What’s the difference between custom wheels for concave and convex?

Concave custom wheels trending these days, and they’ve been in the market for just a decade. Legend has it that wheel designer and serial entrepreneur Jordan Swerdloff sketched out the first concave wheel on a napkin. It’s unbelievable that Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address was written at the back of an envelope, and Rudolph Bannow sketched the first Bridgeport milling machine on a paper bag.

These early concave custom wheels (circa 2009) took the aftermarket wheel industry by storm, and there’s been no looking back since then. But what is the difference between concave and convex custom wheels, and why are concave wheels common?

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONCAVE AND CONVEX

The simple difference is this: Concave wheels have lines that curve inward, while convex wheels have lines that curve outward.

Concave wheels are so common that it’s hard to remember a time when they weren’t a thing. But don’t believe me completely, check out some wheels on cars from the past. Any Pinterest board on classics will be filled with GTO’s, Mustangs, Camaros, and Chevelles with convex wheels. American Racing is known for aftermarket wheels for classics, and many of their wheels incorporate a convex design.

CONCAVE CUSTOM WHEELS

So, concave or convex? Does it matter? When it comes to style and durability, it certainly does. Let’s go deeper for more information.

Take a look at this semi-truck and you’ll understand better.

Do you know notice that the front wheels are convex and the rear duallies are concave? There’s something the front wheels are doing that the rear wheels aren’t. That’s steering. So, the front wheels’ scrub radius is important and you don’t want to mess with the offset.

Now the back wheels are concave. This permits for change in offset to accommodate those banging brake calipers. Concave wheels also give you more room for those dually wheels.

CONCAVE WHEELS IN OPERATION

So, you don’t drive a semi. I understand, but you may drive a Ford dually. The same principle applies. Check out this chrome dually wheels by TIS.

Do you observe the same application as on the big rig? That means you rig your truck the same way the big boys roll. You’ve got the convex wheels for the front and the concave wheels for the rear.

You’ve also got some pretty aggressive chrome wheels for your ride. The slight right-hand turn on the y-spokes that extend to the convex wheel’s rim look just as good on the concave wheel. The CNC milled accents are just the icing on this chrome cake of wheel goodness. Sorry big rigs, this isn’t for you.

CONVEX CUSTOM WHEELS

Hey, just because concave is trending doesn’t mean that convex is old fashioned. On the contrary, convex wheels still have their place on and off-road. And off-road is where you are likely to find rugged designs like the TIS Overlander.

This convex wheel was made to take whatever the trail throws at it. TIS sticks with the same slight right-hand twist but puts a whole new spin on the wheel. The black face with machined accents looks good flinging mud or eating the asphalt. It’s available in 17″ to 20″, so no matter the lift, you’ve got plenty of room to manoeuvre. The common 5 (we’re looking at you Jeep) and 6 bolt patterns are covered too.

ARE YOU CONVEX OR CONCAVE?

So now you know the difference, how do you roll? Are you riding the current concave wave? Do spokes extending to a flat rim get you going? Or, are you a convex classic? As powerful as a GTO with all the heart of the Motor City that made it great?