Do you think a wheel is just a wheel or does brand really matter. I know there is a difference if your talking about beadlocks but im looking at basically a American racing knock off.

A wheel is just a wheel. Except for the weight differences between them, like aluminum vs steel. Some wheels have mfg ratings for tires under 33" tires, so I'd check that out.

And some are prettier than others. Ok so maybe a wheel is not just a wheel

Not so. The American Racing wheel I think you are talking about is a knockoff of the M/T classic which is a forged aluminum wheel. Forging makes a wheel much stronger than the cheaper cast ones. Forging allows them to be thinner and ultimately lighter. They are usually quite a bit less porous than a cast wheel too so they hold their "shine" much longer for the polished finishes. Do you have to have a forged wheel on a Jeep? No, it's just preference if you aren't planning on doing any Top Truck Challenges or Desert Racing.

I agree with you in that aspect, owtcast. There's a big difference in cast vs forged wheels. But I think he was asking more about 'is it worth paying for the name brand?'

For the same style of rim between "American Racing" and someone like "Eagle Alloy", the difference is minimal, and usually not worth the extra $10 or $20 a wheel that AR charges IMHO.