The Top 26 Rim Brands in 2022

We take a look at the top 26 rim brands in 2022 for those looking for performance racing, custom luxury, or off-road wheels.

Trying to decide what aftermarket wheel is going to meet your needs, looks, and use is challenging if you are new to the aftermarket wheel market. There are many choices some made cheaply, with questionable reputations and even cheaper manufacturing. 

By Maurice Rodriguez
March 27, 2022

We rounded up the best performance racing wheels for those looking for a lightweight, high structural integrity under high g forces, and looks to match. 

We also included luxury custom wheels for those looking for style and exclusive finishes that make them stand out from the crowd. 

And we can’t forget the hottest market right now, the lifted SUV and Truck enthusiast looking for aggressive, tough, milled accents, deep lip forged rims that are blacker than black.

Performance Racing Rims

1. Rays Volk Racing

Rays Engineering was founded in 1973. They are a Japanese wheel manufacturer of motorsport and street rims made using an exclusive forging process to make some of the best-looking rims that work exceptionally well on the track and the street. 

Rays flagship rims are the Volk Racing wheels which have been used by many racing teams like Nissan, Honda, Mazda, and Toyota to name a few.

Their latest rim is the TE37, which means “Touring Evolution” and the 37 refers to the weight of only 3.7 kilograms or 8.1 lbs. for a 15” wheel. They are forged using a process that allows the forks to form along the grain, which keeps the integrity and strength of the aluminum.

2. SSR

SSR (which stands for Speed Star Racing) is a Japanese racing heritage wheel maker that has been making racing wheels since 1971. SSR has been making 3 piece rims since the beginning of their initial production of the MK1. 

3-piece construction consists of a centerpiece and two outer rim halves. This type of construction allows for making a customized rim for exotic sports cars with specific dimensions.

If you are interested in the history of SSR we highly recommend Fitment Industries Youtube segment. They have a huge library of Youtubes on the history of many popular wheels which are always an entertaining watch. Check them out!

The Professor SP6 is SSR’s latest 3-piece offering using 6061 Aluminum alloys for its lightweight and high tensile strength.

3. Niche Wheels

Started by Art Hale Jr. in 1992, Art is the son of Art Hale Sr. the founder of American Racing. After his father sold the family company they began Niche road wheels to introduce radical designs and the first 20” rim for a passenger car. Niche began the ‘BIG’ wheel craze with the Neeper design.

Niche wheels are owned by MHT one of the largest wheel manufacturers in the US. MHT also owns DUB, FUEL, FOOSE, Rotiform, and U.S. Mag.

Niche wheels specialize in cast monoblock wheels that have concave profiles that allow for large caliper brakes. The wheel below is the Misano in Matte Black and can be found in 17”-24” inch sizes.

4. American Legend

American Legend is an American wheel manufacturer that specializes in nostalgic styles from the muscle car era. They offer chrome cast-aluminum wheels that are great for classic cars and trucks.

One of American Legends’ most popular designs is the Streeter with its five-spoke chrome cast design.

5. Savini

Savini is a Southern California-based wheel company making some very creative rims since 2003. They are currently collaborating with Nick Cannon to offer the Ncredible x Savini NC1 which is a forged multi-piece rim.

6. TSW

TSW (which means Tiger Sports Wheels) has been making aftermarket racing wheels since the 1960s. It began with Formula One racing driver Eddie Keizan in South Africa with the intention of making racing-inspired aftermarket wheels for the consumer market.

The TSW Avalon is the latest offering by TSW it is a multi-spoke wheel using FFT (Flow Formed Technology) that is forged at high pressure while the wheel is spun at high speed to enhance the strength of the rim.

7. Konig

Konig, a German company (Konig meaning “King” in German hence the crown logo) has been making aftermarket wheels since 1983. They are one of the most recognized aftermarket wheel brands in the JDM and domestic tuner market. They are a subsidiary of the YHI international which also makes Avanti, was the initial sole distributor of Enkei in the US, and has a large ownership stake in OZ racing wheels. So they know the rim market through and through.

Another deep dive by Fitment Industries into a tuner favorite Konig. A popular wheel with tuners and drifters alike.

Konig uses Flow Forming Technology (the same process trademarked by TSW) to make high-quality rims at an affordable price. Below is the molecular structure of the flow-formed process that shows how the grain appears layered is much stronger arrangement.

Konig has many styles to offer like the Matte Black Hexaform pictured below. 

8. OZ Racing

OZ racing is an iconic Italian racing wheel maker since its humble beginnings in a petrol station in 1971. Since then they have made racing wheels exclusively for some of the top Italian racing brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and McClaren.

Since the beginning, OZ racing wheels have been associated with some of the most prestige’s F1 Formula teams that have reigned supreme in racing. They have recently celebrated 50 years in racing with 14 F1 World titles, and 21 consecutive victories in the WRC championship.

The Superturismo AERO is their latest hi-tech addition made from aluminum, titanium, and magnesium alloys to produce a wheel that has been optimized with weight reduction, stiffness, and handling in mind.

9. ENKEI

If you are in the JDM tuner scene you know about Enkei. They have been creating wheels since the 1950s. They are the official supplier to the McLaren F1 formula team since 1995 and have been part of motorsports teams including rallying, drifting, and formula racing for over 30 years. They have factories in 11 different countries around the world.

Enkei is known for its affordable, lightweight, and durable wheels that use MAP (Most Advanced Process) the same rotary forging technology that TSW and Konig use to make strong, lightweight wheels that most enthusiasts can afford.

Enkei’s most iconic offering is the legendary Enkei RPF1 racing series wheel. This wheel in an 18” diameter is the same weight (18 lbs.) as a Volk TE-37 wheel that usually costs four times as much. These wheels are incredibly popular for that reason alone. You can get all the performance of German-engineered wheels that is lightweight, strong, and AFFORDABLE.

10. American Racing

American Racing has been an iconic lightweight wheel manufacturer since 1956 when jet car racing driver Romeo Palamides popularized the aftermarket “Mag” wheel look in the muscle car segment. Muscle car enthusiasts wanted to emulate drag car racer’s use of lightweight magnesium (or mag wheels as they came to be known) wheels. The most iconic and first mag wheel to put American Racing on the map was the Torq Thrust.

If you are looking for the classic muscle car look that started the whole aftermarket wheel scene, then you need not look any further.

11. Cragar Wheels

If you have been in the car scene for a long time you know the name Cragar Wheels. Cragar was founded in 1930 by Crane Gartz and named the company using the first three letters of his first and last name. Cragar originally got its start selling aircraft engines and heads for Model A Fords. They go way back in the car business.

Fitment Industries look at Cragar Wheels – the creators of the American Aftermarket wheel phenomenon the Cragar S/S.

It wasn’t until Roy Richter bought the Cragar brand in 1955 from George Wight of Bell Auto Parts to offer aftermarket parts made for drag car racers like Vic Edelbrock Sr. 

Roy was also one of 5 original members of SEMA (Speed Equipment Manufacturer’s Association) in 1963. Yeah, that SEMA.

At the time there were not a lot of options if you needed a custom aftermarket rim. Your options were to cut and weld steel rims and chrome dip them if you wanted a custom look. 

It wasn’t until 1964 that the Cragar S/S was born. This 5 spoke design with its chrome lip and deep dish is the birth of the American aftermarket wheel. They are the most copied and designed of any domestic wheel and rightly so. It is a nostalgic wheel that looks perfect on any muscle car. These were the wheels to have in the 60’s.

12. BBS

BBS is another aftermarket wheel manufacturer whose designs inspired European enthusiasts to want a custom lightweight 3 piece look on their cars. BBS began as a plastic parts manufacturer but in 1972 BBS expanded its line to include lightweight aluminum wheels using a 3-piece design to allow them to be both light and customizable to any high-performance application.

The most iconic and coveted aftermarket wheel is the BBS RS. This wheel’s cross-spoke design has been used in high-performance race cars and later adopted by BMW as an OEM vendor of wheels for the German automaker. Take a look at this gorgeous masterpiece of German function and design.

13. Rotiform

 Rotiform is another company owned by the mammoth MHT road wheel manufacturer. In 2009, Rotiform was founded by Brian Henderson and Jason Wipple in Southern California with the intention of offering luxury-inspired designed at affordable prices but made from mono-block cast aluminum. They quickly gained a reputation for being able to build custom-built wheels with precise dimensions in almost any size, width, and offset.

Below is one of the first and still very popular BLQ (the airport code for Bologna, Italy the home of the Lamborghini) wheels which made Rotiform a serious player in the aftermarket wheel segment.

14. Work Wheels

Started in 1977 by founder Takeshi Tanaka, Work Wheels started making wheels under the name “Work Equip.” In 1979, they established a plant specifically for manufacturing 3 piece wheels.

It wasn’t until 1983 that they began to export to the US the most popular offering the “Meister” brand. To this day, the Meister series is the most popular wheel Work offer. This is because of its two-piece and three-piece design that allows enthusiasts to get a precise size, width, and offset for their car’s dimensions.  

The most popular Meister rim is the Meister S1 three-piece and comes in many painted finishes including gloss black as shown below.

15. FOOSE

 Chip Foose started designing custom hot rods for Hot Rods by Boyd in Southern California in 1984. After a long 14 years of making innovative designs for Boyd, the company was facing bankruptcy from the failure of Boyd Wheels.

Foose wanted to partner with another wheel manufacturer to produce his designs. After approaching the MHT wheel group they were thrilled to produce Foose designs under his own brand.

The Foose wheels designs are a modern take on retro muscle car era designs. The most popular design to date is the Foose Knuckle which can be found in 17” and 18”. Chrome and textured gray are also available for that classic mag wheel look.

Luxury Custom Rims

1. Vossen

Vossen is a Miami, FL based luxury aftermarket wheel company making its HF series (Hybrid Forged) wheels in-house in the US. Vossen’s most popular line is the HF series rims made using the same rotary forged process that many other manufacturers use.

Below is the HF-1 that starts in a 20” inch diameter that is designed to emulate the HC series that uses a more expensive to produce monoblock forged process. The HF-1 is a great value but is still a fantastic lightweight, strong wheel.

2. Amani

Amani Forged began in 2013 as a group of South Florida enthusiasts that were passionate about wheels but weren’t seeing the styles and colors their customers were looking for. 

Amani forges their custom wheels using a solid T-6061 piece of Aluminum to create its unique styles.

Currently, the Amani Nino is one of the most popular forged chrome lip designs. It comes in ridiculous sized from 18” to 32”

3. DUB

No custom rim list would be complete without a mention of the Dub wheels. They were thee custom aftermarket wheel if you were looking for a 20” inch or larger rim. In fact, DUB is rapper slang for 20” inch rims popularized by hip hop music artists like 50 cent and Ludacris.

The most sought-after design by DUB currently is the Baller – S116 in matte black. It is a 1-piece design and can be found in 20” inch to 30” inches.

4. Asanti

Asanti is a custom, luxury wheel brand that was bought by WheelsPros in 2014 to expand into the custom high-end luxury wheels for SUVs and trucks.

Asanti specializes in custom finishes using forged wheels to give your wheels a custom unique look.

Asanti’s most popular rim is the ABL-20 Aries in the gloss black finish. It’s a one-piece cast aluminum wheel and comes in 20” and 22” inch sizes.

Off-Road Truck Rims

1. XD

Founded in 1982 KMC Wheels began humbly as a steel wheel manufacturer. But, as the company began to grow they began developing lighter alloy and cast wheels to complement their lineup. In 2005, WheelPros.com bought the brand to add KMC’s reputation for indestructible off-road and SUV rims. 

If you are new to the off-road scene and want to know more about XD wheels. Check out the video below by the guys at Trail Built.

Soon after in 2006, KMC rolled out its XD Rockstar II wheel with its iconic blacked-out design with a black star logo in the center. No other design has captured the off-road community by storm like the Rockstar II. It has many imitators but no other brand is as popular as KMC Wheel’s XD series. 

2. MOTO Metal

Moto Metal started in 2002 out of Colorado by WheelPros which also includes MHT and their umbrella of products. 

Moto Metal was introduced to fulfill the lifted truck scene with deep lips, milled accents, custom inserts, and blacker than black “METAL” styles. 

With an endless range of sizes from 16” to 24” inch, widths, and negative or positive offsets you are sure to find a rim that fits your style. 

Below is the most popular design, the MO970 with its glossy finish, black lip, and rivets for a simulated bead lock look.

We can’t think of a rim that epitomizes the Moto Metal brand more than the Moto Metal MO909 “Skull Rim.” Although hard to find anymore, it is an achievement in badassery.

3. Fuel Off-Road

Fuel Off-Road is MHT’s off-road brand introduced in 2009 and from the start, it was an instant success. Fuel off-road wheels’ popularity began with the deep dish chrome lip design.

Below is the Fuel Hostage Model D530 with an impressive deep lip one-piece construction that looks great in chrome or black.

The Fuel Assault Model D576 shown below is one of Fuel’s most popular designs. It is a Gloss Black milled design that comes in 17” inch to 20” inch size.A lifetime structural warranty is included on each set of Fuel Forged wheels. Pretty impressive.

4. Black Rhino

Black Rhino is the off road arm of wheel maker TSW (Tiger Sports Wheels). TSW has been making racing rims since the 1960’s and has been expanding into American and European markets ever since.

TSW now headquartered in California began its Black Rhino Hard Alloy brand in 2004. Black Rhino’s mission is to make rugged, aggressive wheels for off-road enthusiasts.

Black Rhino has many rims in any size and offsets to fit your truck. One of the most popular designs is the Arsenal in 17” to 20” sizes and lots of negative offset sizes. Below is our favorite the Arsenal in “Sand on Black”.

5. TIS

TIS (started as Twenty Inches Strong) began in Santa Fe, California with Myles Kovacs who also owned DUB magazine which was a huge influence on the big diameter game.

TIS broke big when the partnered with Monster Energy drink to offer the TIS 539BM Monster Energy Edition.

TIS’s most popular wheel currently is the one-piece deep lip 544BM in gloss black finish with milled accents and TIS center cap logo. We think it looks really sharp.

6. ARKON OFF ROAD

ARKON (meaning “first to rule”) got its start in 2018 as a partnership between wheel distributor Custom Offsets and SD Wheel to offer tough off-road forged milled one-piece wheels for the lifted truck wheel aftermarket.

Arkon’s premiere wheel is the true directional cast eight-spoke ARKON Lincoln. The Lincoln has milled accents, a deep dish design and looks great in glossy black.

7. Method Race Wheels

Last but not least is Method Rach wheels. Method began in 2010 and was born out of a proven off-road racing pedigree. Method Racing team has won 6 Baja 1000’s, 6 SCORE championships, and 3 Mint 400’s.

They have proven themselves to be thee off-road brand if you are serious about getting the best wheel that can handle the brutal nature of off-roading.

Method offers wheels to meet any off-road need from standard street wheels to beadlock wheels for extreme off-road crawling, desert running, or racing. They have a wheel for you.

The Method 305 Bronze with the matte black lip is one of the best-looking wheels Method offers with the simulated beadlock lip.

Conclusion

As you may have learned there are lots of quality brands making rims for almost any application. The trick is to do your research and find the one that fits your budget, use, and style you are looking for. 

I personally found some rims that I will seriously be looking into for my own cars and trucks. The Konig’s and Enkei’s RFP1’s offer amazing value for the money. The RFP1s are proof that you can get a great lightweight, high-quality wheel on a budget that won’t get you in trouble at home.

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