How are ESR Wheels Special and Which are Their Top 2022 Models?

ESR Wheels are some of the world’s most renowned performance-oriented aftermarket rims which have been designed to keep 3 prime metrics in mind. They are very popular in the aftermarket enthusiast circles not only in the United States but worldwide.

These custom rims are mostly designed for off-roading and carrying heavy loads without showing any significant signs of wear. One aspect of wheels like these is the way in which they are tested for real-world use.

Hostile Wheels, another giant of the aftermarket niche, manufactures pretty solid rims too. However, their products are primarily aimed at people who wish to give their vehicles a facelift.

Note that Hostile does manufacture several off-road rims too, but ESR Wheels is clearly ahead of them in this field.

Let’s walk you through what makes ESR rims so special. Then, we will have a quick look at some of their latest models.

Why are ESR Wheels unique?

Because they are designed primarily for performance and endurance sporting and driving events, they are tested rigorously. Here are some of laps they have to pass.

• Weight-to-stiffness ratio: The tensile strength of the material from which these are forged and their relative axial efficiency are measured to ensure the rims can easily grip the surface without pronounced damage even if the surface is pockmarked. This is a test designed to weed out flaws and to ensure the ESR Wheels work perfectly even on unpaved surfaces.
• Performance testing: This is a highly complicated and equally sophisticated test. Essentially, the purpose is to exert the maximum pressure and g-forces, besides cornering abilities, to determine how well they will perform on real-world roads.

Hostile Wheels also has several models that are subjected to essentially the same testing methods.

• Load-bearing tests: ESR generally manufactures a series of wheels for bigger vehicles like pickup trucks. For example, ESR has a range of wheels for Ford pickup vehicles, the ones which have the obligatory running board for trucks. The testing is done partially on complicated computer imagery and partly on the racing track.

The bolt pattern and the general weight-bearing capacity of the vehicle in question also have to be kept in mind.

Which ones should I purchase?

As a seasoned company, ESR Wheels realizes that they have to upgrade its offerings every year or risk losing clients. This is one (of several) reasons why they regularly come up with excellent new products each season.

2022 has not been any different either. While the previous 2 years had seen sales across the board slump due to the pandemic’s negative economic effect, ESR Wheels had managed to gain ground instead of losing it.

Just like Hostile Wheels, the company had realized that the best way to move forward was to focus on their bestsellers. And so they did.

Nevertheless, here are some of the best ESR rims you can choose from:

• Apex Series AP-6: This is, in a word, a masterpiece of design and elegance. The AP-6 is a rotary-forged rim that a large area where you can easily accommodate new and custom brakes if you so desire. The maximum load rating of the ESR AP-6 is 1750 pounds, something that very few rival companies offer to clients.

The rim is available in a number of finishes with the matte black finish usually being the most well-accepted. For both the adventurous and for the old-fashioned, this range has a color finish and powder-coating which are state-of-the-art and have seldom been matched.

If you are fond of off-roading, this is an excellent choice. Like most of the Apex Series, this new model of ESR Wheels is also covered by a lifetime warranty on structural integrity!
There are a few models of Hostile Wheels which have very similar attributes, but you can easily choose ESR AP-6 over them.

• Apex Series AP-8: The AP-8 is one of the most handsome custom rims which have been released in 2022. It has 10 spokes, of which 2 each are bundled in 5 stalks like a flowering plant. The AP-8 is a heavy-duty wheel which is ideal for vehicles that require running board for trucks!

In other words, this is meant for bigger vehicles like minivans and pickups and even the occasional ATVs. The AP-8 comes with the company’s proprietary A356 ForgeTech technology that makes it one of the toughest in the business.

There are several variants of the AP-8; you could call it a family of high-end wheels. ESR has decided to make selecting the best wheels slightly easier for the end-users and has gone ahead with segregating a few models under similar headings to make them very distinguishable.

Oh, and all the members of the AP-8 range also have lifetime structural warranties which means that you will never have to compromise on quality!

Wrapping up

While Hostile Wheels can be rather expensive at times, ESR has managed to maintain a fine balance between quality and price. This is something that has to be appreciated. Drive safe!