Seeking wheel advice from someone who KNOWS

[09TRD]

Originally Posted by Loren

14 pounds isn't "obscenely heavy" for a 15x7, but it's not exactly "light", either.

My 15x7 Falken Hanabi's weigh just a tick over 11 pounds each and cost about $89 each. THAT is light and cheap. But, not everyone likes the styling. My goals were "light and cheap", so I didn't care.

To answer your rubbing question: I'd stick with 195/55's. I've not had any rubbing with those. Had some with 215/50's (Toyo T1-R, which were actually closer to 205). And I'm on 15x7 with 41mm offset.

I also had rubbing on the upper fender liner under hard cornering with 195/55's on a 15x7 with 32mm offset. Definitely stick with offset in the 40-45mm range unless you value the bling of "flushness" more than not rubbing.

Thanks for the advice.

Living here in the Northeast (pothole and frost-heave ravaged roads), I value strength.

I have yet to see an OEM aluminum wheel bend in this area, yet I've seen dozens of lightweight, cast aftermarket wheels bend.

Such is the cost of reducing weight by effectively removing material.

[Russelt3hPirate]

Originally Posted by 09TRD

Thanks for the advice.

Living here in the Northeast (pothole and frost-heave ravaged roads), I value strength.

I have yet to see an OEM aluminum wheel bend in this area, yet I've seen dozens of lightweight, cast aftermarket wheels bend.

Such is the cost of reducing weight by effectively removing material.

I've seen an OEM aluminum wheel fall apart in NJ.

[09TRD]

Originally Posted by Russelt3hPirate

I've seen an OEM aluminum wheel fall apart in NJ.

There are perhaps 5,000 of them for every one aftermarket wheel.

Try running a 10 pound aftermarket "racing wheel" in the NJ streets and see how long it lasts.

[Russelt3hPirate]

Originally Posted by 09TRD

There are perhaps 5,000 of them for every one aftermarket wheel.

Try running a 10 pound aftermarket "racing wheel" in the NJ streets and see how long it lasts.

I'm sure people do, in fact I know people running 18" variants of my wheel (not 10 lbs since it's a 18" wheel) but they aren't destroyed as you seem to be implying.

also, if a wheel is damaged by the state owned roads you can get the state to buy you a new wheel.

Seen it done numerous times when it is properly documented.

[09TRD]

Originally Posted by Russelt3hPirate

I'm sure people do, in fact I know people running 18" variants of my wheel (not 10 lbs since it's a 18" wheel) but they aren't destroyed as you seem to be implying.

also, if a wheel is damaged by the state owned roads you can get the state to buy you a new wheel.

Seen it done numerous times when it is properly documented.

A wheel's strength is dictated primarily by it's wall thicknesses and it's material. (Spoke placement and the number of spokes is also a factor.)

A cast 15" wheel that weighs 10 pounds cannot, by definition, be a strong wheel in terms of impact loading (e.g. hitting a pothole).

Conversely, a forged (e.g. 6016-T6) 15" wheel that weighs 14 pounds will likely be VERY strong.

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by 09TRD

A wheel's strength is dictated primarily by it's wall thicknesses and it's material.

A cast 15" wheel that weighs 10 pounds cannot, by definition, be a strong wheel in terms of impact loading (e.g. hitting a pothole).

so you'd rather drive around on wheels that look like they should be on a 1977 ford falcon simply because they're FORGED???

why are you buying wheels in the first place?

[09TRD]

Originally Posted by Tamago

so you'd rather drive around on wheels that look like they should be on a 1977 ford falcon simply because they're FORGED???

why are you buying wheels in the first place?

My main purpose for buying wheels concerns width; the OEMs are just 5.5" wide.

A 7" wide wheels would yield big improvements.

Aluminum is the only choice in that width and the roads here are in rough shape. That brings the choices down to a ~ 19 pound plus cast aluminum wheel or a ~ 14 pound forged aluminum wheel.

(As a mechanical engineer, I have already ruled out the possibility of running a featherweight RACING wheel, since I know it would bend do to impact loading on these roads shortly after it was fitted to the car.)

I'd give those Enkeis some serious consideration if I were looking to track the car. But I'm not.

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by 09TRD

Conversely, a forged (e.g. 6016-T6) 15" wheel that weighs 14 pounds will likely be VERY strong.

or just improperly designed..

you should have a set of wheels made out of these:



you'll never bend them and they'll be plenty heavy enough for you

oh and cute typo on 6061-t6...