what defines a set of wheels as "real"?

[crxmarc]

Hello Stance Works!

so being a newb in the terms of the stance world but around the car scene since i could walk, i have noticed something.....

There is a ton of **** for "fake" wheels. First off i am by no means justifying knock offs because as many members on here i appreciate the real thing and QUALITY, but beyond that i'm curious what people define as being "real"?

BBS is a quality manufacture but were they the first to invent the basket weave or mesh? if not doesn't that make them a knock off or a fake? (just a little devils advocate, please don't **** me for it i LOVE bbs)
or how about dayton spokes (aren't they just a knock off of old school wire wheels found on lots of British cars)

I love the way people are rescuing old wheels and refurbishing them ( what better then era correct wheels to fit the vintage of your ride!) but it's so depressing to find a coveted vintage wheel that just recently got knocked off by XXR or someone like that and new costs half what my 'real' ones did (used).

Further more, do we as a general populous consider OEM or factory wheels to be "real"? i love seeing all the cross platform wheel swapping that goes on. Audi wheels on a Mercedes , corvette wheels on a VW, ford wheels on a honda ( my personal contribution lol). Because there OEM does that make them "real"? they cost as much as a good set of wheels if you buy them from the stealership.

Maybe imitation is the most sincere form of flattery? haha

so i open the discussion to hear your views on this!


ooh and ................

Keep calm and carry on!

[MrDanguy]

Usually it's the quality of the wheel... Rota's, XXR, SportmaXX, what have you, have a bad rep because the quality of the wheel is pretty much crap. I've seen plenty of pictures / videos of Rota's exploding (Not literally) while under a heavy load (one you would see while autox, rally, drifting).
To me it seems like the community here has opened up a little on reps. I don't have several grand to drop on a set of Volk wheels, but I can drop a considerably less amount on a set of Rota's.
The thing that gets me, is when you see a very nice EVO or STI, but they're running on Rota's.... that just doesn't make sense to me.
OEM wheels are fair game. There's a reason people are running the OEM wheels that they are. Obviously a set of Porche twists will be considered "real".

Just my .02. I'm no expert.

[crxmarc]

i hear ya!
i've seen more then a fair share of potholes destroy cheap wheels, always a sad day!

as for the money thing i definitely hear you on that one! I got a great deal on some Volk cv-pro's that needed some re-furbing but beyond that i've really only had cheaper wheels or old 80s wheels (but the oldies have always been goldies!)

i find this is one of the few places on the web that people dont get flacked for running oem as long as they have nice fitment. IMO oem is better built then most of the cheap wheels

but my 2cents which is probably worth less haha

[Francois Dillinger]

Usually it's the quality of the wheel... Rota's, XXR, SportmaXX, what have you, have a bad rep because the quality of the wheel is pretty much crap. I've seen plenty of pictures / videos of Rota's exploding (Not literally) while under a heavy load (one you would see while autox, rally, drifting).
To me it seems like the community here has opened up a little on reps. I don't have several grand to drop on a set of Volk wheels, but I can drop a considerably less amount on a set of Rota's.
The thing that gets me, is when you see a very nice EVO or STI, but they're running on Rota's.... that just doesn't make sense to me.
OEM wheels are fair game. There's a reason people are running the OEM wheels that they are. Obviously a set of Porche twists will be considered "real".

Just my .02. I'm no expert.

wtf? although replica's are generally shitty quality, that is not what makes them fake.

fake wheels are either a copy of someone else's design, or are made to look like 2/3 piece wheels (i.e. the term fake splits)

examples include
rota, varstoen however the fuck you spell it, drag, xxr, stance, esm, rotiform, etc.

[crxmarc]

like rota slipstreams being a knock off of ragamasters
or all the te37 copies out there haha

my personal favorite is when people by the decal kits off fleabay and try and pass the wheels off as being legit haha. if your gonna spend what you can afford own it with pride!

[Itsahyundai]

wtf? although replica's are generally shitty quality, that is not what makes them fake.

fake wheels are either a copy of someone else's design, or are made to look like 2/3 piece wheels (i.e. the term fake splits)

examples include
rota, varstoen however the fuck you spell it, drag, xxr, stance, esm, rotiform, etc.

I thought the general consensus of rotiforms was positive?

[POMAH]

Buy something rare to your car model, something unique



At the end of the day, as long as it is what you truly want, who cares if it's real.

I always wanted th-lines. To me there is no other wheel I'd rather have. There are wheels I'd like to try and maybe have. But only 1 wheel I'd like to OWN.

[Byron]

A real wheel is a design that was made and perfected by the original manufacturer. For example, BBS draws up a wheel, transfers it to a computer for stress testing, makes prototypes and breaks them to confirm the best way of manufacture and that they can withstand much more abuse then they will be subject to, them starts selling the wheel.

Then ESM/Sportmaxx/Rota/Axis/etc. see that wheel, send a picture to China and have them copy the look and start selling them in bulk.

That's what makes a wheel real or fake, and is why you should only support the companies that actually design the wheel.

[crxmarc]

Buy something rare to your car model, something unique


At the end of the day, as long as it is what you truly want, who cares if it's real.

I always wanted th-lines. To me there is no other wheel I'd rather have. There are wheels I'd like to try and maybe have. But only 1 wheel I'd like to OWN.

Interesting and valid point! i've personally always always wanted a set of sakuras but my heart broke when i saw they (axis) finally knocked it off. still waiting for the day i have an application and funds for that wheel.

A real wheel is a design that was made and perfected by the original manufacturer. For example, BBS draws up a wheel, transfers it to a computer for stress testing, makes prototypes and breaks them to confirm the best way of manufacture and that they can withstand much more abuse then they will be subject to, them starts selling the wheel.

Then ESM/Sportmaxx/Rota/Axis/etc. see that wheel, send a picture to China and have them copy the look and start selling them in bulk.

That's what makes a wheel real or fake, and is why you should only support the companies that actually design the wheel.

I wonder if they reduce the load rating when they sell the knock offs to meet DOT (or equivalent ) standards. Ive never had a set of knockoffs to compare to the originals but i would guess the load rating is no where near the same.

coming from a metallurgical (and failure analysis) background i come across examples of the craftsmanship between different casting made in say german or japan compared to there chinese counterparts. Not to mention the lack of tolerance control, but im not bashing chinese manufactures because the old adage of "you get what you pay for" applies and if given the money they will make a good product.

[POMAH]

Define "real".

A wheel is a wheel. If you are asking "fakes" or "knock offs" vs original design, see what I said above.

I really **** seeing these arguments. As long as the owner is happy, more power to them. A lot of people can't justify spending $4-5k on a set of wheels for various reasons. To them, they'd rather have 2-4 sets and alternate between them. Or have one nice set.

I personally love seeing how different wheels that are OEM end up being used on other car manufacturers. Some of them are very surprising.

I'm just saying that, no matter what, you are going to get people who love your setup, and **** your setup. Don't get preoccupied with how your car is going to be perceived by others. Just get whatever makes you happy. No one is going to be using them but you. No one is going to be paying for them but you.

And if something doesn't work out at first, don't give up. See what it will take to make it work.

A lot of cars you are seeing on here are one of a kind. The cars being featured are one of a kind. People that g out on the limb, experiment, and share their results.

[JinxyBoi]

There is a really nice opinion piece on CPR about Rotas and cheap wheels, but being Filipino, I'd guess they're kind of biased and obliged to support rotas (in the same sense that Mike Arcenal has to get defensive and distance himself from them).

Personally, I really only feel strongly about fake splits. That shit's lame as fuck. That's like unvented hood scoops, interfoolers, dummy exhausts and other wannabe parts.

lmao "real" wheels but fake splits

[320icar]

i have no problem with replica wheels. side stepping the fact that they are profiting off of other companies labour and hard work.

BUT

if you rock xxr's. and you know they are xxr's. and for gods sake WE sure do know they are xxr's. just play it off cool. dont go "zomg i own a civic and rock xxr's urrboody should be on my dick"

i had a set of ESM's i got for a great price. drove them for a few months, sold them at the same great price. then i picked up my bbs RM's which im probably near 3k into. i love refurbing old wheels. but i also have a set of xxr's to hold my slicks. who cares if they break, they are like 80 bucks each.

[MIGS]

Good thread. Legit questionns.

i however, am way too drunk to too and lazy to repsond.


carry on mah bRos.....

[mad-ass]

I don't have problems with people running fake wheels, but what I do have problem with is people getting excited to buy fake wheels and posting the shit out of their cars with fake wheels and getting a feature spot on blog/major sites/magazines.

fake wheels to me are any and all replica wheels that obviously has not gone through the same testing process as the original manufactures. there is a big difference in between JWL nd JWL-R

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNbHWHVax7c"]Rays JWL-R[/ame]

[MommysLittleMonster]

like rota slipstreams being a knock off of ragamasters
or all the te37 copies out there haha

my personal favorite is when people by the decal kits off fleabay and try and pass the wheels off as being legit haha. if your gonna spend what you can afford own it with pride!

Shit makes me rage.