Opinions please on new GT350 Carbon Fiber wheels, never installed

[Tomster]

I have to reach out for another issue. I will ask again.

@oldbmwfan, I was assured today that the wheels are not serialized to the car. PM me if you would like more information.

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[firestarter2]

As others have said put them up and see if anyone bites. They will probably be worth what you paid but that might take many years. They are too expensive and to run on the track and too fragile to run on the street, so the real value will be a R owner looking for replacements.

Wheels generally have a terrible resale.

There was a set up for sale 10k for a few years.

 

[svttim]

As others have said put them up and see if anyone bites. They will probably be worth what you paid but that might take many years. They are too expensive and to run on the track and too fragile to run on the street, so the real value will be a R owner looking for replacements.

Wheels generally have a terrible resale.

There was a set up for sale 10k for a few years.

Stop with the fragile already. They meet the same standards as your aluminum wheels. Too expensive for track? Makes zero sense. Exactly where they belong.

 

[firestarter2]

Stop with the fragile already. They meet the same standards as your aluminum wheels. Too expensive for track? Makes zero sense. Exactly where they belong.

Same standards what does that mean? At 4000+ each it makes perfect sense. I do not know why some people on this site pretend money is no object.

What about potholes or if they get curbed?

Would I track 12000 wheels over $4000 wheels that are a little heavier? no.

 

[oldbmwfan]

@oldbmwfan, I was assured today that the wheels are not serialized to the car. PM me if you would like more information.

Thanks!

 

[oldbmwfan]

Same standards what does that mean? At 4000 each it makes perfect sense. I do not know why some people on this site pretend money is no object.

Would I track 12000 wheels over $4000 wheels that are a little heavier? no.

Same standards means the same durability, impact, and stress testing that Ford does for ALL OE wheels. And they passed with flying colors, superior to alloy wheels in every respect, but this is based on what I was told by a friend at FP; I don't have access to Ford's internal test data. One thing he told me specifically was that on the curb jump test - and yes, Ford tests wheels by running them over a few-inch-high curb at 30+ mph - the lightweight CF wheels took the impact so well (due to low inertia) that they re-ran the tests several times to be sure the results were correct. But take this hearsay for what it's worth, I guess.

In general, I think people mistake manufacturing defects, which do seem to be more common among the CF wheels, with weakness. They are not weak or fragile in any way, though their failure modes will be different than alloys. But they are new tech and novel manufacturing techniques, and it is unsurprising that overall controls and consistency of quality will not be at the same level as alloy wheels which have been manufactured by the hundreds of millions for decades.

 

[firestarter2]

Same standards means the same durability, impact, and stress testing that Ford does for ALL OE wheels. And they passed with flying colors, superior to alloy wheels in every respect, but this is based on what I was told by a friend at FP; I don't have access to Ford's internal test data. One thing he told me specifically was that on the curb jump test - and yes, Ford tests wheels by running them over a few-inch-high curb at 30+ mph - the lightweight CF wheels took the impact so well (due to low inertia) that they re-ran the tests several times to be sure the results were correct. But take this hearsay for what it's worth, I guess.

In general, I think people mistake manufacturing defects, which do seem to be more common among the CF wheels, with weakness. They are not weak or fragile in any way, though their failure modes will be different than alloys. But they are new tech and novel manufacturing techniques, and it is unsurprising that overall controls and consistency of quality will not be at the same level as alloy wheels which have been manufactured by the hundreds of millions for decades.

I don't think they are just going to break. Too fragile was poor word choice. I have have wheels damaged by potholes, curbs, rocks, etc. The reparability on the CF wheels seems low.

 

[AgSurfer]

Here is a real-time number from Ford - - the replacement of one rim costs $6,642.52.

I am working with Ford warranty on this matter (ceramic coating issue), and the above figure is the "warranty rate" to replace a front carbon fiber rim. This does not include labor or taxes.

 

[oldbmwfan]

Not a ton of labor in a wheel replacement

 

[svttim]

There is a repair center in California. Why would you track a wheel that is a couple pounds lighter and much stiffer (less camber change)? Because they came with the car, the suspension is tuned with the wheels in place. Your choices are, sell them, make a nice display in your living room or, use them as intended. Despite Fords Cost, they have come down although I know they fluctuate. Would I buy CF wheels for a standard 350? No. But I certainly will use them in a way they were intended to be used. And yes, I have a separate set of wheels for the street. But then I dont have to worry about tire changes.

 

[PP0001]

There is a repair center in California. Why would you track a wheel that is a couple pounds lighter and much stiffer (less camber change)? Because they came with the car, the suspension is tuned with the wheels in place. Your choices are, sell them, make a nice display in your living room or, use them as intended. Despite Fords Cost, they have come down although I know they fluctuate. Would I buy CF wheels for a standard 350? No. But I certainly will use them in a way they were intended to be used. And yes, I have a separate set of wheels for the street. But then I dont have to worry about tire changes.

Tim, to your point about CF wheels being lighter, the last time that I checked which is quite some time ago the weight savings for our CF wheels versus equivalent sized aluminum alloy wheels was a difference of 58 pounds in total.

Have some new after market wheels lightened up since I last took a serious look at this issue, probably so but whatever the final weight savings number is whether it be 58# or a little less that is a significant amount of rotating mass to work in terms of improved acceleration, braking and handling let alone these CF wheels being more durable, rigid and stiffer compared to aluminum alloy wheels.

Do I get the comments of those that are concerned over running our CF wheels on the street or track, absolutely but for me I just could not run an R model in any conditions without the OEM wheels but respect those that go another route.

 

[firestarter2]

Tim, to your point about CF wheels being lighter, the last time that I checked which is quite some time ago the weight savings for our CF wheels versus equivalent sized aluminum alloy wheels was a difference of 58 pounds in total.

Have some new after market wheels lightened up since I last took a serious look at this issue, probably so but whatever the final weight savings number is whether it be 58# or a little less that is a significant amount of rotating mass to work in terms of improved acceleration, braking and handling let alone these CF wheels being more durable, rigid and stiffer compared to aluminum alloy wheels.

Do I get the comments of those that are concerned over running our CF wheels on the street or track, absolutely but for me I just could not run an R model in any conditions without the OEM wheels but respect those that go another route.

I think the weight gap is about 12 - 16 pounds on a good set of wheels. That doesn't take into account stiffness though. I am not hating on the CF wheels I think they are awesome I was just opining on the value.

 

[PP0001]

I think the weight gap is about 12 - 16 pounds on a good set of wheels. That doesn't take into account stiffness though. I am not hating on the CF wheels I think they are awesome I was just opining on the value.

I totally get where you are coming from with respect to the cost of replacement of a CF wheel and that is why I decided to obtain a spare front CF wheel for myself.

If there is only 3 or 4 pounds of savings between an aluminum alloy wheel and our CF wheels then I stand corrected.

Back in 2015 when I purchased my first R model I remember looking at this issue very closely and at the time the weight difference was 15# per wheel on the fronts and 14# per wheel on the rears.

I believe that my comparison back then was between a standard GT350 aluminum wheel and tire versus my CF wheels and tires at the time.

Obviously aluminum wheel technology and weights have changed since that timeline.

 

[svttim]

I totally get where you are coming from with respect to the cost of replacement of a CF wheel and that is why I decided to obtain a spare front CF wheel for myself.

If there is only 3 or 4 pounds of savings between an aluminum alloy wheel and our CF wheels then I stand corrected.

Back in 2015 when I purchased my first R model I remember looking at this issue very closely and at the time the weight difference was 15# per wheel on the fronts and 14# per wheel on the rears.

I believe that my comparison back then was between a standard GT350 aluminum wheel and tire versus my CF wheels and tires at the time.

Obviously aluminum wheel technology and weights have changed since that timeline.

Yes, the more expensive wheels are 21 or 22 lbs. Those are not cheap wheels either. I just sold my spare to an R owner in need of one. I run CS21s on street. Im not afraid to run the CF on the street nut as I said, constant changing of tires would drive me nuts.and the CF are the best track wheel

 

[AgSurfer]

There is a repair center in California. Why would you track a wheel that is a couple pounds lighter and much stiffer (less camber change)? Because they came with the car, the suspension is tuned with the wheels in place. Your choices are, sell them, make a nice display in your living room or, use them as intended. Despite Fords Cost, they have come down although I know they fluctuate. Would I buy CF wheels for a standard 350? No. But I certainly will use them in a way they were intended to be used. And yes, I have a separate set of wheels for the street. But then I dont have to worry about tire changes.

I am dialoguing with the repair center in CA (Spyder Composites). I was totally blown away that the Ford dealer and Ford Warranty supervisor told me - in writing today - that the replacement of one rim costs $6,642.52. The entire "R" package is $12,995 MSRP. So to replace two front CF rims through Ford costs more than the entire "R" package.

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