As the Toyota community grows, the two worlds of trucks and cars continue to meld together. With a rich history in the tuner scene in icons like the AE86, I envied these works of art as a kid. Now, though, I can’t deny the practicality of an SUV such as the 4Runner. Diversity in this community is at an all-time high, which is why Lock Off-Road strives to design wheels that look refined yet are still rugged.
In this article, we’ll be featuring the Combat wheel, the most aggressive but elegant wheel I’ve seen to date. The intricate spokes, simulated beadlock, and prominent dish appearance complement my truck perfectly. Sometimes, we just want something that reminds us of our younger selves, in particular, the car culture and what most of us loved most.
Table Of Contents
About Lock Off-Road
Based in Southern California, arguably the pinnacle of desert racing and car culture in North America, Lock Off-Road uses state-of-the-art R&D and good materials to create wheels that can withstand just about anything you throw at them. Trust me, I’ve seen some people jump their trucks, including myself, and still have no problems getting these wheels balanced.
The wheels are made of high-grade aluminum alloys and weigh around 30 lbs. each, offering a good balance of weight and durability. Their max load rating averages around 2500 lbs. (depending on the wheel model), making them suitable for towing. If you need more strength, their new Invader forged beadlock wheel is rated for a whopping 3700 lbs. each. Want something a little more tuner-inspired? Check out their Onyx wheels. If you want something a little more sleek and race-inspired, check out their Baja wheels.
The Combat Wheel
My Setup
- 17×9 | +1mm Offset | Zinc Machine Face Polish
With various brands and similar styles, it was hard to find the right fit for my 4Runner. When I saw these during the 2023 Sema Show, it was like a straight feelings shot to my childhood. Growing up in the tuner culture, BBS, Enkei, Volk, and Work were the “it wheels,” and the mesh look was all the rage.
Choosing these wheels was an obvious choice for me; what’s better than combining your first love with your current love? Bronze or gold wheels were also the colors of choice. However, sometimes they look right, and sometimes they don’t on SUVs/trucks. I went with the polished-faced because I was coming from some brushed bronze wheels.
The Combat wheel comes in different sizes, colorways, and 5 or 6-lug patterns:
- 17×9 | 5×127 | +1mm 5.040″ Backspace
- 17×9 | 5×127 | -12mm 4.530″ Backspace
- 17×9 | 6×139.7 | +1mm 5.040″ Backspace (What I have)
- 17×9 | 6×139.7 | -12mm 4.530″ Backspace
- Matte Black, Matte Bronze, Matte Grey, Machine Polished
Note: The 5th Gen 4Runner is a 6×139.7 or 6×5.5 lug pattern.
Review
The biggest thing is that Lock Off-Road made all their wheels 9″ wide instead of mixing in 8″ and 8.5″ options. This makes fitment pretty straightforward, as all you need to worry about are offset and backspacing.
Now, to answer the question, “Why +1mm offset?” Well, with the wheel already being 9″ wide, having a deeper offset, such as -12mm, would interfere with my long travel axles and wheel hubs/bearings. This made +1mm offset the obvious choice for my setup. The wider you go, the more wear and tear items prematurely wear out. Plus, the wheel already looks aggressive as it sits.
I paired these wheels with a set of Toyo Tires RT Trails in a 35×12.5R17 size. With already being at 3.5″ per side wider from my suspension, the smaller offset helped me maintain an OEM+ aesthetic. I didn’t have to cut or trim anything as my long travel kit pushed my wheelbase forward .75″. The Machine Polish also adds a nice pop against my 4Runner’s Magnetic Grey paint.
Final Thoughts
To close it out, my only con is I want a different colorway, like a matte black face and polished bead ring, because that adds to a timeless look and style. My old wheels also sat out wider due to the -38mm offset. However, they contributed to premature bearing/hub wear.
The Combat wheels are a happy medium in style and function. If I were to build my truck over again, I’d get these again in a heartbeat. As I’ve stated before, Lock Off-Road recaptured my childhood with its tuner-inspired wheel designs.
How do you feel about these wheels? Would you buy them?
