Are steelies okay on a Prius?

I can't think of a reason why not but since the 15" OEM alloys are pretty cheap used, why not just get a spare set? And you still retain the fuel efficiency.

 

Tons on ebay.. and if you are desperate, the gen 2's are 15" wheels as well.

 

I'm using 15" Corolla steel rims with our snow tires in winter. I think they're in the vicinity of model year 2007~. I'll append this post with a part no tonight. Also got plain open-ended lug nuts. I believe there's a matching wheel cover, but I didn't bother. Didn't bother with TPMS either.

FWIW, our OEM rims are 17", with 215/45R17

 

I ordered steel wheels with my winter tires from Tire Rack. They were about $52 each, and TireRack then mounts and balances the tires for free, so altogether it's a pretty big savings over sourcing your own alloys and paying to have them mounted.

So, steelies are fine, but you do need to make sure they will fit your car - wheels differ not just in diameter and bolt circle, but in offset and hub diameter.

 

The seat of the lug is what's crucial. There are 2 styles for Toyota's if I recall correctly, conical and flat. Steelies use conical. Alloys use flat. On the other end of the lug, it doesn't matter as long as it clear the stud. Conical ones are generally open or through hole and flat are closed.

 

The OEM lug nuts will work, only: they look a little odd. Normally they're recessed but on steel rims they stick out, and their washers are just loose. The plain nuts are low profile, utilitarian. Also just keeps them out of winter's worst.

 

I haven't had my stock lugnuts off yet, but I think Sfcyclist might be right - typically OEM wheels use a different seat - often a ball - than aftermarket. My steel wheels came with conical seat nuts.

 

The OEM lug nuts will fit: they have both a washer (effective part for regular alloy rims) and a the proper tapered seat (used if the temporary spare is swapped in). But they look odd in the latter application sticking out, loose washers.

Here's my notes on the Corolla rims and plain nuts:

Corolla steel rim, part no: 42611-02471-SW* (2007 model year?)
steel rim lug nuts: 90942-01007
Note: the rim is likely for 2006+ Toyota Corolla, and the corresponding wheel cover:
42621-AB110

* "SW" maybe stands for Steel Wheel, and not part of the part no? (this is as it appeared the bill)

 

+1

They had to make the lugs fit both types of rims since the spare is a steel wheel.

 

I just swapped my Tacoma ones out and should have took a photo. I can see what you guys are saying that the base is conical on the factory lugs. I have alloys wheel lug so what about the at washer at the base?

 

They rattle around all winter driving me nuts... it was a short drive.

 

Another reason to go with alloys! What another few hundred?

 

So the steelies uses the conical or tip part of the lug. The alloys sit on the flats of the washer.

 

Yup.

 

They don't look terrible. I do like the fact that they keep the threads clean as opposed to the nuts that do not.

 

Another point that might have already been made is the steels are not hub-centric (at least the corolla wheels I have) but are lug centric. I have heard that this may not be good for the bearings.