Fuchs on Ebay 3-Piece ??

[FSRMountain]

Saw these on ebay. Are they any good.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1838935762

[Jack Olsen]

Well, it's not a bad price, if the parts all end up fitting together. But you have to wonder why he doesn't just get the hardware and put them together before selling them, if it's so simple. Three-piece wheels tend to leak through the center seam as they age, and some manufacturers spray the inside with a silicone sealant to help.

Also, it's odd that the pieces are chrome, which weakens the centers.

You can get two-piece Fuchs made, as well, for about 40% less than the three-piece wheels.

Also keep in mind that it's getting harder and harder to get good (wide) performance tires in 16-inch sizes. If you're going to get three-piece wheels made, 17-inch diameters are a much better idea, in my opinion.

[FSRMountain]

I contacted the guy by email and he said he was going to use them on his 914. He was going to have a body kit put on but kept it stock, so he never bought the hardware to finish them. He has some used hardare but says your better off buying new.
I'm thinking these are a good deal. I think i'll wait and see how the auction goes. He said his reserve was set a couple hundred under the buy it now.

[tshih]

There are no such things as 3-piece or 2-piece Fuchs unless they are broken up real 1 piece Fuchs! The Fuchs are legendary and expensive when authentically made by their one piece cold rolling forging process. Excellence magazine has a historical article detailing their construction and process about 3 years ago. Any claims for them being authentic Fuchs are just not possible to be true. What is advertised must be replica centers and welded together rims with incorrect offsets for factory application. I would not buy them if I were you.

Tom

[FSRMountain]

He told me that these were the 16X6's that the centers were cut out and then inner and outer halves were added. They are original centers. I have heard of people using these and if I recall someone on this board was looking for 6's just to do the same thing. I be curious to know how much it cost to cut the 6's to make these.

[Jack Olsen]

The machining is about $300 for a set, I believe, and you'll typically spend $100 each for the 6x16's.

Tom, the seller doesn't maintain that Fuchs made them, just that they're Fuchs centers.

FSR, I'd still check that the tires you want to eventually use will be available in the right size for these, and I'd also recommend test-fitting them before you confirm a sale. The not-yet-put-together part is fishy, to me, and you might be looking at buying a new pair of inners and outters, which isn't nearly as cheap as the centers themselves.

I'd proceed with cautionl.

[tshih]

Whatever the manufacture of the centers-whether Fuchs part or replica or another forged piece by another manufacturer (BBS or other major expensive maker), the 3-piece or 2-piece designs have only one advantage-in costs (repairs or replacement) of the rim part when they get banged or curbed up or potholed. This way the whole wheel doesn't have to be replaced as in the case of the one piece forged design (which are lightest, strongest , and classic). When you add the weight of the nuts and bolts all around the periphery to bolt the pieces together it will all add up to more unsprung weight and is bad for handling as well as torque at those wheels. Of course these remarks are aimed at the purists looking for the best wheel for the application. When you factor looks and other considerations then it becomes purely subjective a choice.

Tom

[Jack Olsen]

One other advantage is that with custom-manufacured wheels you can get wider wheels in the same space, and still maintain the look (mostly) of classic Fuchs. I'm able to put 8x10x17 wheels under stock SC flares, and run 275mm tires in back, and 245mm tires in front -- without spacers or other weight-adding tricks.

Wide 15-inch track tires are hard to find, unfortunately.