Specs on Factory 2010 GT3 Wheels
#16
10-11-2009, 01:12 AM
Fronts:
Three-piece BBS centre-lock aluminium rims 9,5J x 18 ET 37
Michelin rain tyres, size 24/64-18
Rears:
Three-piece BBS centre-lock aluminium rims 12J x 18 ET 30
Michelin rain tyres, size 27/68-18
#18
10-11-2009, 09:32 PM
Sometimes I think you guys forget the laxer requirements of aftermarket vs. OEM.
OEM wheels have to be stronger by definition so that they can withstand abuse from curbing, potholes, crash safety and general careless driving or extreme conditions. Do you think Porsche is just plain stupid or incapable of getting wheels under a lb. an inch? Of course not, but in order to minimize warranty claims and complaints from customers, factory wheels have to be quite robust.
28 lbs. for a 12" rear wheel is actually not terrible. Keep in mind that a Champion MS61 forged mag alloy wheel is about 21-22 lbs., as is the Dymag. I can assure you that an OEM wheel is more resilient to impact and abuse over almost any aftermarket wheel. I have seen damaged factory wheels vs. even the highest quality aftermarket, and it's not even close.
This is why I find it so funny when people replace Carrera GT wheels with aftermarket. Do you have any idea how much engineering goes into that wheel to make it so light yet durable?
OEM wheels have to be stronger by definition so that they can withstand abuse from curbing, potholes, crash safety and general careless driving or extreme conditions. Do you think Porsche is just plain stupid or incapable of getting wheels under a lb. an inch? Of course not, but in order to minimize warranty claims and complaints from customers, factory wheels have to be quite robust.
28 lbs. for a 12" rear wheel is actually not terrible. Keep in mind that a Champion MS61 forged mag alloy wheel is about 21-22 lbs., as is the Dymag. I can assure you that an OEM wheel is more resilient to impact and abuse over almost any aftermarket wheel. I have seen damaged factory wheels vs. even the highest quality aftermarket, and it's not even close.
This is why I find it so funny when people replace Carrera GT wheels with aftermarket. Do you have any idea how much engineering goes into that wheel to make it so light yet durable?
Last edited by hamann7; 10-11-2009 at 09:34 PM.
#20
10-12-2009, 04:32 PM
Sometimes I think you guys forget the laxer requirements of aftermarket vs. OEM.
OEM wheels have to be stronger by definition so that they can withstand abuse from curbing, potholes, crash safety and general careless driving or extreme conditions. Do you think Porsche is just plain stupid or incapable of getting wheels under a lb. an inch? Of course not, but in order to minimize warranty claims and complaints from customers, factory wheels have to be quite robust.
28 lbs. for a 12" rear wheel is actually not terrible. Keep in mind that a Champion MS61 forged mag alloy wheel is about 21-22 lbs., as is the Dymag. I can assure you that an OEM wheel is more resilient to impact and abuse over almost any aftermarket wheel. I have seen damaged factory wheels vs. even the highest quality aftermarket, and it's not even close.
This is why I find it so funny when people replace Carrera GT wheels with aftermarket. Do you have any idea how much engineering goes into that wheel to make it so light yet durable?
OEM wheels have to be stronger by definition so that they can withstand abuse from curbing, potholes, crash safety and general careless driving or extreme conditions. Do you think Porsche is just plain stupid or incapable of getting wheels under a lb. an inch? Of course not, but in order to minimize warranty claims and complaints from customers, factory wheels have to be quite robust.
28 lbs. for a 12" rear wheel is actually not terrible. Keep in mind that a Champion MS61 forged mag alloy wheel is about 21-22 lbs., as is the Dymag. I can assure you that an OEM wheel is more resilient to impact and abuse over almost any aftermarket wheel. I have seen damaged factory wheels vs. even the highest quality aftermarket, and it's not even close.
This is why I find it so funny when people replace Carrera GT wheels with aftermarket. Do you have any idea how much engineering goes into that wheel to make it so light yet durable?
However, the main reason that the OEMs use cast wheels has mostly to do with cost, not durability. Forged wheels enjoy much higher tensile strength than cast wheels so they are 25-30% lighter when optimally engineered for the application. They will also withstand impacts better than any cast wheel.
But the forged wheels cost up to three times as much at the OEM level. Porsche, perhaps correctly, figured that practically no one would avoid buying a new GT3 because it came with cast wheels. They therefore saved about $800-$1000 per car in hard cost. IMHO, that sealed the deal for Porsche.