Expert advice on aftermarket wheels | separating truth from hype

Scott
By Scott Lear
Jun 2, 2024 | wheels, Tires & Wheels | Posted in Tires & Wheels | From the Aug. 2015 issue | Never miss an article

Photography Credit: J.G. Pasterjak

[Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2015 issue of Grassroots Motorsports.]

All cars have the wheel in common, though the wheels on our cars couldn’t be more diverse in form and construction. There’s an emotional element as well, as personalizing a vehicle often starts with changing the wheels, whether for aesthetic or performance reasons.

In motorsports, there are genuine, …

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Comments
Trackmouse
Trackmouse UltraDork
1/30/18 12:51 p.m.

Ok. Now tell us about the cheap wheels we can afford. cheeky

te72
te72 New Reader
1/31/18 12:29 a.m.

Have had a set of XXR 527 on the Supra for a couple years now. Haven't hit anything, so I can't comment on strength in that regard. Last I checked, you're not supposed to hit things anyway?

 

As far as satisfaction goes, they're reasonably light for the size, and were reasonably priced as well. Doesn't hurt that they look good and came with blank centercaps so I can put hello kitty stickers on them.

Trackmouse
Trackmouse UltraDork
1/31/18 1:03 a.m.

In reply to te72 :

So, how have they faired for auto sport use? This is where the rumors, horror stories, and the “buy name brand” stories foment. 

STM317
STM317 Dork
1/31/18 5:05 a.m.

Owning a set of Forgelines is on my bucket list. But spending more on a set of wheels than I did on the vehicle is a tough pill to swallow.

MazdaFace
MazdaFace HalfDork
1/31/18 6:01 a.m.

When I worked at Firestone we had a customer with knock off China te37 on a 370z. Came in complaining of a tire balance issue and we noticed half the spokes were cracked all the way through on his back wheels. He got lucky. Absolute disaster waiting to happen. Totally turned me off even the thought of off brand eBay wheels. 

Rodan
Rodan Reader
1/31/18 6:28 a.m.
STM317 said:

Owning a set of Forgelines is on my bucket list. But spending more on a set of wheels than I did on the vehicle is a tough pill to swallow.

With what I paid for my track Miata, almost everything cost more than the car did! cheeky

nderwater
nderwater UltimaDork
1/31/18 7:37 a.m.

There are a lot of wheel brands out there -- is anyone keeping a list of reputable makers of affordable flow formed / rotary forged wheels?

freetors
freetors Reader
1/31/18 7:45 a.m.

We have Rota RB25's on our MGB. I have been totally satisfied. Thirteen pounds for 15x6. Totally straight out of the box. I have accidently hit bumps and potholes that physically hurt and thought for sure that it would have damaged the wheels. But they just take the hit and keep on going. 

I think it's important to realize that if you're tracking your car or putting heavy loads on it, any wheel is eventually going to break or crack. And jut the right hit will do the same for any wheel too. The lighter your wheels the more risky this becomes.

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
1/31/18 7:53 a.m.
nderwater said:

There are a lot of wheel brands out there -- is anyone keeping a list of reputable makers of affordable flow formed / rotary forged wheels?

Basically everything "affordable" that isn't super heavy is flow formed now. And there are plenty. 

REAL forged wheels are horrifically expensive. Typically $700+ per wheel.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin PowerDork
1/31/18 7:57 a.m.
Trackmouse said:

Ok. Now tell us about the cheap wheels we can afford. cheeky

For what fitment?

Seems to me if you drive anything that is autocross/tracked frequently, there are a ton of cheap options out there.  I usually start with TRM wheels because that is pretty much the target:  cheap, light, motorsports oriented.

Now if only their 15x8 Miata wheels had a higher offset...

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