Lock Off-Road Combat Wheels – Review

Choosing the right set of wheels for your truck is an important decision. They dramatically change the look of your truck and offer benefits when trying to fit new tires.

Lock Off-Road is a relatively new brand, but their wheels have been showing up on more and more trucks, especially over the past year or so. Lock employs the latest tech in design and manufacturing. Materials chosen reflect a premium wheel category and durability is a big focus.

While I love the look of their Baja wheel, I wanted something a little different. After talking with my homie, he convinced me that the Combat wheel was one of Lock’s best designs overall. I was slightly skeptical (I didn’t see the vision at first), but as soon as they landed and I saw them in person, let alone mounted on the truck, all my questions were quickly laid to rest.

I’ll cover all the important bases, like fitment on my 4th Gen, what setup I chose, how they’ve performed with tires aired down, etc. Let’s get into it.

Features & Specs

• “mesh-block” aesthetic, detailed spokes that reinforce design
• inspired by modern military styling, hence the “Combat” name
• vented faux-beadlock outer ring with bolts
• TACT (Tough Application Chemically Treated) coating, made for durability
• lifetime structural warranty, 1-year finish warranty
• available in several colors/finishes
• offered in 17×9 with +1mm and -12mm offsets (for Toyota bolt pattern)
• weight of 30.58 lbs. (each)
• 2500 lb. load rating (each)
• hub centric for last generation Toyotas, newer gens need hub adapter

Available Colors/Finishes

These wheels are available in five distinct finishes, as seen above.

• Matte Black
• Matte Blue
• Matte Bronze
• Machine Face Polish
• Matte Gray

My Setup

I’m running a full set of five on my truck, with a fully size spare on my RiGd UltraSwing. They’re wrapped with a set of Arroyo Tamarock RTs sized 33×12.5R17. Running a +1mm offset. Stance and overall appearance are dope. They poke a good amount, especially with factory flares. They sit a little more flush with my new NYTOP Carbon Fiber Flare Kit (they are wider).

Obviously, I went with the machined finish. It’s my first set of machined wheels (it is the way, trust me), and I’m very happy with that decision. I think they work really well on darker colors since they catch your attention. Very hard to miss!

If you have a newer generation Toyota, everything is the same except the hub diameter is smaller. In order to make these wheels hub-centric, you’ll need adapters. No big deal. They’re easily found on Amazon and pretty affordable. Links to two options below.

• Aluminum set
• Polycarbonate set

On-Road Performance

I’ve had these wheels on the truck for almost 10k miles… As far as on-road performance goes with wheels, they either work or they don’t. It’s less subjective, as compared to tires, etc. If they arrive in good condition, balance well, and don’t vibrate, you’re in the clear. And that’s been the case with the Combat wheels.

The only thing you could (maybe) feel the effects of, is the weight. Adding a ton of unsprung mass is frowned upon, although sometimes exaggerated (from my experience). From what I could find, these wheels are only slightly heavier (about 1 lb.) than the OEM TRD OR wheels that came on my truck. If you want true weight savings, go with a forged wheel like the new Lock Invader Forged Beadlock.

Off-Road Performance

I’ve had the chance to test these out over about 100 miles of off-road terrain. No issues to note. Again, much like on-road performance, either they work or they don’t. And this is not a cheap set of wheels I’m worried about a complete failure with. The wheels have been through a good amount of dust, debris and mud, and the coating is holding up great so far.

The 9″ width is less standard compared to most aftermarket wheels, which are mainly 8.5″. But with the wider than factory tires many of us are looking to run for looks and for off-road capability, they firmly grip any upgraded tire that works with a Tacoma. The lip of the wheel is pretty robust, and comes up much higher and seats better than the factory wheels. When aired down to 15 PSI, I didn’t experience any issue with leaks or bead retention. This is about as low of a PSI that you’d see anyone run on a non-beadlock wheel. You could push it to 10 PSI, but then you’re definitely in a higher risk spot.

Final Thoughts

I’m glad I took the advice I got and went with the Combat wheels. The stance, look, and feel are exactly what I was looking for with this new build. Lock has been dropping a bunch of newer designs too, and getting into forged beadlocks. The lineup keeps expanding and my goal is to throw on the new beadlocks with 37s in the not so distant future.

If you like aggressive designs and something different that stands out, I think Lock Off-Road has something for you. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments!