Can someone tell me more about these SSR rims. I know they went out of business but they still sell their wheels on tirerack.com and i thought this looked sick but i couldnt find the thread with them in it. thanks

 

SSR was bought by Tanabe. I'm not sure what they will do with SSR. I imagine they will start producing wheels again. I believe Tirerack is selling whatever is in inventory.

Those are the SSR Competition's. Great wheel. Very lightweight and forged.

Respect
JET

 

Thanks. Any idea if you can order that finish or did he get that custom done? I was looking at the site but didnt see any with that particular finish.

 

I believe Tanabe (owner of SSR now) have been doing a revamp of the SSR line of wheels since they've gone out of business.

They're ready to re-launch a revised line (new colors offsets etc.) and a market campaign for '06.

This info was obtained from a sales associate at Tire Rack. (my roomate was shopping for SSR's)

 

SSR Comp-H

Actually, I think these wheels are still being produced. I bought mine right about the time that SSR went out of business. Since, tirerack has more options in the comp-H as well as other SSR wheels.

In the comp-H, I don't think the color above is available - maybe special order. I believe they only come in the mercury silver and gunmetal, both with polished lips.

I have the mercury silver

 

very informative thanks guys

oh and nice ride Zivman

 

Those are not the Comp-Hs. Those are the new Type-C RS. I doubt Tire Rack will be able to get those for you. Check them out here. http://www.rd-tanabe.com/ssr/collect..._rs/index.html

 

SSR Competitions are not forged.....

The wheels in the first picture are just as Z33SPL said - Type C RS. Tire Rack will not be bringing them into the US

 

Umm...come again?

 

are you sure about that?

 

It sure looks like the Comp-H to me.... It's the same exact wheel called something else in Japan. Hmmmmm "Type C". Maybe the type C could be shortened from "Competition"? Maybe?

SSR Competition Wheel

EVERY wheel SSR makes is forged.

Respect
JET

 

I am positive...they are cast using the same basic method as Enkei uses - they call it "semi solid forging" - Enkei calls it "M.A.T" - all just marketing jargon - frankly it makes zero difference. "Forged" is not necessarily better than "cast" - it depends on the metallurgy techniques employed by the manufacturer. The SSR's are a very quality wheel

 

The comps are different than the comp-H. The comp-H is designed for a heavier car, like the Z. It uses both forging and semi solid forging in it's design:
2-piece hybrid construction
Semi-solid, forged center precision lap-welded to a forged rim section

 

Wow that is quite the revelation. Can you tell us how you can about this information?

I'm a little skeptical of what you say because we have all been lead to believe the Competion is forged. All their literature says their forged. And if what you say is true about SSR using the same casting technology as Enkei I also find it hard to believe that they would still use the term "Forging" in their lingo.

Even the description of the SSF process compares conventional casting to forging. http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/ssr/ssr_info.jsp

 

in terms of the comp-h wheels, the rim is forged while center portion of the wheel is SSF as per my post above - making it a 2 pc wheel. I don't think anyone is being mislead by their choice in terminalogy. The wheels are strong and light and are forged (some parts SSF)

 

Sorry, I may be a bit off page here...

So you are saying that SSF is more of a casting process and not like forging at all (because you compare forging and SSF as seperate)? And are you saying that the Competition (not Comp-H) are cast?

 

Z1 is right, and check with Gruppe-S for Type-C's. They are different. The Competition line is made exclusively for the TireRack. They cannot be purchased anywhere else. They are not forged in the traditional sense, where a round of aluminum is hammered to **** with several hundred thousand tons of pressure into shape and then machined, cleaned, and painted. They are made with aluminum heated to a thick liquid, aka "semi-solid", placed into a mold like casting, but with pressure applied to help align the grain. It's exactly as they advertise, the efficiency and low cost of cast, but with higher strength like that of a forged. Is it as good as a true forging? Depends on your priorites I suppose, but they will not be as strong as a monoblock forged wheel by any means, and hence the need for Comp-H as the regular Competitions were known to bend. The Comp H uses a harder, forged rim welded to the SSF center, and as such is heavier and a two-piece as Z1 stated. The SSR Type-C's are all monoblock and more expensive than the Competitions and used in JGTC. They do not have the polished rim, and as far as I know, are forged, and very exclusive.
Will
EDIT: Enkei rims are all cast in the traditional sense, The only exception is with the MAT process, as they call it, the rim is pressure rolled after the cast to help align the grain along ri for higher strength, same principal as forging, but cheaper and not as strong as a monoblock forge.

 

Hmmm... according to that link someone posted above, it seems all SSR wheels are SSF. I guess I was wrong, I thought the Type-C's were a monoblock wheel like Volks. They look pretty sweet, and the 18x9.5 and 18x10.5 wheels have good offsets for the Z, I wonder what they would run? I'm still not sure I would take these over Prodrive GC-05's though. I wish someone could import them.
Will

 

I don't know but I still can't find the connection between basic casting methods and SSF. There is no pouring of liquid molten into a mold to dry. The SSF process describes heating up the MHD billet and pressing it into a mold at a high rate which to me is FORGING aka MOLD FORGING. The only difference between this method and standardized forging is that basic forging involves machining the design out of the pressed billet.

 

SSF is the fine line between casting and forging, it is not a solid hammered into shape like forging, it isn't exactly poured into a mold to cool either, it is placed into a mold and pressure is applied to it. Like SSR advertises, they try for the best of both worlds, but it will not be as strong for the weight as a monoblock forged wheel because the grain will never be aligned as well or as small with its crystal formations due to the lack of pressure applied to a SSF as opposed to a true forged rim.
Will