Lightweight rims for Z4

[reRESERVEDMD]

Hi,

I need some advice on what to get rims wise. I want light, 18", staggered and up to a grand. I was thinking V710 in matte black but that doesn't seem light at all.

The car is Sparkling Graphite and I'm wondering if gunmetal would work nice or maybe I should just go with matte black? I do kinda wanna murder it out.

[nmulax]

Stuff from VMR, AluFelgen, and Linea Corse are all in that price range... but non are really "lightweight". I'd say look at Enkei or OZ, or like shift@red said, Forgestar.

As for color, I think gunmetal is a little too close to Sparkling Graphite and gets lost.

[The__J__Factor]

There are also the ARC-8 rims which are light weight track orientated for around 1000

[03BeastCharmer]

D-Force LTW5 or even the D-Force LTW EmPower. Very strong, very light race wheels.

[inTgr8r]

$1000 budget makes it tough.
Used may be your best option.

[reRESERVEDMD]

I figured. I don't want to spend more on the Z. If it was my ZM, then yeah. I really like the forgestars though and they're pretty light! I will look up the D-Force right now.

Thanks a lot for all the help guys!

PS. Aren't the V710's still lighter than stock 107's? I mean they're not what you call lightweight, but I think lead wheels are lighter than stock ones :P

[Incompatible]

Originally Posted by 03BeastCharmer

D-Force LTW5 or even the D-Force LTW EmPower. Very strong, very light race wheels.

X2. I've had the EmPowers for almost two years now and have been happy with them. Good compromise between light weight and expense.

[CalRick]

Originally Posted by Incompatible

X2. I've had the EmPowers for almost two years now and have been happy with them. Good compromise between light weight and expense.

And, I see that UUC has 15% off BMW parts this weekend, so while they are above your desired price point, they're closer! The work well on the Z4 (they look great on Incompatible's coupe,) but the offsets don't work well for the M so I went with the Forgestars which are in the same pricerange. Keep an eye open to **********s, as they sometimes have specials on the Forgestars that bring them close to your budget.

It's tough to find anything reasonably light for under $1k a set, but there are lots of choices of sub-20lb wheels in the $1000-1500 range.

[03BeastCharmer]

Originally Posted by CalRick

And, I see that UUC has 15% off BMW parts this weekend, so while they are above your desired price point, they're closer! The work well on the Z4 (they look great on Incompatible's coupe,) but the offsets don't work well for the M so I went with the Forgestars which are in the same pricerange. Keep an eye open to **********s, as they sometimes have specials on the Forgestars that bring them close to your budget.

He's looking for wheels for his '05 Z4, not his ///M, so he doesn't have as big an offset issue.

Since they are for the Z4, you might also consider the LTW5's in 17x8.5
http://www.vorshlag.com/index.php?cPath=1_8_42
Can't beat UUC's 15% off this weekend

[3002 tii]

You can find used OZs on bf.c for that price range.... I had vmr, way too heavy, noticeable drop in acceleration

[reRESERVEDMD]

I decided to fork out that 300 or so bucks more and get Forgestars or the ARC-8's in black. Which ones are essentially better rims or is it hard to say? I think forgestars look more 'Audi-prone' (RS4 look) but I'm still undecided about which ones I like the most.

And also, newbie question but what offset does ZSP 05 Z4 take front and rear?

Thanks a lot!

[mhrir]

Originally Posted by The__J__Factor

There are also the ARC-8 rims which are light weight track orientated for around 1000

x2 on the Arc-8. That is what I am going to buy for track wheels. There is a group buy on the M3 forum I believe. Save about $200.

[pokeybritches]

There was some talk that Forgestars don't meet BMW's load ratings, and basically sacrifice strength for light weight. I'll see if I can dig it up. I love the way the Forgestars look though, and I haven't read anything about them actually failing.

[CalRick]

Originally Posted by pokeybritches

There was some talk that Forgestars don't meet BMW's load ratings, and basically sacrifice strength for light weight. I'll see if I can dig it up. I love the way the Forgestars look though, and I haven't read anything about them actually failing.

I think that this will be the case for any of the lightweight wheels in this price class. Both the Forgestars and ARCs are new products without much of a track record yet, so take your pick (I picked the Forgestars this time around.) For the price of a set of RGRs we can buy several spares of either and still be ahead.

[reRESERVEDMD]

I was gonna go with the LTW5's but just called UUC and they said that discounts is only on their brand items, not the wheels.

It's probably gonna be Forgestar or the ARC-8 then.

[reRESERVEDMD]

Would there be a problem putting my stock 225/40 and 255/35 rubber on 9 inch fronts and 10 inch rears?

[ModBargains.com]

The Forgestar F14 utilizes a combination of the best methods of forging and casting methods both in the same wheel. This is called Flow Form Casting, and is used by companies such as BBS and Enkei. These wheels are made to order and can be made to fit your BMW with a large range of offsets.

Flow Form Casting is a production procedure that turns the wheel (or rim section) over a special mandrel and three hydraulic rollers using tremendous pressure. The pressure and turning then force the rim area to form against the mandrel, creating the shape and width of the rim. During Flow Forming, the rim actually "flows" down to create the full rim width. During Flow Forming, pressure applied to the cast rim actually changes its mechanical properties, so its strength and impact values become similar to those of a forged rim. That translates to up to 15% less weight when compared to a standard cast wheel.

Forgestar wheels can be made in virtually any offset, whereas standard cast wheels come in a set offset. This allows you to dial in exactly how you want your wheels to sit (we can help you select the offset you need for the look your looking for). Having custom offsets allows for fitment of wider wheels in stock suspension and lowered vehicles. Forgestar wheels are designed specifically for your car and it's suspension setup, where cast wheels are designed for everyone and typically do not take in to account lowered suspension setups.

Forgestar wheels are also much lighter than cast wheels. The 18x8.5 F14 wheel weighs an amazingly light 17.6 lbs, where a cast wheel of this same size would weigh anywhere from 23-27 lbs. This saving of roughly 6-10 pounds per wheel makes a BIG difference in regards to handling and drivability. Reducing unsprung weight (weight that is not supported by the car's suspension, i.e wheels, tires, brake rotors, and brake calipers) is one of the easiest ways to improve your car's handling, braking, and acceleration. As a general estimate 1 pound of unsprung weight is equal to 10 pounds of static weight. (weight that is supported by the vehicle's suspension). By using this ratio if you were to replace your stock wheels that weighed 25 lbs with Forgestar wheels you would be saving 320 lbs. in static weight!

Check out some pictures of the Forgestar F14 on a Z4M

[Incompatible]

Originally Posted by reRESERVEDMD

Would there be a problem putting my stock 225/40 and 255/35 rubber on 9 inch fronts and 10 inch rears?

I have the stock tire sizes on 8.5 and 9.5 wheels with clearance to spare. Something you might what to consider is the amount of tire stretch on the wheel (cosmetics). The 225/40 on the 8.5 look good and should be fine with 9.0. The 255/35 on the 9.5 look ok but are coming close to the "too little tire/to much wheel" look width wise IMO.