Light Weight 5x112 Summer Plans

[dareo]

For my Golf Sportwagen, i got lucky and sold my heavy 18" audi wheel/tire setup. So before it gets too warm i will need to invest in a new summer setup. Right now i'm thinking, Discount Tire Presidents Day Sale and some 17" wheels. Probably Motegi Traklites 17x7 5x112 of course. These are like 17.5lb and cheap. I wanna try the General GMAX RS tires, 225/45/17. They are new, cheap, and well reviewed. I normally spend for Michelin but this is $100 a tire vs $200. This Motegi/General setup comes out to like $1100 or so at the DT before rebates.

Anyone have better suggestions that will still give me: Light Wheels, Summer only tires in the 300ish treadware, not a ton of money? It probably has to be 17" wheels due to lack of good cheap sports tires on 15 or 16"

 

[RooflessVW]

I suggest you spend AT LEAST what your OEM wheels cost on aftermarket wheels, otherwise you're buying junk.

 

[slo town]

I agree with what roofless said.

But if you do end up buying inexpensive wheels, make sure you get a wheel that is "hub centric" and has the proper center bore. The is an essential minimum requirement.

Ideally that should be where the wheel's hub area is bored to the proper dimension to match the flange on the wheel bearing's hub area. But having centering rings is usually suitable as well, although less ideal that a matching bore in the wheel's hub.

Never, ever, buy a wheel that isn't hub centric! Furthermore, never, ever buy a wheel that is drilled for two different bolt patterns!

Scott

 

[dareo]

Last summer's OE wheels were $200 at a garage sale. I won't pay tons for wheels and OE wheels are so heavy. The Traklites are flow form cast so they should be decent. Motegi is a few notches above the cheapest junk wheels right?

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted by dareo
Last summer's OE wheels were $200 at a garage sale. I won't pay tons for wheels and OE wheels are so heavy. The Traklites are flow form cast so they should be decent. Motegi is a few notches above the cheapest junk wheels right?

I don't know the quality of Motegi's. Do your research about Motegi. And do some research about "cheap wheels" in general. Educate yourself so you know the issues before buying.

I'm not throwing stones.

Scott

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Tire Rack's Radius brand wheels are a good price and made in Italy. Available in both 15 and 16 inch.

Is your OE tire size 195/65-15? Vredestein makes the Sportrac 5 in that size. The Treadwear rating is 300.

16-in wheels are totally doable. There are a LOT of options in the size 205/55-16 because it is a VERY common tire size!
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position, max performance
Another good choice is the Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance (grand touring summer)
The Vredestein Ultrac Satin is also good

 

[RooflessVW]

The cheapest I would go for in a lightweight wheel is Enkei or OZ.

The Enkei RPF1 and OZ Ultraleggera strike a good balance between light, strong, and affordable.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted by rooflessVW
The cheapest I would go for in a lightweight wheel is Enkei or OZ.

The Enkei RPF1 and OZ Ultraleggera strike a good balance between light, strong, and affordable.


Aren't those like $300 each? How is that affordable?

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
The cheapest I would go for in a lightweight wheel is Enkei or OZ.

The Enkei RPF1 and OZ Ultraleggera strike a good balance between light, strong, and affordable.


Aren't those like $300 each? How is that affordable?

That is the low-end for a decent wheel.

Any cheaper and they'll have a crap finish, be heavy, or be weak. Sometimes, miraculously, they're all 3.

The point is, if you're going to remove an OEM wheel, you should at least put on something that meets or exceeds the quality. Why pay more to make your car worse?

 

[dareo]

I am considering the Enkei option but the price is significant and they dont even give you a centercap. A few reviews on traklite complained about finish.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by rooflessVW
The point is, if you're going to remove an OEM wheel, you should at least put on something that meets or exceeds the quality. Why pay more to make your car worse?
Because cheap generic Tirerack wheels > "heavy" OEMs. Cheap aftermarket wheels are so trashy, even more so on euro cars.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
The point is, if you're going to remove an OEM wheel, you should at least put on something that meets or exceeds the quality. Why pay more to make your car worse?
Because cheap generic Tirerack wheels > "heavy" OEMs. Cheap aftermarket wheels are so trashy, even more so on euro cars.


The Radius wheels don't look bad at all. Some of them even look stock. And they are made in Italy.

I have attached three renderings from TR's demo where you can see the wheels on your car.
The first one is 15-inch Radius W102. The second is the same wheel, but 16 inches. The third rendering is Radius W116 in 16 inches (it isn't offered in 15 for the OP's Golf)

 

[555]

Tire Rack website will provide you the weight of the wheel and on the tire page under specs, the weight of the tire.
RooflessVW has the right idea. Enkei RPF1 . See them on SCCA Miatas all the time. Plus I have a couple sets.
ROTA is a another brand I've seen on track day cars but not at SCCA events and not in the same league as Enkei or O.Z.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
The cheapest I would go for in a lightweight wheel is Enkei or OZ.

The Enkei RPF1 and OZ Ultraleggera strike a good balance between light, strong, and affordable.


Aren't those like $300 each? How is that affordable?

Costs money to do it right, I guess. That's why I prefer steelies, they're more affordable to me.

I did like the factory alloys that my VW had though...

 

[dareo]

DT got back to me with a price on the Enkei, $220+25 for center cap. Yep, can't get a free center cap at $220.00 a wheel. I won't pay such a stupid markup for a center cap. So i gotta scratch that wheel off the list. I did find this interesting wheel, Konig Ultraform:

This wheel is 17x8 16.72 lb and a higher rated weight load than the Motegi Traklite. 8" wide wheel would make me want 235/45/17 tire, so 39.52lb total. Thats 9lb less than the 18" audi set i was using, or 36 lb unsprung weight loss. This level of weight would match or beat the stock 15s.

The Konig does run like $20 each more than Traklite, not an issue there. Motegi seems to have a solid reputation including an exclusive relationship with Ferrari. I did have a set of Konigs a long time ago that didn't let me down. I favor the look of the Ultraform over the Traklite but not buy a ton.

What would you do, the Konig or the Traklite?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

TR has the 17-inch Motegi MR131 Traklite for $143 each, center caps included. They weigh 16.3 lb each. And the center cap is included at that price

$147 each for the Traklite
$245 each for the Konigs (220 + 25)

Almost $100 difference per wheel, $400 total for the set of 4

For $220, you can get BBS wheels made in Germany.

 

[slo town]

OP, you are too obessed with weight.

I had a set of forged SSRs on my E46 BMW. That was considered a high end tuner wheel. Extremely lightweight. I only drive my E46 on the smoothest of roads. In just 10K miles I bent the inner barrels on two of the wheels. I only found this out when I was putting new tires on them. I didn't even know how or when they had been damaged. It must not have taken much. On a cheap cast wheel, the inner barrel might have fractured and failed very quickly.

Bottom line, like many things in life, you get what you pay for.

Scott

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
TR has the 17-inch Motegi MR131 Traklite for $143 each, center caps included. They weigh 16.3 lb each. And the center cap is included at that price

$147 each for the Traklite
$245 each for the Konigs (220 + 25)

Almost $100 difference per wheel, $400 total for the set of 4

For $220, you can get BBS wheels made in Germany.

That is a good choice.

Scott

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
TR has the 17-inch Motegi MR131 Traklite for $143 each, center caps included. They weigh 16.3 lb each. And the center cap is included at that price

$147 each for the Traklite
$245 each for the Konigs (220 + 25)


The Konigs should only be $167/wheel. While the Enkei wheels are $245 each.

Originally Posted by dareo
DT got back to me with a price on the Enkei, $220+25 for center cap. Yep, can't get a free center cap at $220.00 a wheel. I won't pay such a stupid markup for a center cap. So i gotta scratch that wheel off the list. I did find this interesting wheel, Konig Ultraform:

The Konig does run like $20 each more than Traklite, not an issue there. Motegi seems to have a solid reputation including an exclusive relationship with Ferrari. I did have a set of Konigs a long time ago that didn't let me down. I favor the look of the Ultraform over the Traklite but not buy a ton.

What would you do, the Konig or the Traklite?


I'd prob go with the Konigs since they have a good reputation and are pretty tough:

https://www.thoughtco.com/toughest-aftermarket-wheels-and-what-to-avoid-3234451

 

[dareo]

The konig and traklite are rotary forged or flow formed so they are stronger than plain cast. My golf is only 3000 pounds and if i wreck a wheel the low 160 ish cost is okay to replace one. The weight makes a huge difference on this car with its wide manual ratios and turbo dependant powerband.