AlwaysInBoost

http://blog.cardomain.com/blog/2008/...mp_id=EMC-News

I wonder why its available to the public before any big race teams have the technology.

they're looking for cars to make them for and it seems like they want to use a vette.

AU N EGL

are carbon fiber wheels even legal for racing?

PA Z06

Pretty cool, did you order a set yet Marc

linutux

They are targeting both street and track use.

Take their survey here:
http://www.cfwheelsurvey.com/cfsurvey.htm

AlwaysInBoost

i'd love to see them make these in c5/c6 sizes but I'm not going to be the one to try them out.

LS3FORME

Dynamag makes carbon wheels, I looked at the product about 2 years ago, they are getting more popular in hispeed bikes. I was under the impression the weight is a factor of a car using carbon fiber wheels.

TedDBere

Not legal in SCCA Solo, FWIW.

mousecatcher

Dymag, not Dynamag, and their wheels are mag/carbon (mag center, carbon rim). i guess that's the "mag" part of their name ...

63Corvette

Two Brother's Racing offered them around ten years ago for race bikes. However,l I seem to remember that there were some reliability problems then. Perhaps they are now available and reliable? Whatever, they will be expensive, and remember the $20,000 a gallon paint for the ZR1 hood and top, to keep the sun from damaging them??? My guess is that Carbon fiber will never be acceptable for street usage. Maybe race tho.

burners

Wow, really groovy looking. I like them a lot.

I think mounting the tire would take special care (says the Discount Tire guy as he holds the remains of your wheel in a dust pan).

Sidney004

Formula one wheels must be metallic.

http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/ru.../6864/fia.html

hemipanter

The issue I heard about was the tremendous braking heat generated by many racing cars. Also, some impact in combination with air seal.
But since then, som time has been passing.
Goran

ghoffman

The brake heat is an issue with these for sure. Motorcycle wheels do not see the same level of brake heat that car wheels do since the rotors on a bike are outside of the wheel. If they are using any epoxy resin, then the upper limit is about 350F or lower. There are some resin systems that will go to 650F like PMR-15 but they are toxic and expensive to work with.

Kanmer

One of the Vettes out at Spring mountain has CF wheels. I was told that they are using it as a test mule. I thought the design of the wheel was asthetically challenged but the concept was right on the money. If anyone is truly interested in purchasing CF wheels you might consider calling out to Spring Mountain and see how it worked for them. I can't think of a vette anywhere in the world that is more abused than theirs. I also know that they will give you honest feedback.

davidfarmer

it's all about weight, just like ceramic rotors. They aren't necessarily strong, or last longer, they just weigh a fraction as much.

The faster something spins, the lighter you want it, this is why I have a 5.5" clutch and aluminum damper on my NASA car. Even in 6th gear, the engine spins more than twice the speed of the wheels.

63Corvette

Yep, there has recently been a flap in F1 about the "tinfoil" wheels used in F1 being too flimsey. The thread I read talked about the wheels basically being "throwaway" with the used tire after only one mounting. Seems some of the wheels were failing while in use over particularly hard curb usage by some of the more aggressive drivers. Currently there are very few rules affecting F1 wheels and their design and construction are basically "free" except for material (metallic).

Dave OH32

They're not? Where in the rulebook does it say that?

z28cp

As with all things in the SCCA Solo rules, If it doesn't say you can, you can't. Therefore, unless it specifically says you can use CF wheels, you cannot.

Not saying I agree or disagree with their rules, have just been used to dealing with them for 20-some years...

DaveZ.

Dave OH32

Yeah, I understand the IIDSYCYC rule, but this is what is says for wheels in stock class:

"13.4 WHEELS
Any type wheel may be used provided it complies with the following:
it is the same width and diameter as standard, and as installed
(including wheel spacers if applicable) it does not have an offset
more than +/- 0.25 inch from a standard wheel for the car. The
resultant change in track dimensions is allowed...."

Seems to me that they're legal under that rule.


It's a moot point really, as I HOPE nobody in a Stock class will pay $8,000+ for wheels

BrianCunningham

Heat is the definite issue.

I looked into making a set of front runners for drag racing, still might when I get the time.

There's some newer stronger alloys of AL coming out. be nice to see what they can do with it

Here's a motorcycle wheel, notice the hub.