FUCHS Replica opinion?

[Gunter]

I have been offered one Real Fuchs and a replica, both J8 x 16. Does anyone have experience with the replicas? Who makes them? Do they look like a real Fuchs? Quality? Do they hold up?

[88911coupe]

You can do a search here for more details, but according to every expert the replicas are not as strong as the forged Fuchs. Bruce Anderson shows an example of a broken Fuchs replica in his book to demonstrate this specific point. The problem is that most, if not all replicas are cast, not forged.

[ChrisBennet]

The replica Fuch won't pass Tech in my region.
-Chris

[Harlan Chinn]

I don't think replicas would pass Tech in any region. 8Jx16's are not all that rare, Keep Looking.

[Lukesportsman]

Are you guys saying that all CAST rims won't pass tech? Do you need SFI or other cert's to make them eligible? Aren't some Porsche rims as of late/non turbo cast? Do they also not pass tech? OR, is this a specific problem to the replica Fuchs do to known manufactoring errors (casting porosity)?

[Randy Webb]

Late PAG wheels are _pressure_ cast. Are the replicas pressure cast? The real thing is known good. Check the replicas and see if they are TUV approved. If not, I wouldn't touch 'em even for a street car.

[ChrisBennet]

Cast Fuch replicas won't pass.
-Chris

[cstreit]

I understand not wanting them on the racetrack, but a large majority of the alloy wheels on the road are cast. Heck, even many BBS wheels are cast. True, pressure cast are better than gravity cast... But I use replicas on my street car... Save the forged ones fro the track...

[Randy Webb]

Ow -- what happens if you hit a big rock by the side of the road? A Fuchs will bend, but -- at least some -- cast wheels will crack and/or disintegrate, causing a bad bad accident. Remember, the street can be more dangerous than the track.

I would always go for a TUV approval. Maybe someone will grace us with a study of different casting techniques and manfs. I trust BBS but there are lots of "looks only" wheels out there.

Also, what is the wt. of cast replicas? I bet they're heavy. Used Fuchs aren't _that_ expensive (911R wheels excepted).

[cstreit]

True, I'm just saying that most wheels out there are cast, not that Fuchs cast are any better. I didn't want to sink $1500 into a set of 9x16 rears for the 930 when I stole the 8x16 rears off for the race car... (to replace the original fuchs that were cracked...) (My fronts are OEM)

[82SC]

just curious how do they tell at tech stations??

do they look for the Fuch's head???

MJ

[fred cook]

I just replaced a set of 7 x 16 replica Fuchs on the front of my '80 911SC coupe. They were made by the American Eagle Wheel Company and marked AEWC on the backside. They seem to be exact copies of the Fuchs (maybe thats why American Eagle doesn't make them anymore!) While they seemed to be ok with the tires that were on the car when I bought it, once I went to more serious rubber, a shimmy showed up in the steering. One of the wheels had a lateral (in and out) defect of about 1/8". The other was not quite so bad. I got a used set of real Fuchs 7 x 16s out of a local Porsche recycling center (junk yard) and all is well again. The old wheels? They are going to get clocks mounted in the center and go on the wall! Do yourself a favor and buy the real thing!

Good Luck

Fred Cook

[Wil Ferch]

What most people don't realize...is that the fake Fuchs aren't inferior because they're cast, ...per se..they're inferior because they didn't thicken the webs and other areas appropriately for the cast copies ( compared to the original Fuchs which can be thinner because of the forging process). The thicknesses were the same. That's where the problem lies. Using the thickness of forged wheels for the cast copies created a weak cast wheel.
Nothing wrong with casting as a method of manufacture ( as recent Porsche wheels are) if they were designed to be cast from the outset...with the appropriate thicknesses ( strength). Only downside to casting is the heavier weight.
---Wil Ferch

[Silver 911]

Fake Fuchs...next you'll be looking to add a chevy engine to your porsche! Dont do it.