1 Piece wheels VS. 3 Piece wheels...... Please help - Lateral-g Forums

rjsjea · #1 03-22-2008, 11:37 AM

Price........I am in the market for 3pc wheels and have gotten quotes from some of the regular dealers here and on PT.com.

Prices for the 3pc wheels are all over from $3400-over $5000 in the size I want (18x8.5, 18x12). I have gotten prices on Boze, IDluxury(intro), Forgeline, HRE's......why are the prices so different, quality??, dealer pricing vs factory direct??

--Rob

bigtyme1 · #2 03-22-2008, 07:05 PM

I think quality and price is the biggest concern, I never did understand what the bennifit was to 3 piece over 1 or 2 piece was.

ProdigyCustoms · #3 03-22-2008, 07:55 PM

Mark, Fesler summed it up pretty well but may not have been clear enough for some. So at the risk of being a echo............

A few of the benefits are with a 3 piece wheels are:

Stonger and lighter shells. Not all, but most of the better 3 piece wheels outer shells are often made of stronger and lighter material like 6061-T6 aluminum, Lighter is better!

Forged centers: The centers of most 3 piece wheeels are forged meaning they are stronger instead of machined billet, and the centers can be lighter because more material can be removed and still be strong, Lighter is better!

Repair. When you get up into larger diameter wheels and lower profile tires, your exposing the rim to more potential for damage. Pot holes are hell on low profile large diamter wheel / tire combos. A 3 piece 6061-T6 shell will be a lot more resistant to bending and if it does get bent, you send it in have a shell changed and your rolling.

Wide wheels: 18" and 19" drums, the outer shell (drum), are made in sizes up to 10" width only, so if doing a 12" (2) piece welded wheel, instead of having a 2 piece welded wheel (RE: center welded into a drum), you end up with a sliced shell with a 2" band added to it, so you have a welded in center and 2 ring welds around the drum. Not the hot set up! My experiance trying to balacne multi welded 12" wheels with 335s has not been that the welded wheels do not balance as good as 3 piece wheels.

Cost: If your doing a 12" wheel, figure on a $400 to $500 per wheel fee for the added strap of widening material. And if you add the $1000 to the cost of the wheels, you will usually find yourself within striking difference of a racing quality 3 piece wheel. I am not into up selling products, but when I have a customer doing 12" wheels, I usually highly suggest speding the extra change for the 3 piece.

Changes: And as Fesler said, making changes to the wheels is simple. Most of us have short attention spans and style change. In a couple days I will post up some pictures of Michaels Monte Carlo SS we finished up last year at this time. We removed the centers from his wheels, striped the chrome from the centers for $75 and painted the centers magic black to match the top color on the car. After one year, we totally changed the look of the car for a net cost of a few hundred dollars.

**XcYZ** · #4 03-23-2008, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProdigyCustoms

Cost: If your doing a 12" wheel, figure on a $400 to $500 per wheel fee for the added strap of widening material. And if you add the $1000 to the cost of the wheels, you will usually find yourself within striking difference of a racing quality 3 piece wheel. I am not into up selling products, but when I have a customer doing 12" wheels, I usually highly suggest speding the extra change for the 3 piece.

I totally agree, Frank.

fesler · #5 03-23-2008, 07:10 AM

PM me I can get you a way better deal if you want a 3 piece wheel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjsjea

Price........I am in the market for 3pc wheels and have gotten quotes from some of the regular dealers here and on PT.com.

Prices for the 3pc wheels are all over from $3400-over $5000 in the size I want (18x8.5, 18x12). I have gotten prices on Boze, IDluxury(intro), Forgeline, HRE's......why are the prices so different, quality??, dealer pricing vs factory direct??

--Rob

fesler · #6 03-23-2008, 07:12 AM

I guess this was a good thing to post up here to inform people of wheels.

Well said ProdigyCustoms, my wheels are made from Asanti and they use the highest quality metals you can buy on every product they sale. They are a completly forged wheel all parts so they are super strong.

I run 25 series tires on Tahoes and Luxurys sedans and have not bent a wheel yet and they weight more than most of the cars on this site with billet wheels. That alone proves how strong our wheels are.

A polished billet wheel is a pain in the butt to keep clean and you have to polishe them a few times a year.

I can do a 18X8 - 18X12, 19X8 - 19X12, 20X12 and so on 3 piece wheel with a powdercoated center (black, silver or gun metal) standard for about $3600-$4000 depending on finish a set under 20-inch, what is Budnik, Intro, Billet Specialties, Boze and so on charge for that same wheel and why do they charge more to do that finish. How about Fikse and HRE what are they charging.

If you want to go to a strong three piece wheel that will out last a one piece wheel PM me for a price, I might be able to get close to what you are going to pay for the other brands.

here are a few samples of cars with low profile tires

25 series tires
http://www.feslerbuilt.com/2007LexusLS460L.htm

http://www.feslerbuilt.com/2004Chevy1500.htm

30 Series tires
http://www.feslerbuilt.com/1969CAMAROBLK.htm

http://www.feslerbuilt.com/1966MustangGT.htm

http://www.feslerbuilt.com/1949MERC.htm

http://www.feslerbuilt.com/1969redcamaro.htm

slownova · #7 03-23-2008, 01:19 PM

we have alot of issues with our 3 peice ashantis leaking. have you ever had much issues? we get at least 1 set back out of every 4 that leaks where the wheel bolts togther.

fesler · #8 03-23-2008, 08:25 PM

Yes they use to have problems but have changed the way they seal them now so they are better, I have had no problems with the new seals yet, the only other thing is on the new cars if you dont put the wheel sensor in right you can get a leak there as well. that is not their fault though

Quote:

Originally Posted by slownova

we have alot of issues with our 3 peice ashantis leaking. have you ever had much issues? we get at least 1 set back out of every 4 that leaks where the wheel bolts togther.

bucks69 · #9 03-23-2008, 08:27 PM

Chris did u get my p.m.? if not i will resend

slownova · #10 03-24-2008, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fesler

Yes they use to have problems but have changed the way they seal them now so they are better, I have had no problems with the new seals yet, the only other thing is on the new cars if you dont put the wheel sensor in right you can get a leak there as well. that is not their fault though

none of them have been on the wheel sensors. all have leaked where the wheel goes togther. when did they change that seal?