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Looking through AI I don't think anyone talks about this and it is a shame. Who doesn't like nice looking wheels? They're the single largest aesthetic change that most people can make to their car. I want to make this thread for the discussion of wheels. You don't need to have the most expensive or rarest as long as you like them. I'll start with my collection. Rays Engineering Volk TE37SL These are a classic wheel design from Rays Engineering in their Volk Racing series. Extremely popular on japanese cars, the forged wheels were designed in 1996 for both street and track use. TE stands for "Touring Evolution". 37 was the target weight for the wheel in 15x6JJ at 3.7kg. My wheels are appended with "SL" standing for super lap. They are extra light version of the classic design, specifically made for time attack, making the center bore as large as possible to reduce weight another 400g.   BBS LM A design from the German BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik AG, these are a two piece wheel with the faces and the barrels being separate components. Multipiece wheels were developed by BBS for track use so that barrels can be changed if damaged or racing in multiple specs. These are a very attractive Y spoke design, made popular by BMW. Obviously, BBS wheels will often be found of European cars. All the more reason I like them on my WRX.   Work Ewing Mesh These are a take on the very popular cross spoke design first made by BBS to look like wire wheels. These particular wheels were manufactured in 1985, making them nearly an antique. These are also a two piece wheel with forged faces and light barrel. Like many cross spoke wheels, the centers are two pieces consisting of the cap and cover plate often called a "waffle" because of it's face pattern looking like one. This is to mimic a center lug design found on racing applications. By far the rarest wheels I own.   What started as a journey to find nice wheels for my car has become a hobby. I love finding the history of these wheels and how the aesthetics and design evolved over the years much like the cars they're on. If you have wheels your fond of, I'd love to see them. Aftermarket, stock, rare, common, it doesn't matter. Edit: Oof forgot to change the thread tag.
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Jun 14, 2018 16:36
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um excuse me posted:Edit: Oof forgot to change the thread tag. Whatchu need
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Jun 14, 2018 17:48
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The swag one is great. Thanks!
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Jun 14, 2018 17:52
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnKci_kn_EU This is a Fun Video that is Informative and Entertaining! 
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Jun 14, 2018 17:59
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Wheels eh? Only cool one I have is this. ... which, well, the implications of the bit on the right make it a bit tricky to use.  (seriously thinking of designing a Panasport-esque 5 or 6 spoke job to take roundy-round derived rim halves but that's a few race cars down the road)
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Jun 14, 2018 23:51
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Where is a good place to get hub spacers so I can put Honda or Toyota wheels on ma Saturn? I think it is hub centric is there a reliable place to check?
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Jun 15, 2018 00:21
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Most wheels are lug centric so a hubcentric ring is usually not necessary. I have raced on two sets of my wheels, both of which had a hub bore significantly larger than the hub of the car. From what I can tell, the only thing matching hub diameters help with is mounting when tightening lugs. There are three resistances without being hub centric (hand tight, lug cone contact tight, and fully engaged) while with the ring it's only two (no intial lug contact). However take note of the angle of the lug cone on the wheels you want to go to. There are four major sizes. Ball/radius seat, 45 degree conical, 60 conical, and flat seat. You only require hub centric rings with a flat seat. My 03 L200 had lug bolts, not nuts. I hated those things. Good news is they make conversions to traditional studs and lug nuts. mekilljoydammit posted:Wheels eh? Only cool one I have is this. Everything I've ever heard for center lock wheels is expensive. How do you even put that shaft onto the spindle to use that wheel? um excuse me fucked around with this message at 01:04 on Jun 15, 2018 |
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Jun 15, 2018 01:01
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I have a huge pile of various wheels but my favorite on just about anything are Ruf Speedlines because they're just so classy. Sure they're heavy and overpriced but man they look good, followed closely by AMG Monoblocks. I had a set of 2-tone BBS LM reps that were pretty but I just can't get past the current tinyspoke arms race because they always look wimpy to me. Speedline supremecy 
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Jun 15, 2018 01:55
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um excuse me posted:Everything I've ever heard for center lock wheels is expensive. How do you even put that shaft onto the spindle to use that wheel? So, the right side of that flange is the part that the brake rotor and wheel bolt to. The left side, there's two light colored parts? Those are where bearing races for taper bearings go, and the farthest most thing from the end of that is a 2" thread for a locknut. Axle spins inside the knuckle like a FWD hub/axle, just much larger diameter. It's all expensive enough that I seriously think I could be bucks ahead by getting a CNC lathe and doing more axles myself.
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Jun 15, 2018 02:28
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mekilljoydammit posted:So, the right side of that flange is the part that the brake rotor and wheel bolt to. The left side, there's two light colored parts? Those are where bearing races for taper bearings go, and the farthest most thing from the end of that is a 2" thread for a locknut. Axle spins inside the knuckle like a FWD hub/axle, just much larger diameter. Yeesh. I once looked up pricing for center lock because I change my wheels about 25 times a year and it would be soooo much faster. I saw the price and audibly yelped and startled myself to the point where I laughed and hit back on my browser. Jymmybob posted:I have a huge pile of various wheels but my favorite on just about anything are Ruf Speedlines because they're just so classy. Sure they're heavy and overpriced but man they look good, followed closely by AMG Monoblocks. I had a set of 2-tone BBS LM reps that were pretty but I just can't get past the current tinyspoke arms race because they always look wimpy to me. 
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Jun 15, 2018 02:52
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um excuse me posted:
When I was a kid my dad drove a second hand 1987 Honda Accord Si imported second hand from Japan. It had a set of 14" BBS wheels that looked very similar to these except silver in colour. I loved that car, those wheels, the old style yellow foglamps and pop-up headlamps were such a great combo (even if it also had a navy blue interior)
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Jun 15, 2018 03:00
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um excuse me posted:Yeesh. I once looked up pricing for center lock because I change my wheels about 25 times a year and it would be soooo much faster. I saw the price and audibly yelped and startled myself to the point where I laughed and hit back on my browser. It's worse for the true racing stuff as opposed to the conversion bits that you just bolt on. So much worse. Some suspension geometry stuff is hard to impossible to do otherwise though... name of the game is how far out you can push the lower ball joint, and by putting the bearings inboard like that you can get to absolutely stupid amounts of offset. This is what I am currently kinda lusting after for a centerlock wheel. I'm thinking if I had the centers CNC machined to use cheaper rim halves it might not be that bad though. 
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Jun 15, 2018 03:04
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dissss posted:When I was a kid my dad drove a second hand 1987 Honda Accord Si imported second hand from Japan. It had a set of 14" BBS wheels that looked very similar to these except silver in colour. They may have been the very popular BBS RS. First released in 1983, it was BBS's first venture into 3 piece wheels. That wheel is what made BBS what it is today.  They first released as a $2000 set, they're about $1200 new today. um excuse me fucked around with this message at 03:23 on Jun 15, 2018 |
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Jun 15, 2018 03:08
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I've got a set of factory option BBS wheels for my C70, they own but the PO hit a pothole with one of them so I need to get it fixed or replaced ($$$). A full set usually goes for ~1200$ or so.  And I just got this set of ATS wheels for my Volvo 245. These were only offered as options on the P1800 and the first year of production of the 240, and they were not very popular when new, As such they are pretty hard to find. My examples are kind of rough but have been professionally cleaned up and powdercoated, and they fit the disheveled look of my project anyway. I love them a lot and cannot wait to get them on the car proper. They are the lightest wheels Volvo has ever offered on any of their cars, coming in at only 13.1lbs each, lighter than even the BBS wheels that my step-mom's 1996 Miata M-Edition came with. I got these for an incredibly good price, the only other full set I've ever seen (admittedly in better condition, and with a more common bolt pattern) were priced around 1100$ (!).  https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hmn/2014/06/A-Star-Turn/3739281.html Hemming's published an article about these wheels a few years back actually.
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Jun 15, 2018 03:11
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OP, What are the specs on the Volk wheels you have on your WRX? I am looking at the TE37SAGA for my '18 WRX, but don't want a 18x9.5 which is about the only thing everyone seems to sell for that car.
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Jun 16, 2018 19:27
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Bad news then, haha. 18x9.5 +35 with 265/35/R18 Michelin Pilot Supersport. Note those rub on the rear and ideal specs are 18x9.5 +40 with 255/35R18. The BBS are 18x8 +35 with no issues, however.
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Jun 16, 2018 19:36
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Is there a better answer for the question "I want light wheels that don't suck" than the Enkei RPF1?
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Jun 16, 2018 19:38
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If you want cheap, no, not really. With the downside that the flat faces do not clear anything big brake wise, which really sucks. TC105N, if you're willing to spend a bit more, will clear brakes. 6UL is cheap, light, and has optimized offsets / sizes but I've heard complaints of bending easily (compared to something like the RPF1) on non-Miata weight cars.
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Jun 16, 2018 19:55
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Wrar posted:Is there a better answer for the question "I want light wheels that don't suck" than the Enkei RPF1? Only if you're prepared to spend more money. ... which might be why I have a bunch of CAD models for stuff to fit RPF-1s to a 1st gen RX-7.
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Jun 17, 2018 01:23
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I got some BBS wheels a few years ago. scuz posted:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnKci_kn_EU Stop yelling and use your inside voice, I'm right here.
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Jun 18, 2018 14:07
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I very much would like a set of BBS SR's for my Speed3.  I'm really liking that machined look nowadays...
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Jun 19, 2018 21:43
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BlackMK4 posted:6UL is cheap, light, and has optimized offsets / sizes but I've heard complaints of bending easily (compared to something like the RPF1) on non-Miata weight cars. RPF1s aren't exactly the strongest wheels out there either. We noticed there was a problem when a brake caliper started rubbing the barrel  nt03s held up much better.
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Jun 19, 2018 22:13
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That is a hell of a bend
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Jun 19, 2018 22:36
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Can we talk about how loving awful pick up wheels are getting? Fake bead locks, huge center caps, aluminum accents on black. Designers must realize all the poo poo they unnecessarily add on.
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Aug 17, 2018 16:31
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The fact that most six lug wheel designs are "modern" and thus look like all of that poo poo is a big part of why I finally five-lug swapped my truck.
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Aug 17, 2018 20:10
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TE37s come in 6 lug  
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Aug 17, 2018 21:21
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The few examples of TE37 I've seen on trucks have looked very good. If I had a truck, they'd probably get Method Race Wheels' 308 Roost in bronze. It's the truck version of their 502s, which is what Dirtfish uses for rally racing. They also come in 6 lug. 
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Aug 17, 2018 21:57
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um excuse me posted:Can we talk about how loving awful pick up wheels are getting? These are the tribal tattoos of wheels, which match their owners perfectly.
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Aug 17, 2018 22:48
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black rhino, who make some of the worst wheels known to man, also started making good wheels.  
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Aug 17, 2018 23:07
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quote:The Black Rhino Roku is inspired from a classic race wheel epitomized by nostalgic tuners of the millennial generation. *~*MILLENIALS*~* quote:These nostalgic race times have now passed and are now evolving into the offroad overland truck and SUV culture. What? Rays still make these wheels. They sell a lot of them too. quote:The Black Rhino Roku was made to bridge the gap of the evolving aftermarket trends to bring this once popularized compact race car look to the now tough, brawny, and bold world of trucks and SUVs. This lightweight off road rim is bulked up and modernized with smooth chamfers and a concave profile to complement any on or off road truck build. The Roku is available in a Matte Gun Black and Matte Bronze Metallic. Sizes include 20x9.5, 18x9.5, and 17x9.5, available in multiple offsets and 5 / 6 lug PCDs. But you just admitted to copying another style, these aren't things you designed, they're things you copied. Nowhere in the description does it mention if these wheels are forged which probably means they're cast. Rays TE37 are forged. You can't just take a design and make it out of a weaker metal then say they're for heavier vehicles. And for $250? The market says you don't pay more than $150 for cast wheels. Black Rhino is still very much garbage. In case you were wondering, the other wheels are also a copied design. They're fifteen52 Turbomac replicas. um excuse me fucked around with this message at 23:54 on Aug 17, 2018 |
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Aug 17, 2018 23:31
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BlackMK4 posted:TE37s come in 6 lug I could actually see those working on a C10 with the right mods to go with it (splitter, spoiler, etc).
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Aug 18, 2018 00:31
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6 bolt TE37s need to be bigger in size than 5 bolts because of the difference in PCD and bore size which shortens the length of the spokes and makes them look poo poo. 37s are a great looking wheel if they're in a decent size with dish and offset. poo poo:  Sweet:  Same goes for virtually all wheels designs though, flat wheels look like crap 99% of the time.
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Aug 18, 2018 09:59
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For argument's sake, how do you make a flat wheel look good? I'm dicking around with some design stuff and ... have a handle on the engineering but not the aesthetics, and dish and leaving lips has serious suspension geometry implications.
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Aug 18, 2018 12:58
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The only decent examples of a flat faced wheel that look particularly good on anything are going to be large faced five spoke wheels, pretty similar to the Turbomac above. Though turbofan wheels work in some cases  What implications are you suggesting? You ideally want to design wheels to reduce scrub radius, and obviously fit the tire the car is designed around.
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Aug 18, 2018 16:05
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So basically I have a long term design / fab project for a tube chassis 1st gen RX-7. God knows if I'll ever get to it, but doing design work on it keeps me out of trouble. I'm kinda musing over making wheel centers for 3-piece wheels on top of everything else. I had been thinking something like the Panasport ones I posted earlier but I dunno. Scrub radius and all the compromises it forces (kingpin inclination etc etc) is the big thing, especially with the big slicks. Modern Trans Am stuff ends up running BBSes with the centers bolted to the outside of the wheel halves and everything else done to push everything out as far as possible - like http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/chevy/1370370015/1370370015lb.htm But I kinda don't want to just run BBSes.
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Aug 18, 2018 16:37
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mekilljoydammit posted:So basically I have a long term design / fab project for a tube chassis 1st gen RX-7. God knows if I'll ever get to it, but doing design work on it keeps me out of trouble. I'm kinda musing over making wheel centers for 3-piece wheels on top of everything else. I had been thinking something like the Panasport ones I posted earlier but I dunno. That's actually the way they are mounted from the factory. My LM's were bolted with the face on the outside. I reversed them to get the tire further out. Look at this way, do what makes the car faster first, worry about looks later. I guarantee you that your track times will do all the talking. As far as design aesthetic. Look at what Advan does with some of their stuff. They're spokes actually extend from the rim. They concave the bolting face to make it a "normal" offset. If you got rid of the concave, you could be mounting +20/+30. But don't try and reduce scrub radius too much, the gained track width will actually improve handling up to a certain point. There's a guy in my autox club who runs a street modified first gen RX-7. The slicks he runs must stick out of the fender 40 or 50mm. He regularly spanks modified Z06s. um excuse me fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Aug 18, 2018 |
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Aug 18, 2018 21:19
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um excuse me posted:That's actually the way they are mounted from the factory. My LM's were bolted with the face on the outside. I reversed them to get the tire further out. Look at this way, do what makes the car faster first, worry about looks later. I guarantee you that your track times will do all the talking. As far as design aesthetic. Look at what Advan does with some of their stuff. They're spokes actually extend from the rim. They concave the bolting face to make it a "normal" offset. If you got rid of the concave, you could be mounting +20/+30. But don't try and reduce scrub radius too much, the gained track width will actually improve handling up to a certain point. Tradeoffs between scrub radius and track width is only true if the suspension is laid down in stone - instead, as I'm doing it, wheel shape determines where the brake caliper/rotor can go, which determines where the pivot points for the control arm can go, and longer control arms pay dividends. This is intended for a GT-class car, so maximum track width is rules defined, and for that matter there's not too much in the way of available tire options. The practical wheel size is 16x10 front, 16x12 rear. The way I'm looking at it is that if I'm doing my own wheel centers to get caliper clearance the way I want it for a given offset (lots) then I have freedom to make them look like anything I want. So given that, the thought then gets to "what styles look best with offsets where there's no lip whatsoever"? I could conceivably just find or copy some BBS E87s but there's more styles than just BBS. I know how to do the functional engineering side of things, but aesthetics aren't necessarily my strong suit.
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Aug 19, 2018 00:05
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um excuse me posted:The only decent examples of a flat faced wheel that look particularly good on anything are going to be large faced five spoke wheels, pretty similar to the Turbomac above. I think the Honda/Acura flat turbines are pretty cool: 
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Aug 19, 2018 07:53
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 Dude, you couldn't pay me to take that wheel. Restoration of a set of wheels, which includes tear down, paint stripping, straightening, and repainting cost $400-600. At over $1000 I can find a real set of TE37s. Not to mention those wheels have a reputation of exploding at speed. At least the guy is honest 
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Aug 20, 2018 16:41
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I stumbled upon these two locally: Korean phone dials. Dirty, but actually look good I'd say. Should've been five-lug to satisfy my OCD tho.  Well cared for SmartCar wheels. Not very often you see three-lugs. The Citroen AX and of course the 2CV has them, but I can't think of anything modern. I wonder if one could just run six-lugs in a pinch.
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Aug 21, 2018 07:32
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