What's everyones thoughts??

Doesn't make much difference since i've basically made up my mind...and we need some activity

But what does everyone think of OEM Alloys vs "motorsport" wheels.


I've never run the fancy pants wheels, but have seen a fair number broken and bent, almost just as many as OEM wheels.

I've only run OEM Subaru, and VW wheels (better offset and wider), and yeah i've bent a few, but they are dirt cheap, and are almost disposable.

I found that OEM VW wheels from Golfs/Jettas/Passats/Corrados are a good fit for the Subarus, since they have a little more offset to clear coilovers and run big tires, some of them are 6.5" wide, and most of them are made by Speedline or BBS. Also figure they need to meet some pretty stout TUV standards.

Is my logic flawed?

---

Chris



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2009 11:28AM by Do It Sidewayz.

Chris, I wouldn't get excited about the TUV BS. Its a progeram to give employment to the thousands of enginmeers the German Universities pour out which there is noi meaningful employment for so POOF! Invent a buraucracy that needs engineering reports for the tint of the blinker glass.

As for OEM vs "Motorsport" seems there are motorsport and motorsport.
It's all down to the heat treating is what I've been told.
I too have seen a fair number--in the past---of actual failure, like chunks of wheel broken off, centers broken out---on Japanese wheels.
TUV approved wheels, never failures but always softer than sheeeeeut.

I'd say if your wheel failure aren't cuasing DNFs or too many flats, then yeah cost is key.

But are the wheel failures costing you flats and worse?

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

i personally have not had a failure "knocks on wood"

Narini's have D'ed a couple, and so have i...9 times outta 10 we just keep running on them. if they still hold air. Or they get relegated to "spares"

From people i've talked with Motorsport wheels break, while OEM wheels bend.


I have run a set of BBS VW wheels from a Passat, ran in several rallies, got a flat and drove it several KM...Rim was like brand new. Ran the same set of wheels, at another event and hit something hard enough with the right side to immediately flat the front tire, and severely bludge the rear tire. Drove 8km on the flat. Rim still 100% ok. Not D'ed, not cracked, not chewed up....literally mounted another tire and went rallying.

The VW wheels do look and feel much more stout than the Subaru ones.

I'm not getting excited about TUV...just a thought, and it's probably better than our stupid DOT standards.

---

Chris

I would love to run OEM GTX wheels, they are just hard as hell to find.

DirkaDirkaJack Wrote:
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> I would love to run OEM GTX wheels, they are just
> hard as hell to find.

With your 4 on 4 1/2 bolt circle you could keep your eyes peeled for Saab 99/900 up thru 1987 Minilite copies like the "Ronal" or "Shelby" wheels
http://www.classicsaab.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=4474






They're 5 1/2" wide which is wide enough for a GTX weight and power and while the Ronals aren't the strongest wheels out there , the "Shelby" were supposed to be as strong as the genuine Minlites--and those are crazy strong.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2009 01:40PM by john vanlandingham.

On mt Dodge Omni I always used the factory alloys (many different styles) and they were damn strong. And, of course, cheap. I still have one mounted as a trophy up on the wall of my shop that went 8 miles on a flat. I got a flat on the left front at the start of a stage and just drove the whole stage on it and was down to the rim by the end. Only lost 1:45 to my first time through the stage! Wheel is still round, chewed up, but remarkably intact. Other times I had driven on a flat for less distance and still used the wheel afterwards.
The Dodge wheels are 5x100 and I've seen people use them on Subarus. One thing you have to watch out for is brake clearance. Most motorsports wheels are made for more brake clearance, especially for Subarus when mounting a 15" wheel.

DirkaDirkaJack Wrote:
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> I would love to run OEM GTX wheels, they are just
> hard as hell to find.


The stock 14 inches won't clear your front brakes will they Jack?

---

Michael LeCompte

I've had great luck using Honda/Acura OEM alloys. In 15" the one to get is 1995/1996 Integra GSR ones, which are pretty light, look good and I've yet to have a failure. A little harder to find, but usually are cheap when you do find 'em.

For 14", the best are del Sol VTEC. Again never had a failure. Harder to find though than the del Sol Si wheels.

Both I think are made by Enkei.

Compomotive!!!
Seriously though, I'm not the right person to ask. I could have used some Saab alloy wheel or some other options but I went with Compomotives because I knew they'd clear my brakes and coilovers, have a good rep for being strong, and damn it if they don't just make the car look good. I personally think I have the best looking XR4ti in the US thanks to the whale tail, chopped rear windows, front bumper, cossie grill and headlights, and compomotives with fatty brakes stuffed inside of them. Of, and the mud flaps... It was always one downside to the Merkur over a Volvo. It requires a lot more work to make it so you don't want to vomit in your mouth everytime you walk up to it. Uh.. Back on topic...

I can with full confidence say that the Forester 15" steel wheels deform crazily and quickly when you drive them with any gusto. The Legacy alloys from the early 90s turbo cars have held up well and quite a few different cars here in Colorado.

---

Grant Hughes

I think it depends on the manufacturer. Ford Focus wheels are really weak. I bent or broke 3 of them when the car was a street going ride. And I severely bent 3 of them one one stage at Tall Pines last year.

Comparing those to the team dynamics wheels that I have run on, I have only have one that is slightly bent. And the only reason I saw it was that I had put a set of street snow tires on them and went to balance them.

NoCoast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
I personally think I have the best looking XR4ti in the US
> thanks to the whale tail, chopped rear windows,
> front bumper, cossie grill and headlights, and
> compomotives with fatty brakes stuffed inside of
> them. >
> Grant Hughes
> www.nocoastmotorsports.net
> Denver, CO


Naturally I disagree with Grant completely. The Saab 9000 wheels I use have held up well but they are heavy.

---

Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

mothra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Naturally I disagree with Grant completely. The
> Saab 9000 wheels I use have held up well but they
> are heavy.

As I wrote that I did have the thought, Matt's not around here much anymore so I can totally say this and get away with it. Damn. Busted.
I still keep my eye out for some of those Saab wheels to throw some snow tires on.

---

Grant Hughes

NoCoast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mothra Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Naturally I disagree with Grant completely.
> The
> > Saab 9000 wheels I use have held up well but
> they
> > are heavy.
>
> As I wrote that I did have the thought, Matt's not
> around here much anymore so I can totally say this
> and get away with it. Damn. Busted.
> I still keep my eye out for some of those Saab
> wheels to throw some snow tires on.

The calipers will clear.....
Always check the wheels and make sure you get the wide 9000 wheels, there's 900 wheels which are styled the same but way less off set like 38-40, the 9000 is ET33.
>
> Grant Hughes
> www.nocoastmotorsports.net
> Denver, CO

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Yeah, I remember that you designed the brake kit to be able to be used with those wheels. Brilliant!
I kind of lucked into 6 of my Compo's. Called 4 Star to order some cheap discounted Yoko gravels and they had 6 old Compos (15X7 et 35 or 40) from the Escort so got them cheap. The offset and width required spacer up front though with those wheels so I bought a set of four 15X6 et 25 for front. But okay...

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Grant Hughes

Well...as i said it was kind of a futile post....but the board needed some activity anyways.

I did get like 12 x VW wheels this week...cheapish (vw guys think their stuff is gold)

They seem plenty strong and i mounted them last night.

Atleast not everyone is going "hey...you gotta buy compootives...and you are crazy to rally on OEM"

---

Chris