will the factory tire pressure sensors fit in these wheels? Also are there any benefits to powdercoating or painting the wheel centers (like easier to keep clean?) and also, is the wheel clearcoated?

 

The brushed aluminum finish is clear coated so it should hold up about the same as a painted wheel.

Vince told me that when I get my tires mounted, the sensors can be epoxied onto the new wheels, being extra carefull when mounting the tires.

 

I don't like the whole "epoxied" idea. We have all seen different adhesives fail at one time or another...whats to say you might not hit a pothole and break the bond and then the damn thing tumbles inside your tire at 65+mph and gets broken. At more than $200 each and the additional cost of dismounting and remounting and balancing I'm not sure I'd take the risk. I know some other companies are offering some kind of "band" that will permanently hold our sensors in place, but don't know much about them. Anyone have more info than I and whether they are available for sale separatly and whether they would work in any wheel?

 

if it's a custom wheel then why can't they just make the pressure sensors fit in the wheel correctly? I mean they're making the wheels for our Z's custom, would it be that difficult to mill it out for the pressure sensor or whatever has to be done? I'm pretty sure that you can get HRE's that way.

 

HRE's can be made specifically for the pressure monitors we have..you just need to specify whether or not you have them because they do make them different. However, this is only on the stepped lip. If you order a set like the 445R with the reversed lip....well then you are back to useing the retaining straps I mentioned above. No way around it since the angle is incorrect.

 

iforged...

thanks for the factory tour invite... bit far for me, though.

What's the word on the tire sensors? Can you machine the wheels to accomodate them or is epoxy the only route?

Other than the two red Zs I've seen pictured here, do you have pics of any other 350Zs you have done wheels for. I'd love to see your wheels on some of the darker colors before making a final decision...

 

mcduck we use reverse lips not the step lip, so you have a choice of epoxy or the bands. I think the step lips make the wheels too small. You end up using a 18" center in a 19" wheel. Here is a picture of the step lip on a 20.




I only have one more set of outers that use the step lip, and they are in 20's. 2.5" lip in the front for a 20*9 and a 3.5" lip in the rear for a 20*10

 

Iforged,

For those of us interested in using our tire pressure sensors in your wheels, will you include the bands mentioned in your above posted pricing if we are ordering the reversed lip style?

 

Currently I do not even have an idea where you would buy such a thing. I have only heard about them. The prices are already at a great savings off retail, and we will not be able to include the bands in the groupbuy price.

 

iForged, how are my wheels doing?

Any idea when to expect them? I know around 3-5 weeks.....

How do you like the brushed aluminum finish, since you've seen it the most.

 

Brad I am very found of the brushed aluminum finished. It is a 3 stage process they requires the wheel centers to be polished first, then brushed, and then clearcoated. I have been debating between that finish or gunmetal for my NSX. My last Project car was an Audi S4, that was on the cover of Euro Tuner August Issue. I had gunmetal on it, and it blended in very nicely with my blue car. I think the Blue 350z will also look good with the gunmetal. My recommendations are for a silver, blue, or red car to go with a darker center face such as the gunmetal or black center. With a darker car I recommend a polished, brushed aluminum or silver. Again taste is so subjective, so what I might like, might not suite everyone individuals taste. Here are some pics of my Blue S4 with gunmetal swifts.

 

Anyone 350z owners that are down in Southern California shoot me an email if you guys want to schedule a factory visit.

 

hey iforged,

whats up with the LS series? when are they coming out?

if you make custom wheels let me tell you what I want and you tell me if you can do it


I want a 19" 5 spoke wheel, something like the aero but MUCH, MUCH NICER. I want it light, (22 lbs. MAX) and I want it in brushed aluminum and I want it to HOLD (not glue or strap) my sensors in, just like factory!

Can you do it? Can you get us a picture?

thanks!

 

can you make one like this in a 19" and LIGHT? Could we get the group discount?

 

all_bark, We are a custom wheel manufacture like HRE but we do not make just one off wheels. Second you can not machine anything for a reverse style rim, not even HRE can do this. The lightweight series will be available later this year. Getting a 19" wheel at 22 lbs max would be almost impossible unless its a one piece forging. Currently I have nothing that would work for you.

 

iForged, whn my wheels are done, is it possible to snap a few photos of them in the factory and send them to me...or post them on the board. That would be awesome.

 

Brad4rdHay no problem, I post them as soon as we are done.

 

iforged - sweet S4!!!

 

I just read that for every 5lbs of wheel wt saved, you gain 1.5 hp in real life application. If this being true, does anyone know the weight of the standard enthusist model 17" wheel and the weight of the 18" 5 spoke wheels posted on the mustard/green BMW on pg 2 of this thread. This sounds like a question for iforged to me. I would most likely get about 8.5 or 9" wheels on the front and 10" on the rear. I am trying to see what the performance gain or loss would be.

 

LS350Z, thanks for the compliment. zland the BMW yellow car that was posted actually was on 20" wheels, with a 18" disc center since it was a dual step lip, more commonly found on mercedes and bmws. His wheels weighted 25 lbs in the front and 27lbs in the rear on a 20*9 and 20*10. Now the 350z wheels again depend on weight and what size lip you are going for. The bigger the lip the smaller the back side setting and the lighter the wheel is. Those going with a 4" lip with save the most weight and also get a really nice looking wheel. Again weight is very difficult to determine because of the many different backside settings and widths available, especially for the 350z.