Braid vs Maxilite???

[skinnerd]

Looking at getting a set of 15x9 and 15x11 Fuchs style wheels for my hotrod.

The real deal Fuchs are ultra expensive and impossible to find.
So we have both Braid and Maxilite filling the void.

Although visually similar, their wheel weight is considerably different.
The lip on the Maxilite is very close to a real Fuchs, while the Braid lip is not.

Braid: 15x11 22 lbs 15x9 20 lbs

Maxilite: 15x11 16.3 lbs 15x9 14.4 lbs

If the above is correct (got the weights off PP and Ebay), then the Maxilite are 25-30% lighter than the Braid wheels....as I said substantial difference.

The Maxilite are nearly half the price of the Braids.

Anything I'm missing?
How about experiences with both?
Fit and finish and durability?

[TxGerman]

Another option is Fuchfelge, but I don't think they make a 15x11. I believe they only go up to 15x9. So maybe not much of an option after all....

As for Braid vs Maxilite, my current plans are to go with 17" Maxilite. Nearly every thread on this topic I have read in PP forums has led me down that path. I believe they are a great value. If there's a significant downside to Maxilite, I haven't seen any details yet. If someone has firsthand knowledge of why Maxilite is NOT a great choice, I too would like to hear it.

[RetroSC]

I'm not sure those weights for the maxlights you show are correct. That seems awfully light, even lighter than a comparable forged Fuch. For reference, I think my 15x7 fuchs are around 14lbs, and when I looked into getting some Maxlights they were several pounds heavier.

[75 911s]

Things I think I know about both products, putting them out there for public verification.

In my mind, I believe the Braid to be higher quality, but let us discuss the differences:

Braid: Semiforged two piece wheel: Made in Spain, 9X15 weight according to the PCA video I just watched was 14lbs. My own personal inspection is that the paint finish is superior to maxilite.

Maxilite: I own a set of 7X15 *49ET. Single Cast aluminum, made in China? by a Swiss? company.
ebay official sells wheel from a warehouse location in Florida. Customer service is good, but communications between the main guy in Europe to the Florida warehouse to the end user is abysmal. I ordered a set of deep 6 and flat 6 arrived. The wheels also came in a wheel box, but that wheel box was loose inside a huge box with nothing else in it. The bowling ball in a box effect occurred and though the wheels arrived safe, the outer shipping boxes were in pieces. A bit disconcerting. Like the Florida warehouse doesn't have outer boxes that fit? No problem to refund, but it just wasted weeks of my time. Alternatively there are 3rd party dealers that can do better.

Back to the wheel, the Maxilite has a machined lip. This means it doesn't look like a real Fuchs when you are less than 3 feet away. The black paint is fine. I ended up stripping the wheels and powder coating them, so the lip finish didn't matter. The Maxilite are coated with a thick plasticy protective layer.

My buddy has a set of 9 and 11 RSR finish Braids. The finish is high quality. Picking up and holding the wheel it feels light and well made.

I think the wheel fits the occasion. I might go with a Braid on a nicer build. For everyday street build, nothing wrong with a Maxilite

Maxilite



Maxilite flat 6


Hard to tell from this angle but the Flat 6 that Maxilite shipped me instead of a Deep 6, wheel box inside a box roughly twice it's size with zero packing material. Laughable packing.

[ian c2]

I have a pair of 11x15 maxi lite at home that I’m probably going to sell .
If I can find my scale I’ll unbox one to weigh it .

[Cory M]

I have had good experiences with both Braid and Maxilite. Have both in the garage right now. They both look good but the Braid wheels are lighter and higher quality. The shape of the rim lip on the Braids is different than Fuch. If you're going to track the car get the Braids, otherwise find the one with the finish you like most.

[skinnerd]

Interesting info.
From my online research, it seemed like the Braids were heavier than the Maxilite.
Not so it seems?

Definitely the Braid lip is not like the real Fuchs where the Maxilite is.
For me it will likely come down to the finish that looks best along with durability as I'll autocross these wheels heavily.

The Braid with the RSR looks very nice and although not cheap ($1144 ea for the 15x11), it is substantially more reasonable than the real McCoy Fuchs of this size.

[skinnerd]

Here's what the RSR finish Braids looks like that Pelican Parts sells....

[WP0ZZZ]

Originally Posted by skinnerd

Braid: 15x11 22 lbs 15x9 20 lbs

I'm not sure if those numbers are correct.

I weighed my own Braid BZs and got the following results:

16x7: 13.2 lb
16x8: 14.1 lb

I would be very surprised if a 15x9 was heavier than a 16x8.

[skinnerd]

I'm seeing 15 and 17.2 lbs for the 15x9 and 15x11 on the BraidUSA website, so that's not bad at all.
Interesting how you find all this contradictory info on the inter web at times....

[WP0ZZZ]

Originally Posted by skinnerd

I'm seeing 15 and 17.2 lbs for the 15x9 and 15x11 on the BraidUSA website, so that's not bad at all.

Those Braid wheels are not cheap but they are beautifully made.

This is my set of 16s:

[nomore]

WPOZZZ, your car looks pretty crossed up. Where is the picture from? Looks fun. John

[WP0ZZZ]

Originally Posted by nomore

Where is the picture from?

It's at a small track used for driving courses next to the Castelloli track, near Barcelona. It's actually only 5 miles from the Braid factory although I don't personally know anyone working there.

[clutch-monkey]

the maxilite are good enough quality and make a good street wheel.
the braid are lighter and far nicer made. i have two sets of maxilite and they have performed well, but if i had the money i would ditch them for braids in a heartbeat.

[JeffShoots]

RSR set on eBay from Maxilite?

4 Maxilte Wheels for Porsche 911 9x15/11x15 old school look w/TÜV

Are these the right RSR fitment or do you need spacers? Does anyone here have them and has the weights?

For ~$2k

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Maxilte-Wheels-for-Porsche-911-9x15-11x15-old-school-look-w-TUeV/264323508713


eBay item number:
264323508713

[MarkWard]

Thread resurrection. Putting an 80 SC back on the road. Been bidding on OE Fuchs on BAT. Prices go beyond my budget for a daily driver build. The maxi lite has the look I have in mind, but looking at a bare wheel picture in the Pelican online catalog doesn’t help. Something just looks odd about them. Could someone with maxi lite wheels on their car post a side shot picture? Thinking 6 or 7 x 16 on the front and 8 x 16 on rear. Has C2 looking 17s that are not my taste. Thank you. Mark