[Mark]

Originally Posted by voltron1011

Since you are the Rim/Tire daddy, I have a question about some rims on Tirerack. I saw two really nice looking rims there that are actually very inexpensive. The Mille Miglia Spider II and Sport Edition Tekno. Since these rims both use the same 'gravity cast' method, do you think I need to worry about bending these rims? I know that rims like BBS use forging and pressure casting methods, however these rims usually have relatively tiny spokes. I am not real concerned about weight as much as I am about longevity and quality. I really just want some nice looking rims that won't be taken on a track. Thanks in advance.

Hey its a really difficult question to answer because alot depends on your road conditions. I'll try to help as best as I can.

If where you drive, the roads are very smooth with little potholes, even a very weak wheel can last a long time. As for the specific wheel you are asking for, gravity casting is one of the oldest ways an alloy wheel is manufacturerd and the worst/weakest. But usually these wheels will be alot less expensive

Alot of your decision on a wheel should be based on the manufacturer label because the specific mehtod of wheel construction can widely varry even if they use the construction method. For example, a gravity cast wheel from one company can be alot stronger then a gravity cast wheel from another company.

BBS cast wheels are amazingly strong and i've never had a problem with them. For the longest time BBS had the benchmark record for the strongest wheel ever and they consistently maintain their standards.

Also a factor is the size of the wheel you get, at 18" or above i'd really be concerned with the strength of the wheel over the style, especially if you are considering 19".

As for the BBS having tiny spokes, they have many many tiny spokes which basicly acts to spread the force of an impact around to the greatest amount of area, this is a reason why BBS is so strong, along with the fact that they fill the metal more densely.

Also as a footnote, any wheel with a lip to it will bend alot easier because, well, the force of the impact doesnt get transmitted to the spokes, but stays right there on the lip. So be very careful with wheels that are advertised as "forged" but really only have forged center pieces and still have cast lips. Always ask about the lip construction in a 2 piece wheel.

But back to your question:

So to sum it up, consider:

1) road conditions
2) what size you want


if you answer 1) bad or 2) 19" I would highly consider the BBS wheels over the two you listed there

if you answer 1) good and 2) 18" or less, then you are probably going to be perfectly ok with the wheels you listed

if you answer 1) excellent and 2) 19" then you can also be fine with the wheels you listed, just be a little careful when you drive

and finally if you dont drive agressively, drive relatively slow, and always are careful of road imperfections, then you will be just fine with those wheels you listed no matter what size you want or the road imperfections.

hope this helps you my man, with more specifics on what your getting i can try to help you out the best i can with my opinions..