Hands-on with Pro-Line's Rock Shooter 1.9" Aluminum Composite Internal Bead-Loc Wheels

After having the opportunity to run a few sets of Pro-Line Impulse Internal Bead-Loc wheels on a few of my radio-controlled trail rigs, I was intrigued when the team at Pro-Line introduced their Rock Shooter 1.9” Composite wheels. Blending an aluminum face and plastic internal and rear backing rings, these wheels give you the effect of a metal wheel without adding much weight.

While additional weight is a benefit, there are times when too much weight can have a negative effect on your machine’s handling. For those cases, these wheels are a great option, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to give them a spin. Thank you to the folks at Pro-Line for the opportunity to give these tires a first-hand review. 

Upgrade Benefits

For my purposes, these wheels are purely part of an appearance upgrade. Along with their 1977 Dodge Ramcharger body, I’m planning a Pro-Line fueled overhaul of my Element RC Enduro Sendero. The wheels are step one in this process and should fit the bill nicely.

If you’ve got your eye on these wheels, you may be in the same position of choosing style over function. Having said that, you can mount Pro-Line’s Brass Brake Rotor Wheel Weights to these wheels, giving them extra mass, should your trail rig need to bulk up.

What you’ll need to complete the installation:

• 2 sets of Pro-Line Rock Shooter 1.9” Aluminum Composite Internal Bead-Loc Wheels - ($63.95 per pair)
• 1 2.0mm hex-head driver/Allen wrench
• 1 wheel nut wrench

Installing Pro-Line’s Rock Shooter 1.9” Aluminum Composite Internal Bead-Loc Wheels

The installation process for these wheels is as straightforward as it can be. In fact, if you’ve had previous experience installing beadlock wheels, you’ll know what to do. After inserting the center ring, place the front and rear wheel faces onto your wheel and line up the bolt holes.

Insert one of the longer, black screws into a mounting hole and tighten it, repeating the process until all six of the screws are in place and snug. I appreciate having the aluminum face on these wheels, as they seem to give the mounting screw a little more to grip and hold onto when putting the pieces together.

The overall installation should go quickly, leaving you with mounting the tires onto your rig as the final step. After lining up the wheel hex, and tightening the wheel nut (two steps you’ll repeat four times), you’re all set and ready to hit the trail!. Well, almost.

There is a final step to installing these wheels; inserting the six exterior screws into the wheel face to give it that “traditional” beadlock wheel appearance. A simple process that you won’t want to skip as these exterior screws really complete the appearance of these wheels.

Taking these Wheels for a Spin

Pro-Line’s Rock Shooter wheels have a very bright, raw aluminum finish, which can be jarring if you’re replacing a set of wheels that don’t offer as much flash. As soon as this truck rolled out onto the trail, I was awestruck by these wheels and was happy I made the switch.

Light seems to dance over them and they photograph incredibly well. If you’re building a retro rig and want a wheel that’s going to be a focal point, I’d suggest giving these a chance.

While I typically match my Pro-Line wheels with a set of Pro-Line tires, I paired my set of Rock Shooter wheels with Element RC’s General Grabber X3 tires. They don’t offer the same level of grip as other tires, but they have a super-scale appearance that I appreciate and also perform quite well as stock, ready-to-run (RTR) tires.

What’s the Verdict?

Admittedly, I wasn’t sure these wheels would fit the look of my Enduro Sendero overhaul project, but after seeing them in person and experiencing them in the wild, I’m sold. The installation of these wheels couldn’t have gone smoother and the use of an aluminum wheel face greatly helps the process of mounting and securing the tire.

These wheels have an amazing finish to them and really help complete the look of any old-school-inspired build you may have planned. I can’t wait to get the rest of this overhaul completed to see how they match with my planned body-swap.

Personally, I hope Pro-Line has more composite wheels planned, and pushes the wheel face design and finishes even further. After installing one set, I can confidently say that I’m a fan.

To check out a set of Rock Shooter 1.9” Aluminum Composite wheels for yourself, visit prolineracing.com or your stop by your favorite Pro-Line dealer.