1-piece, 2-piece, 3-piece wheels

[rusrocket]

What are the advantages/disadvantages of having these various wheel constructions?

[RC45]

Weight, strength and complete custom control over offset, back spacing and lip/dish depth (which is realy determined by offset and width ;))

And cost... its more costly to cast or forge various custom combos with 1 piece wheels.. less costly with 2 piece and the least costly with 3 piece custom wheels.

However, that doesn't mean that 2 and 3 piece wheels are cheaper than 1 piece wheels.

[ae86_16v]

^ Yeah, I was surprised when I learned that multi-piece wheels are usually not as good as 1 piece wheels. I didn't know that. In fact, race teams that uses Multi-piece only because they are sometimes cheaper than Single piece.

Of course there are exceptions in every example.

[RC45]

^ However, don't assume that the one piece BBS street wheel is stronger, lighter or better than a BBS 3 piece race wheel ;)

[TopGearNL]

^^ Interesting.

But yeah strength is the most important feature I'd imagine

[rusrocket]

thanks for the input, rc.

i have noticed that most of the successful race cars have forged one piece wheels, but i was confused about why two and three piece wheels were usually more expensive than their one piece counterparts.

what differences do cast and forged wheels have?

[RC45]

Forged wheels are normaly stronger and lighter.

In "normal" situaitons, the 2 and 3 piece wheels you see are way superior to the "street" wheels we are used to.. and the 2 and 3 pieece wheels allow for "low budget" custom wheel setups (low budget is relative - from about $1000 each 2 and 3 piece wheels are not cheap).

Very high dollar teams may have custom spec forged wheels made at huge expense, but normally to help offset the costs, the forged wheels will be for an entire race series or for common offset, backspacing requirements that will justify the cost.

But if you need a one off racing setup $5,000 or $10,000 3 piece wheels using "common" inner, outer and centers are still way cheaper than one off custom forgings.

[TNT]

i say for more then likely what you are going to use them for just head to tirerack.com and check around their site.

[ViperASR]

We had 3-piece ASA BBS wheels on one of our cars and loved them. Never an issue.

But yea, RC is right with what he is saying.

[rusrocket]

What kind of wheels are you looking at/considering?

i actually just bought some 19" bbs ck anthracite..tnt yeah im not going to be racing on them or anything so im not really dropping too much money.