Anyone who has driven the 610 loop has probably noticed that Houston truck accessories come in a wide variety of options and styles. Many owners, particularly those who use their vehicles to haul heavy or bulky items, add truck bedliners to protect the finish of the pick bed. Truck lift kits add the finishing touch to create a unique, customized pickup. However, when it comes to accessories, the greatest variety is in the wheels chosen to make just the desired statement.

Truck wheels come in many different designs. Different manufacturers use different methods of construction or materials. With some wheels, the material used dictates the construction method, while the reverse can also be true. One of the first decisions that must be made when shopping for new truck wheels is to decide which material to choose.

Steel

Steel has long been the standard for the wheels on vehicles of all types. It is stronger and heavier than aluminum. Steel wheels are typically made by using a powerful press to stamp out the parts, which are then welded to make the wheel. This method does not permit much artistic expression, such as intricate spoke designs. Buyers are pretty much limited to plain wheels, perhaps with openings to enhance brake cooling. However, some manufacturers have made chrome-clad steel wheels standard options on their trucks. Chrome-clad wheels have a thin, chrome-plated overlay that is affixed to the wheel’s surface.

Aluminum Alloy

An alloy of nickel and aluminum is commonly used for truck wheels. However, the ratio of the metals determines the properties of the wheel. If the mixture contains a higher proportion of nickel, the wheel is heavier and less prone to bending, but they can be more likely to crack or be brittle. If the mixture has a lower proportion of nickel, the wheel is lighter, but it is also more prone to bending when impacting a curb, pothole or other obstruction.

Cast Aluminum Wheels

Manufacturers normally use one of two basic types of casting to create wheels.

• Pressure casting may be low-pressure or counter-pressure. The low-pressure method forces the molten alloy into a mold by applying air pressure, which packs the alloy more densely into the mold and makes it stronger. The counter-pressure method uses reverse air pressure by creating a vacuum to suck the alloy into the mold. It produces similar results to the low-pressure method.
• Gravity casting lets gravity do the work to fill the mold with the molten alloy. This method is the simplest, but it also produces wheels with the least density. To ensure that the wheels are strong enough, manufacturers make the wheels heavier and thicker than those produced by pressure casting.

Flow Formed Wheels

Flow-formed wheels are made using a hybrid manufacturing process. It starts with an alloy formed using the low-pressure casting method. The alloy is then stretched and shaped through the use of high-pressure rollers and heat. This produces an alloy that is both dense and thin, and these wheels share many properties with forged aluminum wheels.

Forged Wheels

Forged aluminum is made by subjecting a solid chunk of alloy and then using an extreme amount of pressure and heat to crush it into the proper shape. Forged aluminum wheels are extremely strong and dense, but they are also quite light. These wheels are much stronger than those made from cast aluminum.

Putting Everything Together

Once the wheel material has been selected, the next step is to choose the design. The right wheels can make a pickup stand out from the crowd. To add even more personality, a lift kit can create an impressive look, and Houston bedliners are not only decorative, but they are also protective. Other after-market accessories, such as side mirrors, toolboxes and lights, can help truck owners create a vehicle that is individually unique.

Most Houston truck owners want to take pride in their vehicle—how it runs, how it feels—and how it looks. One of the best ways to do this is to customize your truck so it is truly your own. A smart and easiest ways to go about customizing is to get new aftermarket bumpers from a Houston truck accessories company.

Custom bumpers used to be a feature you would only find in big commercial trucks. Lately, though, more and more pickup truck drivers have joined in. They are a great way to make your truck look bigger and get more admiration from onlookers. A bigger and better-looking bumper is not just for attracting envy, though. It can also improve the resale value when you are ready for a new truck.

But that is not all a custom bumper can do. For one thing, they make your drive safer. You might think that the bumper your truck came with will serve this purpose well enough, and in most cases, that is true. Still, custom versions are often even better. Many people who drive pickup trucks do so because they know they may need their vehicle to perform some heavy-duty jobs. This can involve going off-road or travelling in wildlife-heavy areas—circumstances that make it more likely the truck could suffer damage. Getting a larger bumper that sticks out a little further offers major protective for these situations or any situation where your truck may hit something.

Adding a custom bumper to the front of your truck also brings the added benefit of balancing its weight a little better. You bought that pickup truck to haul things, but for every pound of cargo you put in the bed, you unbalance it just a little bit more. If you are carrying enough cargo back there, your front end will start sticking up, making the vehicle a little less easy to handle as you drive. A heavy bumper will help correct this imbalance.

It is not difficult to find good aftermarket bumpers and getting them installed to customize your truck. So take your time and weigh your options carefully before coming to a decision about what you want.

Other Ideas for Customizing Your Truck

Bedliners

Bedliners protect your truck’s bed from damage and keep the cargo from skidding around. Like bumpers, the liners that come standard with most pickup trucks are okay, but if you want better than “okay,” you will have to find it yourself. If you go for a new truck bed liner, you will want to consider both the way it looks, especially the color, and the material it is made of. Make sure the liner you buy is resistant to any damaging material you may carry, like battery acid or oil, as well as to adverse weather like rain or hail.

Lift Kits

A truck lift kit can help your truck be better at off-roading, especially in extreme conditions. Installing a lift kit on your truck increases its multipurpose capabilities. Like a good custom bumper, it will also make the truck look bigger and potentially increase its resale value. Lift kit options range from those that just raise the body a little, kits that even out the truck’s balance, to suspension kits that lift the whole frame making for a smoother ride on rough terrain.

More Ideas

Other truck accessories to consider if you want to customize include roof racks, trailer hitches, grill guards and even backup cameras to help you navigate in reverse more safely. Whatever you choose, think carefully about your specific needs and seek out the advice of truck accessories experts or other pickup truck drivers if you need more direction.