Came across a website that shows where a replica wheel design came from. Thought it was cool.

http://www.FakeWheels.com

 

Looks like they're just starting up, but I like the idea. People who buy $99 eBay wheels (not that there's anything wrong with that...) can see where the original designs came from.

 

nice, that's pretty clever.

 

You get what you pay for.

If you buy budget wheels.

Expect a finish that might damage or scratch easily.
And less than light weight.
And less than strong construction.

Visibly it might look similar.

And before you rush out to buy those nice new Volk TE-37 G2 wheels they run about $1240 each pre-sale, and due out pretty soon but prices are going up March 1 as much as about 10%.

 

Remember the rule for wheels:

1) Light weight
2) Strong
3) Inexpensive

You only get to have two of the three..

 

haha, a moderator from the 350z/acura/nsx forums made this...

 

Just say no to fake wheels

Good site....there are a whole bunch of cheap replicas out there

 

Yes, two out of three pretty good and at BEST the third can be "moderate".

Doesn't have to be totally lacking in the third aspect.

Also at the extreme limits the rules are softer.

Extremely light wheels are probably going to be less strong/durable by the nature of light wheel design. Maybe limited to track use and not for rugged street use.

Extremely strong wheels can be very heavy and may be expensive.

Extremely expensive wheels can be more for looks or for the appearance of the finish and exclusivity (custom sizes).

Rota wheels are sort of like knock offs but better than other replica wheel brands.

 

I'm not sure about that. All rota wheels are direct knock-off's of other wheels and they're just as weak and poorly finished as many of the other replica wheel companies.

For the price, they're a great wheel but their strength and finish are mediocre.

 

Oh well. That's a reality check.

What's a better replica wheel company?

 

Not all Konigs are replicas, but the replicas they make are generally a level higher than the Rotas in quality and finish (IMO atleast) (konig replica wheels like the Konig Remember, Rewind, B Bomb, Helium, C Sharp, etc).

Axis makes a few old-school JDM replicas and Axis quality is good. They don't come with the usual replica price, though. IMO their replicas are a bit more tolerable because they're making replicas of wheels that are next to impossible to find these days due to low manufacturing numbers and being discontinued many years ago (i.e. SSR Reverse Mesh replicas).

 

Do you happen to know offhand which wheel the Konig Helium is a replica of? I have a set of Heliums that I use for autocross wheels, and I'm curious as to what wheel inspired them.

 

They're replicas of the 4 lug (8 spoke) Volk CE28N wheels ( the 5 lug versions of the CE28n have 10 spokes to match the 10 lug holes so they look slightly different).

You'll see they even copied the 'Racing' embossed on the inner lip

Both wheels are pretty light. The Volk's weight in at around 8.6 pounds at 15 x7 and 11.8 pounds at 16x8. The konigs are a tiny bit heavier at 11.5 pounds for the 15x6.5 and 15.5 pounds for the 16x7.

Volk ce28n 8-spoke version:



Konig Helium

 

Thanks! I had no idea the Heliums were Volk knockoffs. I'd feel bad that I'm "posing", except they're literally only on the car for autocross events.

And just a hunch, but I'm assuming the Volk CE28N probably costs a wee bit more than $105 each for the 15" version, right?

 

hahahah yah, they cost like $502 for the 15" version. That's only like a $140 per pound difference in weight for each wheel. Probably not worth it unless you're competing in the world championship autocross

IMO replica wheels are perfect for autocross-specific wheels. They're a nice and cheap as a second wheel set. They look sporty. They come in the sizes needed for SCCA classes. Their low weight is perfect for autocross performance. Their strength probably doesn't come into play since there is a lower chance of "off track excursions" and they don't have to stand up to daily pothole abuse like daily wheels.

And who cares if you're running "fake wheels" if you're tearing up the autocross course .

 

Yep - I'd be better off losing the weight from my gut before worrying about spending that much to lose 12 pounds off of the car, even if it is rotating mass.