I'm thinking about buying a 3rd gen now that my 2nd gen is totaled. I don't exactly like 16" wheels so i'm wondering if anyone is running a set of 15" steelies? Info and pics would be great.

(btw, i'm gonna have other questions for ya 3rd gen owners so bear with me)

 

Not steelies but stock size 15x7 w/ 31's...works for me

 

I'm running 15" x 8" 8-spoke steelies (wagon wheels) with 4" backspacing that I spray-bombed black. Cheap and strong and look good. With 12.5" wide tires and the 4" backspacing my truck has a real wide low stance that I like. 15" rims and tires are still cheaper and more plentiful than 16" and will be for a while, although that is slowly changing as more and more trucks only come with 16" and larger rims. The only reason I could see changing to a 16" rim is to do the Tundra brake upgrade I've been reading about on this site.

 

I am running 15x8 aluminum wheels, added some bushwacker flares, and all is good to go.

 

If the one you are getting came with 16's stock, I don't think you can fit 15's... At least this is what I heard... Something to do with the calipers hitting...

Your best bet if you want to go with 15's is to find one that came with 15's stock...

 

Grimpy is correct, if it came with 16" wheels and the bigger brakes then the larger calipers won't clear 15" wheels. You would have to change the calipers and rotors as well.

 

My 04 Taco 4X4 (same brakes as the 3rd gen 4runner) came with 16" and I have a set of 15" wheels I run with no problems.

 

Some 15" with smaller offsets wil apperently even work with the 16" calipers. Larger offset wheels which go over the caliper won't fit.

 

These wheels are American Racing Outlaws. Marking on the back is 15X8J ET-19.
I guess the -19 is the offset. These wheels definately fit over the calipers with no alterations or grinding needed.

 

I had some really nice 15" wheels that would NOT fit my '99 Runner. The calipers were WAY to big. They were a pretty hefty offset too.

 

Darn it, so i guess theres really no solid answer to this? If i buy a 3rd gen (which i prob will) the first thing i want to get is 15" steelies with 3.75"~ backspacing. The years i'm after will be a '99 or '00 but i'll go lower if it means fitting 15's. Anyone know what year the brake calipers changed? Do i have to be the guinea pig? Theres got to be somebody that knows whats up...

 

I can't speak for some of the newer 3rd gens, but the earlier 3rds came with either the stock 15" wheels (and smaller calipurs) or the upgraded 16" wheel/tire package, which included larger calipurs. It's not so much that things changed in a certain year (though at some point, the 15" wheels may not have been available anylonger - I'm thinking 99ish if that's the case), but more the spec'd equipment on the rig you are looking at.

I know the 96s came with the 15" wheels, I suspect that carried through till at least 98, but I don't know that for sure.

 

It's not about which wheels came stock, and there wasn't exactly a certain time that the brakes just got bigger. There were plenty of 16" equipped with smaller brakes, that's not the determiner.
Origianlly, there was an option (SR5'Sport' or somesuch salesdoubletalk) that included bigger brakes. Then there was a upgraded model that had them, eventually all but the strip down model had them. BUT THEN, they added a super big brake package and started it all over again. There are a number of different front brakes setups out there now.

What you need to do is find a truck with 15s on it and measure the clearance - something like (othe backside) the CV axle to to widest point on the caliper. Then when you go shopping, you have something to verify with.

Just curious - why the phobia about 16" rims? The human eye can't tell the difference from 5 paces.
I do understand about 15" tires being cheaper, but that gap is narrowing fast, and there are becoming more choices in 16" sizes than 15 now.

 

jacksonpt, good info, thanks.

Flamed, wow..maybe i'm in for more than i thought. My 16" phobia (lol) comes from a number of things: I already have newish 33x15 BFGs. I really like black steelies and the 15's are ultra cheap. Having more rubber/less rim can allow better off road traction. 15" rims reduce the likelihood of rock rash. Plus, IMO it looks better.

 

I hear alot of talk about warped rotors. Maybe the price you pay for bigger brakes ? I'm staying with my stock 15's.

 

Warped rotors should have nothing to do with brake size... It's all in the way you brake... If you brake like crap, your rotors will most likely end up being crap... Rotors warp due to excessive heat or messed up calipers.

 

I replaced my 15" rotors with brembo ones. Fixed the warping problem.