Any Interest in 17" Fuchs Alloys?

[eurocarrera]

Yup - I would be interested.

Hey Wayne, when are you going to go into the Kitchen Sink business as well?

[KennyG]

DANG! Yea Wayne, Yea! This is exactly what I've been wanting. I currently run on a set of 17" cup wheels, but have wanted a little more traditional look. All black with a polished lip would be cool.
I'll be in town over Christmas, I could bring back a trailer load for the Seattle guys

[Scott Clarke]

How about some 911R replica wheels, or some 16" with 49mm offfset?

[Seven-Seven]

I'm also VERY interested, Wayne.

6x17s & 7x17s, or 7x17s on all four corners!

[tifosiman]

I want a set in 7.5" and 9" for an early offset 944. Count me in. Non-painted if possible(want to paint them guards red)....

Email me at jeremy.mudd@huffy.com . I changed jobs and have yet to upgrade my profile (sorry!)

Tifo

[stone43]

Pics, Price, Availability?

Appears that the audience is pretty interested.

[Rouxzy]

Absolutely,
I presently have 15" fuchs and wanted to go to 17" but have not found any wheels that I like as much as the originals. Count me in for a set of 7.5" for the front and 9" for the rears,(I can fit 9" in the back because I put Carrera flairs in the rear).
Tom

[rvanderpyl]

I'd be interested as well if they were available with the R offset. Which might not be a bad idea as a general way to go, since you can always move them out with spacers, but you can't move them in. Although I suppose then you get a much more 'flat' faced look, and less of the deep dish then with a normal offset.

Oh, and if they are cast, then some sort of certification is required so they can be used on the track, PCA generally won't allow replica Fuchs because of concerns about strength.

[masraum]

Wayne, it appears as if there is little to no interest in these wheels. Maybe next time.

[sbarrett]

I am interested. I would prefer early offset to fit my '77 widebody without spacers. I currently have 17" cups but would prefer the fuchs look in the 17" flavor.

[Leland Pate]

I too would be interested. Of course, I bet they are cast.
Forged would almost be cost prohibited for most of us.

Course, forged would be really cool!

[Wayne 962]

I think about 99% of the wheels out there are cast - I'm sure that these are too. For all intensive purposes, cast wheels are fine. Unless you are planning on going off-road in your race car (Jack?) cast wheels will hold up fine. All of the BMW street cars run cast wheels (to the best of my knowledge) with no problems.

I will get offset, and pricing and all the other good info tomorrow...

-Wayne

[930fan]

Its funny how so many people here are so concerned whether it's forged or cast. Like Wayne said, 99% of street wheels are cast including those on some very high performance machinery. For the street, what you want is a strong wheel above anything else, especially when diameters go up and sidewalls get thinner. Fuchs are strong and don't bend but a lot of it is also due to the protection provided by fat tyre sidewalls afforded by the small wheel diameters. The Ruf 5 spokes are cast and a bit heavy but are noted for its strength and were thought to be good enough for the 212mph yellowbird CTR so I would think it would be good enough for a 130mph 911SC.

If you aren't after the last tenth of a second in laptimes, then a heavy but strong wheel is much more sensible for street driving on real roads than a light forged but fragile wheel with thin sidewalls. Ask 993 turbo owners about how fragile their forged technology hollow wheels are when used with 285/30 tyres.

[911nut]

I concur with 930fan; a properly cast wheel should be reliable enough for all road-based applications.

Most alloy wheels today are die cast, which means molten metal is injected into a permanent metal mold under pressure. The design of the mold and the casting machine are critical to the quality of the casting. Also, the quality of the alloy will affect strength.

Well known brands of cast wheels don't pose a risk. I think the problem in the 911 community has been cast Fuchs knock-offs of poor quality which fail due to fatigue cracking or under severe loading at the track.

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
All of the BMW street cars run cast wheels (to the best of my knowledge) with no problems.

-Wayne

The M3 has forged wheels.

17 inch Fuchs: Prices, sizes and pics please

[island911]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
. . . these actually look indistinguishable from the originals. . . ..

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
. . . I think about 99% of the wheels out there are cast. . ..

Way back, Fuchs where knocked-off with cast. Since the first attempts used an original as a pattern, these actually looked indistinguishable from the originals. (other than surface finish)

Of course these broke. So, the design got tweaked; geometry changed, reinforcing ribs were added. They then looked close to indistinguishable from the originals. . . . and still broke.

As most everyone here knows, forging generaly allows a much thinner cross section, than does casting. (for the same toughness)
So how to make these "look indistinguishable from the originals" I'm curious.
Perhaps these BMWonder boys have figured out how to get around this. . . .or perhaps, it's the same old story, different day.

For 17" fuchs, I would choose the way Jack Olsen found. Even with the HAZ (Heat Affected Zone) of the welding being weaker, it's placed in a more desirable location. (structurally)

EDIT: The even more obvious; they can not "look indistinguishable from the originals" and be 17" at the same time.
I don't know the details of Jack Olsens welded versions. 911nut below says "Magnesium". . (!?)

[911nut]

Originally posted by island911
Even with the HEZ (Heat Effected Zone) of the welding being weaker, it's placed in a more desirable location. (structural)

The heat affected zone (HAZ) is one problem; the joining of dissimilar materials (aluminum and magnesium) is where the bigger problem is.

I'd go with the 3 piece, bolted solution.

[Mike Feinstein]

Originally posted by Wayne:

"For all intensive purposes..."

Don't you mean "intents and purposes"? Couldn't resist. Must be the effects of my wife's Red Beans and Rice.

[930fan]

Originally posted by Mikkel
The M3 has forged wheels.

17 inch Fuchs: Prices, sizes and pics please

The standard equipment E36 M3 wheels are cast and same goes for the E36 M3 evo. The forged wheels were available as an option and came in a 1" wider size for the rear wheels only.

Not 100% sure but the E46 M3 wheels are cast too.

[Tspringer]

If you can get them in the early 911R offsets, sign me up for a pair.

Heck, you could sell a pretty good number of knock-off 15" Fuchs if they were good quality cast and had the R offset.