SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1546613
ROTATIONAL TOOLS The Latest Trends And Technologies In Off-Road Wheels By Dan Sanchez Off-road wheels have one job in Baja: not to bend or break. To accomplish this, wheel manufacturers who participate in Baja racing are always looking for new ways to make their wheels lighter, stronger, and tough enough to handle the punishment. To understand the innovations and trends that are changing how off-road wheels are being produced, we spoke with several representatives of popular wheel manufacturers. Giving us feedback were Sean Kleinshuster, VP of Engineering and Procurement at Method Race Wheels, Chris Vorhies, Racer Support and Account Manager at Vision Wheels, and Nick Huff, Motorsports Marketing and Events Manager at Allied Wheel. This diverse group of wheel industry professionals represents a handful of top wheel companies that are heavily invested in Baja racing and utilize what they learn from racers to improve their wheels for both racers and enthusiasts alike. SCORE Journal: Briefly, how did your company get started in manufacturing off-road wheels for racing and enthusiasts? Sean Kleinschuster: The company was started in 2010 by three partners who had been involved in the wheel industry for decades when they recognized an opportunity to develop better products for the off-road market. Nick Huff: Raceline Wheels was founded in 1996 with deep roots in off-road racing. We were involved in the early days of off-road beadlock development, taking technology that had been used in dirt-track racing and adapting it for Jeeps, rock crawlers, and off-road race vehicles. Racing has been part of our DNA from the beginning, and what we learn in competition continues to influence the products we build for everyday enthusiasts. SJ: What technology and/or development experience does your company bring to the off-road wheel market? Chris Vorhies: With over 50 years of experience in wheel design, engineering, and manufacturing, Vision Wheel has established itself as a trusted leader in both the OEM and aftermarket industries. We manufacture wheels across nearly every vehicle category, bringing decades of expertise and innovation to the development of our off-road wheel programs. This extensive knowledge, combined with the longevity and reputation of the Vision Wheel brand, has earned us unparalleled customer loyalty and confidence in our products. Whether on the race course or in everyday driving applications, customers trust Vision Wheel to deliver the performance, durability, and quality they demand. SK: We have a team of mechanical engineers based in our Temecula, California engineering office who are responsible for the entire development of our products. We do not just design wheels to look a certain way; there is significant engineering to optimize the parts for their intended use. Our most significant innovation has been Bead Grip Technology®, which ensures tires stay seated on wheels at low inflation pressures and high cornering forces without the added mass or complication of a beadlock wheel. We received a utility patent for Bead Grip ®, meaning we literally reinvented the wheel. Over the years, we have brought many other innovations to the products we produce, including proprietary heat treatments that make our cast race wheels nearly as strong or stronger than some forged parts, as well as designs that use material in the most efficient way so we have the highest load ratings at some of the lowest weights. NH: With 30 years of experience in off-road wheels, Raceline brings a combination of real-world racing experience, engineering, and manufacturing knowledge. We develop cast, forged, and beadlock wheels across everything from UTVs to Jeeps and full-size trucks. Our racing program gives us the ability to put products through extreme real-world testing and use that feedback to improve strength, weight, bead retention, and overall durability. Raceline also manufactures forged products in the USA using 6061-T6 aluminum. SJ: For 2027 and beyond, what are the latest trends in off-road wheels for both racing and enthusiasts? SK: The most recent trend is an increase in wheel diameter across nearly every competition class. The vehicles keep getting faster, more capable, and require larger braking systems and tires. With our partnerships across the space, we typically are one of the first to have products with the correct attributes for racers. For enthusiasts, there is a trend towards more positive offsets that work better with newer suspension designs as well as brighter finishes. • The RPI Class 1 Buggy uses larger Raceline wheels and 40-inch BFGoodrich tires. NH: We’re seeing customers wanting stronger and lighter wheels without sacrificing style. Larger diameter wheels continue to be popular on trucks and UTVs, but there is also a strong focus on functional beadlocks, forged construction, designs that can handle larger tires, and wheels for heavier and more powerful vehicles. On the racing side, reducing weight while maintaining strength is always important. For enthusiasts, there’s also an increasing demand for unique finishes, greater fitment options, and race-inspired designs that still work well on a daily-driven vehicle. CV: As we look beyond, Vision Wheel remains committed to expanding its product portfolio and strengthening our position as an industry leader. In the coming year, we plan to launch two new wheel brands while continuing to invest in innovation across our off-road product lineup and race program. A prime example is the introduction of the Vision Wheel 111 Nemesis, the newest addition to our off-road collection and currently the lightest beadlock wheel available on the market. Through continuous innovation, engineering excellence, and a commitment to performance, Vision Wheel will continue to deliver products that meet the demands of both professional racers and off-road enthusiasts alike. • Vision Wheel 111 Nemesis SJ: If used in racing applications, can you name some of the racers your company uses to help with testing and development of new products, and how do you use this information? SK: Some of the more recognizable names we have partnerships with are Ford Racing, Polaris Factory Racing, McMillin Racing, and Vildosola Racing. Most of the top teams in Truck, Buggy, and UTV trust us, and we are the first call for OEMs that want to compete in desert racing. We get debriefs from all partnership teams after events to learn about what worked and what didn’t. Taking that information, we can incorporate successful features into additional products and, if we have something to improve upon, we can immediately evaluate how to go about doing so. NH: Racing is one of our best testing environments. Raceline works with many top racers including Kyle Chaney, Cody and Hunter Miller, Cameron Steele, Paul Wolff, Sara Price and the RPI Racing team, among others. These racers put our wheels through conditions that are difficult to replicate in a controlled environment. We use their feedback and the condition of the wheels after races to identify opportunities to improve strength, weight, and overall design. For example, Raceline athletes took multiple class podiums at the 2025 King of the Hammers, including Kyle Chaney’s overall Race of Kings victory. • Cameron Steele uses Raceline Wheels on his SCORE Trophy Truck. CV: For decades, Vision Wheel has had the privilege of partnering with some of the most accomplished and respected athletes in off-road racing, including legends and champions such as Rob MacCachren, Christopher Polvoorde, Keegan Kincaid, Phil Blurton, the Matlock family, Terry Madden, and many others. These relationships extend far beyond sponsorships. They are true partnerships built on a shared commitment to performance, innovation, and winning at the highest levels of competition. The extreme demands of off-road racing provide the ultimate testing environment for our products. Through countless miles of competition across desert races, short-course events, rock-crawling challenges, and endurance competitions, our team works closely with drivers and race teams to gather real-world feedback on every aspect of wheel performance. This invaluable insight allows us to continuously evaluate and improve our designs, materials, manufacturing processes, and overall product performance. At Vision Wheel, we understand that success is often determined by the smallest details. By listening to the experiences and recommendations of our racers, engineers, and race support teams, we are able to make precise refinements that enhance strength, reduce weight, improve durability, and maximize reliability in the harshest racing conditions. These incremental improvements ultimately contribute to the development of wheels that not only perform at the highest levels of motorsports but also exceed the expectations of everyday off-road enthusiasts. • Matlock Racing relies on Vision Wheel for their Polaris UTVs The knowledge gained from decades of collaboration with championship-winning racers has become an integral part of Vision Wheel’s product development process. Their expertise, combined with our more than 50 years of wheel manufacturing experience, enables us to continually push the boundaries of innovation and deliver industry-leading products. This relentless pursuit of excellence is what drives Vision Wheel to create wheels that racers trust on the starting line, and consumers depend on every day. SJ: Are there differences in quality in both cast and forged wheel manufacturing? SK: There is no difference in the quality of Method Race Wheel’s cast or forged wheels. The difference between cast and forged is the physical material properties and how they react to forces applied to them. Forged wheels are made from 6061 aluminum, and cast wheels are made from A356 aluminum. Ultimate strength is the maximum load a material can support before it breaks, normally measured in ksi (1000 pounds per square inch = 1 ksi). We also test for elongation, which is measured in percent (%), determining how much a material can stretch or deform before it breaks. The forged material has about 35% higher ultimate strength and about three times higher elongation than a standard cast wheel. These higher material properties generally enable forged wheels to achieve higher load ratings than cast wheels with the same amount of material used. Forged materials are better suited to resist bends and cracks from extreme impacts. All that said, our cast race wheels are used by a significant number of competitors from SCORE Trophy Trucks down to UTVs, with great results at a lower cost if a budget does not support the cost of forged. NH: There can be significant differences in quality within both cast and forged wheels depending on the materials, engineering, manufacturing processes, and quality control being used. Forged wheels generally provide a higher strength-to-weight ratio because of the forging process and material structure, while a properly engineered cast wheel can still provide excellent strength, durability, and value. • Raceline’s new 963 Omega wheel is a cast A358 aluminum alloy wheel that comes with a lifetime structural warranty CV: In the off-road industry, cast and forged wheels each serve a critical purpose, offering distinct advantages depending on the application, performance requirements, and budget of the consumer or race team. While both are designed to withstand demanding off-road environments, the manufacturing process behind each wheel is fundamentally different, resulting in unique characteristics that appeal to different segments of the market. Cast wheels are manufactured by pouring molten aluminum into a mold, creating the desired wheel shape before it undergoes machining and finishing processes. This method allows for greater production efficiency and cost-effectiveness, making cast wheels an excellent solution for enthusiasts seeking durability, style, and performance at a more accessible price point. Modern casting technologies have significantly improved wheel strength and reliability, making today’s premium cast wheels capable of handling many of the challenges encountered in off-road use and competition. Forged wheels, on the other hand, begin as a solid billet of high-grade aluminum that is subjected to immense pressure, compressing and aligning the material’s grain structure. This process creates a wheel that is exceptionally strong while remaining significantly lighter than a comparable cast wheel. The increased strength-to-weight ratio of a forged wheel makes it highly desirable for professional racing applications where reducing unsprung weight, improving vehicle responsiveness, and maximizing durability can provide a competitive advantage. While forged wheels are often viewed as the pinnacle of wheel manufacturing, cast wheels continue to play an essential role within the market and are the preferred choice for many consumers and race teams. The decision between cast and forged often comes down to several factors, including vehicle use, race conditions, performance goals, and overall budget. Neither option is inherently “better” for every application. Instead, each serves a specific purpose and provides unique benefits depending on the user’s needs. At Vision Wheel, we recognize that regardless of whether a wheel is cast or forged, the ultimate measure of quality is its performance in the real world. Both manufacturing methods require meticulous engineering, extensive testing, and uncompromising attention to detail throughout the design and production process. Every wheel must meet strict standards for strength, impact resistance, load capacity, and durability to ensure it performs safely and reliably in the most demanding environments. Drawing on our more than 50 years of wheel manufacturing experience, Vision Wheel combines advanced engineering, cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, and valuable feedback from championship-winning racers to continuously refine our products. From recreational trail vehicles and overland builds to professional desert race trucks and UTVs, our goal is to deliver wheels that inspire confidence in every situation. Whether cast or forged, every Vision Wheel is designed with the same commitment to quality, innovation, and performance. By leveraging decades of manufacturing expertise and real-world racing knowledge, we continue to develop products that provide the strength, reliability, and durability that off-road enthusiasts and professional racers have come to expect from the Vision Wheel brand. SJ: What is the extent of customer service your company provides to its customers, and what are its core values? SK: Method Race Wheel’s vision statement is “Defined by integrity, empowered by culture, proven through performance.” We are authentic enthusiasts who value the sport, the great relationships it tends to build, and we love to win. We are present at all the races; some of us are working, and some may even be competing. We have staff dedicated to racer support as well as racer pricing. Most of our staff are some sort of off-road enthusiast and can relate to customer experiences when someone gives us a call or sends us a message to inquire about our products. NH: Being a family-owned company since 1996, Raceline has always placed a strong emphasis on the people behind the product. We support our dealers, racers, and end users with fitment assistance, technical support, replacement parts, and product knowledge before and after the sale. We want customers to know they’re buying more than a wheel; they’re buying a product backed by decades of experience and a company that is actively involved in the off-road community. CV: At Vision Wheel, customer service extends far beyond the point of sale. Unlike many of our competitors, we do not sell directly to the public. As a business-to-business (B2B) manufacturer, we focus on supporting our extensive network of distributors, dealers, and retail partners who serve the end consumer. This approach allows us to maintain strong relationships throughout the distribution channel while ensuring customers have access to knowledgeable local dealers and industry experts. While we do not sell directly to consumers, we stand firmly behind every product we manufacture. Our commitment to quality is backed by industry-leading warranty programs, dedicated technical support, and a customer service team that works closely with both dealers and end users to resolve issues quickly and professionally. Whether assisting with product fitment, warranty claims, technical questions, or product recommendations, our goal is to ensure a positive experience with the Vision Wheel brand at every level. The foundation of Vision Wheel’s success is built upon a set of core values that have guided the company for more than 50 years: quality, integrity, innovation, reliability, and customer commitment. We believe in building products that perform in the most demanding environments while maintaining the highest standards of safety and craftsmanship. We continuously invest in new technologies, product development, and racer-driven feedback to improve our offerings and meet the evolving needs of the market. Most importantly, we value the trust our customers, dealers, and racing partners place in our brand. Every wheel we produce reflects our dedication to delivering exceptional value, dependable performance, and long-term customer satisfaction. Whether supporting a championship-winning race team or an everyday enthusiast, Vision Wheel remains committed to providing products and service that customers can rely on with confidence. SJ • The Jimco FastBall with Rob MacCachren behind the wheel used Vision’s forged and beadlock race wheel