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Thread: M wheels actually ok to race with?

  1. #1
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    M wheels actually ok to race with?

    I always wondered if the M wheels are actually strong enough to do harsh race or drift with.
    More specifically 18" style 37s, or 17" style 5s.
    The spoke on 37s is awful tranperent on the wheel with the extreme lack of material. 5s seem awful heavy.

    Anyone ever break a set of 37' or 5s? What was your power approximation?
    Nobody would recertify these machines after somebody screwed with them without any visibility into what they did.

    HONK! HONK! Clown car coming through!

    -Oakdizzle

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by spyderg0d View Post
    I always wondered if the M wheels are actually strong enough to do harsh race or drift with.
    More specifically 18" style 37s, or 17" style 5s.
    The spoke on 37s is awful tranperent on the wheel with the extreme lack of material. 5s seem awful heavy.

    Anyone ever break a set of 37' or 5s? What was your power approximation?
    Factory wheels are very strong, it shouldn't be an issue on track.

  3. #3
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    Unsprung curb weight (rotating weight) is very important to the performance of the vehicle, and all of the M factory wheels are too heavy, too skinny, and too soft (low pressure cast) to be used for racing.

    The only BMW wheels worth using are forged (throwing stars, e34 m5 mPars), and those are so hard to find that you don't want to risk damaging one.

    The only wheels worth using in racing are flow formed, or forged wheels. Flow formed are a budget option, but even those can bend fairly easily. Forged will hold up to most abuse for a couple years, and then need to be replaced.

    Avoid all aftermarket cast wheels (especially K1/RPF1/etc) for racing. Not only are they not strong, but that lack of rigidity transfers to slower lap times as well... which in my opinion, 22lb+ BMW M wheels would be a better option than any of the cast wheels being used. They wont deform under loads as much.
    Last edited by Team Neverlift; 02-19-2018 at 11:47 AM. Reason: forgot to add how stupid skinny M wheels always are for the tires everyone likes to run around here.... x9+ or gtfo

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Team Neverlift View Post
    The only BMW wheels worth using are forged (throwing stars, e34 m5 mPars), and those are so hard to find that you don't want to risk damaging one.
    I'm pretty sure LTW wheels are forged too. Aren't style 5s also cast centers and spun barrel/rim? They seem to be pretty strong compared to older 1-piece cast BBS wheels.


  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by hotdish View Post
    I'm pretty sure LTW wheels are forged too. Aren't style 5s also cast centers and spun barrel/rim? They seem to be pretty strong compared to older 1-piece cast BBS wheels.
    I forgot about them, mostly because the fronts are uselessly skinny... so it would have to be 4 rears... and those weigh nearly 21lbs. Not exactly ideal, but a much better option than a Contour or DSII, if money is not a concern.

    Style 5s are .5" skinnier, and obviously weigh more a little more than the LTWs described above.

    BMW wheel technology has never been cutting edge, and their specs age very poorly imo. Not to mention how rare it is to find 4 true wheels in a set, if you have ever had the unfortunate task of looking.

  6. #6
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    How about apex? Seems like a set of 4 isn't an astounding price all said and done and they have a plethora of widths you can run. I can't speak on the quality or performance but I know they're quite popular

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

  7. #7
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    i use 8.5" contours on my drift car up front as steer tires.
    i used style 5s upfront for a whole season, and have run my style 5s in the rear in a pinch

    dedicated rears:

    • 16" e36 328 style 30s
    • 17" style 44s
    • 17" e60 style 122
    • and 16" corvette salad shooters on a 10mm non hubcentric spacer.



    youll be fine with any factory bmw wheel

  8. #8
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    BMW wheel technology has never been cutting edge, and their specs age very poorly imo. Not to mention how rare it is to find 4 true wheels in a set, if you have ever had the unfortunate task of looking.[/QUOTE]

    You said it. I just purchased 3 BRAND NEW M Contours; 2 fronts and a 8.5 rear after 3 of the 4 were found to be out of round. After looking around to get them straightened and refreshed it was cheaper to buy new.
    Mike
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  9. #9
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    If you say so. I guess il be ok with mpars and back up m 5's. I found 37s for about $200 a factory wheel. So if somthing exciting wher to happen it wouldn't be horrendously draining.
    Nobody would recertify these machines after somebody screwed with them without any visibility into what they did.

    HONK! HONK! Clown car coming through!

    -Oakdizzle

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