through rigorous testing and are actually very good! They should be, Volkswagen knows what they are doing. They are also, as you might have noticed, quite comfy. We'd suggest being incredibly mindful about fitting aftermarket shocks on your vehicle.
Lifting Springs
Being mindful to not undermine, the standard ride height of the Volkswagen T5 - T6 platform is very high from the factory. Unless you're after some very serious ground clearance and are taking your off-roading very seriously. Then we'd say the standard ride height should stand you in very good stead for 99.9% of what you'll be attempting. These vans, even without the 4motion drivetrain or being lifted are also incredibly capable off-road.
Coilovers
Slightly more involved to fit, a coilover is replacing the whole shock unit. It is a whole brand new shock and spring assembly. The clever thing about a coilover is the fact it can be adjusted. The body of the shock has a thread which can be wound up or down to achieve a desired ride height (usually on the hunt for low to very low). Put simply, the further you wind them down, the lower the van goes, the stiffer the ride becomes). There are 10+ brands making coilovers. We've tried variants at both ends of the spectrum along with in the middle and would recommend you choosing the Bilstein B14. Bilstein makes the upper end shocks for BMW, Mercedes, Audi etc and know what they're doing. This is the only shock we supply and fit.
The very long story, short: You van with our 18' wheel, on standard suspension, with a 225 - 55 - 18 tyre will look very 'off-roady' while being very usable day to day. Your van with our 18' wheel, on standard suspension with a 235 - 50 - 18 tyre will look more a bit less 'standard' a will be a considered addition to its appearance.Your van with our 18' wheels lowered on Bilstein B14 coilovers with a 235 - 50 - 18 tyre will look great and will drive more like a car and less like a van.
Rather than scale-up a traditional car wheels, we chose to scale down the process used for HGV/ Agricultural wheel production. This allowed us to make them strong while achieving the aesthetic and fitment.
The chamfered of the bolt holes are designed to accept the original bolts used for the original steel wheels.
The wheels are load rated for all variants of the transporter chassis. T26, T28, T30 and T32.
In the pursuit of durability we have applied our Black, powder-coated finish liberally.
The Torque settings are the same as the original wheels 180 NM. Please check regularly after fitting.
We pack the wheels in a very considered way and to a level we deem good enough to make it to you unscathed. In the unusual circumstances the wheels arriving to you damaged, you must notify us within three days of receiving them or you will not be able to claim against damages. Please check all wheels when you receive them. Not when they get to the tyre shop.
We offer them in Black and Black only. That said, one can of PLASTIDIP (readily available in a variety of shades (you can peel it off if you change your mind as it is rubber based). You should be able to paint all 4 wheels very easily with just the one can, if used sparingly... Maybe grab a spare just in case...
The VW centre caps on the original VW steel wheels have varied over the years, some fit great as they locate on the bolts, others don't. They can definitely be modified to fit. The wheels also look great without them too.
These wheels are made from STEEL, not ALLOY. While we have worked hard to acquire a finish we adore on these products, we have chosen a manufacturing method favouring them lasting over being 'showroom' perfect. You will find blemishes, weld and minor scratches on THE STEEL from new.
If you're a stickler for perfection, these wheels and their finish might not be quite to your liking, which is fine. Just a heads up that they might not be for you. Again, we must stress how thrilled we are with their aesthetic, just attempting to manage expectations here.
Will the wheels fit your van?
Yes. If you have a Volkswagen Transporter 2005 - 2025. Adapters are readily available should you wish to fit them to something else. You'll need to know the PCD of your van and make sure it matches the wheels you want or you'll need adapters.
Which tyres can I fit on these wheels?
You can fit a vast array of tyres on our wheels. We've chosen the two sizes we love from from our favourite tyre brand Falken.
What is the load rating?
A tyre and it's load rating is a necessary requirement of law and while we understand certain folk are willing to exercise that law and have some leniency in this department, for the sake of not opening a can of worms and covering our asses, please heed the below information.
'Tyre load ratings are determined by the side wall construction. Big tall sidewalls have lots of compliance and can generally take higher loads.
Tyre manufacturers are all members of a trade body called ETRTO who dictate what the load rating is for a given type and size of tyre (hence why you find almost all tyres of a given size and type have the same rating).
The tyres shown on the pressure plate have all been tested and approved by VW to suit the van but under the bonnet on the left you'll see the chassis plate gives you the rated loads for the axles. It's these figures you need to adhere to (as well as the speed ratings) so; most vans will need 1550kg total tyre rating per axle i.e. 750kg per tyre which is about 101 load rating.
Heavy duty vans like the T32 versions have 1720kg axles so you need 103 rated tyres.'
Long story short..If your van is a T26, T28 or T30 you will need a 101 rated tyre.If your van is a T32 you will need a 103 rated tyre.
What do you want out of your van and how do you want it to look?
If you want a wheel and tyre setup that makes your van look just a bit more purposeful and drive a bit less like a 'van' and more like a car, without any 'invasive modifications' our Falken 'onroad tyre' tyre is great coupled with Bilstein B14 shocks (we can fit this setup to your van), it will be load rated, will not throw out your speedo or anything else too foreign. It has the same rolling radius as the original setup on your van and you'll be able to simply bolt the wheels on and hit the road. It'll add value to your vehicle. Come test a demo van of ours to understand the ride and difference it makes.
A 235-55-18 Falken wildpeak (our offroad tyre) will not only be load rated but will transform the look of your van into an 'overland' or 'swamper' style instantly. It is a brilliant, way to achieve a look that is vastly different and purposeful without the need to fettle with suspension or anything oily. The reason it is our most popular way we see our wheels purposed. The ride will feel slightly wavey along with road noise increasing slightly. A popular, and considered setup to a T5 or T6 van in our eyes.
Thinking of lowering or raising your van?
The standard shocks on your van have been through rigorous testing and are actually very good! They should be, Volkswagen knows what they are doing. They are also, as you might have noticed, quite comfy. We'd suggest being incredibly mindful about fitting aftermarket shocks on your vehicle.
Lifting Springs
Being mindful to not undermine, the standard ride height of the Volkswagen T5 - T6 platform is very high from the factory. Unless you're after some very serious ground clearance and are taking your off-roading very seriously. Then we'd say the standard ride height should stand you in very good stead for 99.9% of what you'll be attempting. These vans, even without the 4motion drivetrain or being lifted are also incredibly capable off-road.
Coilovers
Slightly more involved to fit, a coilover is replacing the whole shock unit. It is a whole brand new shock and spring assembly. The clever thing about a coilover is the fact it can be adjusted. The body of the shock has a thread which can be wound up or down to achieve a desired ride height (usually on the hunt for low to very low). Put simply, the further you wind them down, the lower the van goes, the stiffer the ride becomes). There are 10+ brands making coilovers. We've tried variants at both ends of the spectrum along with in the middle and would recommend you choosing the Bilstein B14. Bilstein makes the upper end shocks for BMW, Mercedes, Audi etc and know what they're doing. This is the only shock we supply and fit.
The very long story, short: You van with our 18' wheel, on standard suspension, with a 225 - 55 - 18 tyre will look very 'off-roady' while being very usable day to day. Your van with our 18' wheel, on standard suspension with a 235 - 50 - 18 tyre will look more a bit less 'standard' a will be a considered addition to its appearance.Your van with our 18' wheels lowered on Bilstein B14 coilovers with a 235 - 50 - 18 tyre will look great and will drive more like a car and less like a van.