bigmackloud

Anybody used replica wheels as track day rims? I searched a bit and most comments were positive (for general use anyways) with a few horror stories about out of round or poor finish wheels. The most neg comment was that replica wheels tend to weigh a few pounds more than the OE wheel. Not sure how significant that actually is in the hpde realm.

Thought? Anybody had a particularly good or bad experience?

If you had a good experience, was there a particular vendor you went through? Oewheelsllc is the first that popped up Ina Google search.

Cheers

VideoGameGeek

I have read not to use them, cracking issues.

JDIllon

First they are very heavy! Also I would not use repro wheels for track use, the speeds and stress's are much more than street use. Is your life worth saving a few bucks? Just my .02 JD

bigmackloud

Do you know of any specific incidents of replica wheel failure during track use?

Most of the reading I've done suggests the replicas are 2-5 lbs heavier. Obviously you want to keep unsprung weight down, but I'm not sure how significant that amount actually is.

While searching, I came across a number of for sale threads of people selling replica wheels with track tires, so it appears some people run the setup.

I'm not looking for validation, completely willing to accept its not the best choice. Still, I was hoping to find some first hand feedback from those that had tried it before I ruled it out.

SouthernSon

Jim and I both do. You ask, we respond. Either accept it or research it.

SouthernSon

You know, my response above might sound a little harsh. I guess I would say that Jim and I, as well as many other instructors that frequent this forum, have gotten into the passenger seat of vehicles that we know absolutely nothing about and assume that the owner/driver has been diligent in track prep before arriving at the track. We have seen old dirty brake fluid, corded tires, loose ball joints, marginal wheels, sluggish steering racks, cracked windshields, clogged radiators, inoperable seat belts, crap such as wrinkled floor mats jammed under throttle and brake pedals, pistol and garage door openers in console or loose in the back area (not to mention dubious means of camera anchoring)....

When someone asks us about track prep, we explain with little gray area. There is no gray area when one accelerates to 140 mph or even 160 mph such as on the back straight at VIR.

Racingswh

Good friend had a left rear fail. Looked at the rest carefully and there were hairline cracks.

The real problem for me is that you're on the track with the rest of us and a failure can be catastrophic to drivers other than yourself.

My friends logic was he was on street tires with less grip. Well he wanted to go quicker, switched to a sticky tire and they failed.

I saw a set 2 weeks ago. Black Spyders with new rubber. $500. Made in China. No way would I use them.

bigmackloud

No i appreciate the honest answers. I take my safety and that of others very seriously. I just like specific examples.

Bill Dearborn

I used repro wheels for years. First on my 97 with repro C4 ZR1 wheels that carried through my 03Z. Total of 9 years of running on those wheels with no issues. When I got my C6Z I purchased some 18x12 C6Z repros from Bob's House of Wheels. I ran those wheels for several years and then went to CCWs this year. I sold the repros to somebody else and haven't heard of any issues. They are heavy but they are a cost effective way to get track rubber on your car, the problem is finding the sizes you want since they cater mostly to waxers and a lot of the sizes that used to exist have been eliminated due to a lack of Customers.

Bill

Bad_AX

I just picked up a complete set of polished OEM Speedlines complete with TPS. Low miles and very nice condition for $600.00 here on the Forum. There are going to be my track wheels. Are the replicas cheeper that that?

93Rubie

^I have a set of 17" OEM sawblades and a set of 18" C5 Wagon wheels. Since they are OEM they are strong and LIGHT. Plus since they are used they are cheap. You can get used OEM wheels as cheap as a set of new reproductions. Since how it looks does not make it faster who cares if they are stock wheels or not. Cheap and safe. Not that OEM wheels cannot fail but I'd trust them over a repro any day.

93Rubie

I've only done a couple track days but a TON of auto-x. Never fails to amaze me how sloppy people are with car prep. Stuff just falling apart and all over the place. Stupid is only word that describes that. Shoot I get pissed if someone leaves crap in my street car to roll around inside of it.

One thing about motorsports I LOVE in general. Either you do it right or you go home. At least that is how it is supposed to be. Especially if you want to win!! NO half done stuff should be allowed. Leave that for the millions of idiots that surround us each and everyday.

bigmackloud

First, let me again reiterate that I take car prep and safety seriously. But let's separate the notion of poor car prep from this conversation. The whole point of this thread is to discuss the viability of a particular wheel, not an attempt to circumvent proper car prep or safety standards.

Second, I'm not suggesting that I'd pick replica wheels over a good condition set of OEM wheels. However, the luxury with replicas is that you just pick up the phone and order them when you need them vs waiting to find a decent set used on the forums. You also don't know how many heat cycles that used wheel has gone through, or how many times it's been bounced over the curbing at 100+mph.

But again, I appreciate the honest feedback and specific examples of personal experience. When something is true there are always plenty of examples to support it.

Scooter70

I put C6Z replicas on the car for street use and use the OE wheels for the track.

LA_Z06

Some people even claim to have had issues with OEM split spoke wheels, but most, if not all of those, seem to have been chromed or powder coated which makes the wheels weaker. Cheapest & safest seems to be original OEM wheels that haven't been messed with (chromed or powder coated).

rfn026

We need to think about this for a minute.

I'm going to put race tires on cheap wheels. Then I'm going to subject them to stress levels that GM never even imagined back in the day. More stress on a set of cheap wheels than I will ever put on a high quality OEM wheel. Yep, that makes a lot of sense.

btw - Powder coating can seriously weaken a wheel. Of course if you have a really smart powder coater who understands metallurgy it might work. It's about the heat levels and the molecular structure of the metal. It's best to just not do it. At least it's a lot safer to not powder coat your track wheels.

Richard Newton
Car Tech Stuff

Bad_AX

Can you offer an explanation of how/why powder coating weakens aluminum wheels. What about heat cured ceramic coating such as Cerakote which requires a two hour cure time at 250 degrees F.

SouthernSon

I am not sure where one would find an unbiased answer to this question. Powder coaters are certainly not going to jump in and say it is bad. By the same token, wheel manufacturers that sell wheels in different colors are not going to say it is okay since they would rather sell you theirs. I am sure there is unfounded information circulating the web on both sides of the issue. There is a low temp powder coating that one can use if desired. Some powder coaters claim it is not as smooth a finish, though. But then, some don't want to fool with stocking the two different coatings.


I did find this from HRE:

You have to ensure the time/temp cycle is kept low and short enough otherwise you will affect the heat-treatment of the forgings. You can powdercoat, if you're careful. We do it everyday. We switched all of our standard colors to powdercoat once they developed metallic powdercoats and got the cure temps down to an acceptable level, so these days it is possible if done properly. We find powdercoat to be more robust, but you get more color options with paint so we still have to use paint for color matched wheels unless we've had a custom color developed in volume (Arctic Silver for example).





__________________
Alan Peltier
HRE Performance Wheels

Chets LS3

I'm in this same boat. Base c7.

Don't want to run stock tires (seen a set corded in one track day)

My dilemma is oem 18/19 with a skinny 8.5 front wheel. Replica 18/19 with a 9.5 front wheel (I have slicks that would fit either set) or possibly tsw 18/19 set. Three different style wheels and SOMEONE will say negative about each option. I personally have never seen a set of replicas crack or fail. I've seen crappy chrome/paint etc on them.

SouthernSon

If one goes to the track often enough a failed wheel can be found. Here is a very good article about wheels. I agree with trying to stay off of rumble strips or anything else that transmits shock to the wheels/lug bolts/bearings.

https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech...jsp?techid=110