VDubJCabe

I recently purchased a set of XXR 550s for winter use only. I daily my Evo year round. Summer in Yellowknife is literally only June, July, August. A friend of mine basically told me I'm an idiot for buying them because according to him they are **** wheels. MY argument was that they are better than Ambit or Rotas. I understand there are better quailty wheels but for the look and price.. not bad if you ask me. Other than the look/price my intentions are to have these for winter, buy a set of Enkei rs05rr this winter for summer wheels, and just store my BBS until I or if I sell the Evo.

I understand that there are the diehard 'I only buy real wheels' guys. There are people who don't really know much about wheels and get whatever is cheap and looks good. I'm sort of in the middle. I can justify good money on good wheels for one set.

I will not track these wheels. There is no spirited driving roads up here. The highest posted speed limit is 70km. For what I need them for I am quite happy.

I know some guys have had bad experiences when it comes to tracking these wheels. I'd like to hear everyones opinion when it comes to all sorts of driving on these wheels. Track days, DD, winter driving..

TxFAkuma

iTrader: (17)

Dude, their a tons of threads on these wheels.. and let me just say this...

75% of evo owners own XXR wheels. I have had them on my Evo 8 since 2004 and have ZERO problems. I have them on my Evo X and i have ZERO ISSSUES. many, many, MANY, people have tracked with these wheels on and ALL that have posted DOES NOT have a horror story.. they have had great results. Wheels are wheels, they are not cheap stupid wheels.. they are actually very affordable quality wheels. I recommended a set for a friend back in 2005 he tracks his car and daily drives it and he has had zero issues with cracking or whatever other people think.

Good luck. Do a search. Look in the show and shine section for the XXR section, type in google "XXR wheel quality" you will find something.

VDubJCabe

I have already looked through the XXR wheel thread and all the 'I bought a common size wheel. Will it rub, not lowered' posts. I'm just asking a general question. The wheels are bought. I'm happy with them. I know they are a bottom end name brand wheel and I know alot of guys run them with positive experiences.

evostanman

To be honest, XXR wheels are not bad. You're right, there are guys out there that will tell you that these wheels suck and will do and say anything to put you and the brand down. screw them!


I was in a similar situation a while back... I did my research on the 527s, 530s and when the 550s were released I knew I had to get them. I always loved the RSO5RR style and to me the 550s were closest to it. The only thing that stopped me from getting the 550s was the wheel size. I wanted a 18x10.5 +15 wheel. XXR doesn't offer that, yet. So I decided to save up my quarters until I had enough to buy the RSO5RR


Bottom line is that XXR offers pretty good wheels for DD and doesn't cost an arm or a leg.

WarmMilk

iTrader: (1)

@OP
for street use they're fine, I really doubt you'll have any issues. idk about arbit, but xxr's are prolly on par with rota's. I just wouldn't use them if you track your car



thats gotta be the biggest line of horse crap ever...

Crosxs

XXRs are run by a large number of modded car drivers.

People look down on cheap things. Same way people may look down on parts from DEPO or look at a non-forged wheel or wheel that is generally cast and call it "trash". XXRs work just fine for daily duties same way ROTAs.

Regardless of what wheel, if you slam a pot hole, smack a curb, or are in a high damage accident your wheel will take some damage. Just how it goes.

Personally I feel more comfortable running Enkeis but here in FL I've seen Evos making more power than me run XXRs and have no issues. Not the lightest things in the world, but you're not doing your car some crazy injustice.

.M.

It's not like your car is going to magically explode if you use them. Whatever. Your car. If you like it, rock it.

I just threw a set of drags on my dd (mirage). Hasn't fallen apart yet...

WarmMilk

iTrader: (1)

its not "cast" wheels that I look down on, its wheels that designed to be forged and but then some knock off company makes them cast... that makes its a lot weaker. if its properly designed to be a cast wheel from the beginning then its perfectly fine. most rota wheels are knock off's based on forged wheels, but they're cast... so much weaker. XXR wheels are original designs, but based on how a lot of them look, spoke thickness, shape, etc, alot of them look more like wheels that should be made with a better process than gravity cast... thats why there's a decent amount of broken ones around

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

In Japan, wheel manufacturers have to pass JWL testing standards. These tests are no joke, you can google them if you are curious.

A lot of the hate over "knock off wheels" is not only do they copy designs, but many of them come out of China with who knows what kind of safety standards/quality control.

Crosxs

I'm not an engineer of any kind, but I can't honestly see how a wheel designed to be forged couldn't also work in a cast form. I've seen Evos that have run ROTAs for years and had 0 issues, same goes for XXRs and various other "knock off" brands.


The copying designs thing is a given and pretty much inarguable. I think a daily driver is fine on Rotas or Varrstoens or w/e. I'm not a fan of the added weight personally, but perhaps it's a bit excessive to use a forged wheel for daily driving when a cast wheel at 1/3rd of the cost from a "knock off" will perform just as adequately for the tasks at hand, ie going to work, grocery store, partner's place, etc.

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

Would you use knock off tires? How about knock off airbags? A crash caused by a wheel failure could end up killing you just as easily. Hit potholes at your own risk I guess.

Crosxs

If the knock off performed 99% of the function of the original at a 1/3rd of the cost, then I likely would.

How many accidents are caused by wheel failures and in what percentage of those accidents is because of a knock off wheel? I think it's a hard thing to determine. I'll agree with you all day and night that Rotas will never be as high in quality or strength as RAYS and the like.

If a wheel performs all functions adequately and in an expected manner, I don't see a reason not to use it. I've had Enkeis, Rotas, and Sparco wheels. All performed daily driving duties adequately despite abuse. I just haven't seen a usage case in which I thought "Welp, if the wheel had been forged/this manufacturer/made this way that wouldn't have happened." The failure of wheels I have seen is primarily a result of hard user abuse that would leave most wheels unfit for use, forged or not.

WarmMilk

iTrader: (1)

you don't need to be an engineer, the very simple explanation is think of it like the grain structure in wood. lets say you have a 2x4 thats 10 feet long, the length is always parallel to the grain structure. if you had a 10 foot long 2x4 with the grain structure perpendicular to the length, it'd be very easy to break. this is a very extreme example, the difference between cast and forged is a lot smaller, but its this basic principle.

when something is forged it creates a grain structure in the material. when you properly design and manufacture a forged part you can take advantage of the grain structure for improved strength, you can remove material making it lighter. but with a cast wheel, you just melt metal and pour it into a form, there's still a grain structure to a degree, but you have no idea what its doing. also cast materials aren't as dense, so they lose a some strength that way too. for a cast part to be as strong as a forged part it needs to be bulkier and heavier. this is why a wheel designed as a forged wheel shouldn't be cast. I have nothing against cast wheels that are designed cast from the start. they're heavier, but at least they're strong. most OEM's use cast wheels, but they're designed as cast.

the other thing to keep in mind is a forged part will bend before it breaks, a cast part will just break.

but like I said before, if you're buying these for street use, maybe a track day or 2 over the life of the wheels, you're prolly fine.


edit:
if you're interested, this article about volks has a bit of an explanation about difference manufacturing processes and FEA and stuff
http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticl...YS-Wheels.aspx

Crosxs

That makes sense. I just wonder if change in material compromises the design in such a way that it makes the forged-designed cast-created wheel that inviable.

Though you're right. If it's just for DD duties I imagine the wheel is fine.

Crosxs

I'm by no means saying the Rota is better, but if it adequately performs daily duties and doesn't present an immediate safety hazard, which I don't believe they do, then I see no reason not to use the wheel.

It's not ideal, but it isn't like trying to use rubber bands to hold a ski lift together.