Cast or Forged?

[F033x]

I really need to know which I should go with cast or forged wheels?

Arizona is no dream ride due to the potholes and numerous construction areas,
So I'll need something that will hold up!

[qbmurderer13]

Why do people hate Rota?

[F033x]

trust me i've browsed there and through the strangely few number of pages in the shoes section.
i'd like to run a poll to decide the fate of my wheels, though thanks for the link

[denice25]

i think you should go for the cast...

[NIGHTHAWKSI]

for daily driving a cast wheel will be just fine...even if roads are bad.

90% of the wheels on cars are cast and they do just fine.
besides, if a cast wheel brakes, you can usually buy a spair and still have spent less than if you bought a set of forged wheels.

[Interstate526]

most quality casts should hold up. but if you're not worried about the cost, then forged all the way.

[kenchan]

cast is fine. especially on a Fit and especially on a dd, who cares. just get a nice looking set of wheels you like.

[F033x]

posts say one thing.
poll says another.
how troubling!

[Sugarphreak]

Forged is for ballers, most forged wheels will cost you a small fortune. Do you really want to spend that much on wheels you are antisipating will get banged up by potholes? For the price of one set of forged wheels you could get 3 or maybe even 4 sets of cast ones.

Something to consider [

There are wheels that use a pressure casting system which is stronger than gravity cast. It is a good middle ground, the price is usually not too much more.

For your reading pleasure:

GRAVITY CASTING

Gravity casting is the most basic process of pouring molten aluminum into a mold utilizing the earth's gravity to fill the mold. Gravity casting offers a very reasonable production cost and is a good method for casting designs that are more visually oriented or when reducing weight is not a primary concern. Since the process relies on gravity to fill the mold, the aluminum is not as densely packed in the mold as some other casting processes. Often gravity cast wheels will have a higher weight to achieve the required strength.

LOW PRESSURE CASTING

Low pressure casting uses positive pressure to move the molten aluminum into the mold quicker and achieve a finished product that has improved mechanical properties (more dense) over a gravity cast wheel. Low-pressure casting has a slightly higher production cost over gravity casting. Low pressure is the most common process approved for aluminum wheels sold to the O.E.M. market. Low-pressure cast wheels offer a good value for the aftermarket as well. Some companies offer wheels that are produced under a higher pressure in special casting equipment to create a wheel that is lighter and stronger than a wheel produced in low pressure. Once again in the quest for lighter weight, there is a higher cost associated with the process.

SPUN-RIM, FLOW-FORMING OR RIM ROLLING TECHNOLOGY

This specialized process begins with a low pressure type of casting and uses a special machine that spins the initial casting, heats the outer portion of the casting and then uses steel rollers pressed against the rim area to pull the rim to its final width and shape. The combination of the heat, pressure and spinning create a rim area with the strength similar to a forged wheel without the high cost of the forging. Some of the special wheels produced for the O.E.M. high performance or limited production vehicles utilize this type of technology resulting in a light and strong wheel at a reasonable cost. BBS has used this technology for several years in their production of racing wheels for Formula One and Indy cars. BBS's RC Wheel for the aftermarket is an example of a wheel produced using spun rim technology.

FORGED OR SEMI-SOLID FORGED

The ultimate in one-piece wheels. Forging is the process of forcing a solid billet of aluminum between the forging dies under an extreme amount of pressure. This creates a finished product that is very dense, very strong and therefore can be very light. The costs of tooling, development, equipment, etc., make this type of wheel very exclusive and usually demand a high price in the aftermarket. Semi-solid forging (SSF) is a process that heats a billet of special alloy to an almost liquid state and then the aluminum is forced into a mold at a very high rate. The finished product offers mechanical properties very similar to a forged wheel without the high production and tooling costs of a forged wheel. When low weight and performance are on your priority list, the SSF technology offers an excellent value.

Multi-Piece Wheels

This type of wheel utilizes two or three components assembled together to produce a finished wheel. Multi-piece wheels can use many different methods of manufacturing. Centers can be cast in various methods or forged. The rim sections for 3-piece wheels are normally spun from disks of aluminum. Generally, spun rim sections offer the ability to custom-tailor wheels for special applications that would not be available otherwise. The rim sections are bolted to the center and normally a sealant is applied in or on the assembly area to seal the wheel. This type of 3-piece construction was originally developed for racing in the early 1970s and has been used on cars ever since. The 3-piece wheels are most popular in the 17" and larger diameters.
There are now many options for 2-piece wheels in the market. The 2-piece wheel design does not offer as wide a range of application that a 3-piece wheel allows, however they are more common in the market and the prices start well below the average 3-piece wheel. Some 2-piece wheels have the center bolted into a cast or cast/spun rim section and other manufacturers press centers into spun rim sections and weld the unit together. When BBS developed a new 2-piece wheel to replace the previous 3-piece street wheel, they used the special rim-rolling technology (originally developed for racing wheels) to give the rim section the weight and strength advantages similar to a forged rim. On the high-end of the 2-piece wheel market you can find wheels using forged rims and forged centers. Since these are only sold in small volume and due to the high development and production costs associated with the forging process, they tend to be on the high end of the price scale.

[F033x]

hah thanks man but this i've also read.

i keep hearing all of these methods of cast production and forged production wheels, but the only rare methods i find are owned by the companies i dont want wheels from . Mostly volk or ssr.

my main fear of cast is i dont want a wheel that will break and ruin my cv or axle, or a cast wheel that will bend slowly over time and leave me unaware of its defect.

as far as my fear of forged, i dont wish to have my wheels stolen or to worry about curbage. not to mention saving for a good pair will take a fair amount of time.

[BlueCell]

How big will your sidewalls be? Bigger cushion will do less damage to the rims, but its also how you want your wheels to look.

[F033x]

um sidewalls? the profile of the tire?
i was gonna do a 15x6.5 +40 with maybe a 195/55 or 205/50(prefferable)

[BlueCell]

Yea the profile. Your size should be easy to clear pot holes. I have 205/45 and run over everything, but then again I am on alloy wheels.

[Shaggs2Dope]

Forged is the way to go if you can afford it. i had aluminum cast wheels that I kept bending, and having to buy a new one, since nobody want's the liability of repairing a bent rim. And then, they were discontinued, so no new replacements. Then my next set was 1pc forged, and I have lightly bent one of them, but it is very small, and the rest are in perfect original shape, no bends, cracks, anything. Plus I managed to get them for a decent price, they were cheaper than my cast wheels.

[hanapaa808]

The poll results says it all!!!

[Daemione]

Forged wheels are obviously better . . . . and completely unnecessary for 99% of the cars on the road.

[qbmurderer13]

This poll is pointless. Forged wheels are stronger and ligher that's a fact. But there are many other factors that will determine which wheel is right for you. Weigh out the pros and cons of each wheel other than strength and then decide what you want to do.

Cast wheels are cheaper and are plenty strong for a daily driver with 80whp.

Forged wheels will make your car perform better in every aspect, raise your mpg and will last through whatever you put it through, but they cost a fortune and if one rim gets curbed you'll sit in a corner and cry cause you just ruined a $600 rim.

[Sugarphreak]

Originally Posted by F033x

my main fear of cast is i dont want a wheel that will break and ruin my cv or axle, or a cast wheel that will bend slowly over time and leave me unaware of its defect.

The likelihood of either of these things happening is practically zero.

[F033x]

Originally Posted by qbmurderer13

This poll is pointless. Forged wheels are stronger and ligher that's a fact. But there are many other factors that will determine which wheel is right for you. Weigh out the pros and cons of each wheel other than strength and then decide what you want to do.

Cast wheels are cheaper and are plenty strong for a daily driver with 80whp.

Forged wheels will make your car perform better in every aspect, raise your mpg and will last through whatever you put it through, but they cost a fortune and if one rim gets curbed you'll sit in a corner and cry cause you just ruined a $600 rim.

i see your point,
but i dont see the poll as pointless
the objective isn't to find out which is better between the two, forged is the obvious winner.
i just really need the feedback from owners of both seeing which one they would suggest in my situation.
i've almost reached a decision between the two so i'll close the thread soon.

btw does anyone know the weight of the sport wheels? or the creation process?

[Type 100]

Cast wheels are fine.

Forged wheels? Great if you can afford them, but practicality rests on the casts.

You makes your choice and you spends your money...