Once again, it depends on which manufacturer you speak to as to which process is better. The manufacturers of one-piece forged wheels claim their method results in stronger wheels since they are utilizing a single piece of forged aluminum with no seals or breaks. The manufacturers of multi-piece forged wheels argue that in the rare event that the rim is bent, it can simply be replaced without purchasing the forged wheel center, which is usually unaffected when a wheel bends-making a multi-piece design more affordable to repair.
Another benefit to multi-piece forged wheels is that the offset and wheel width can be easily altered by bolting on a new aluminum outer rim while utilizing the same forged center for multiple applications. This versatility allows for the expensive forging process to become more affordable, since the manufacturer is able to produce mass quantities of the costly forged centers and simply swap out the less expensive aluminum outer rim for different applications.
The overall result of the forging process is wheels that can be manufactured using less aluminum and thinner wheel walls than cast wheels. The overall cost is more, but the resulting loss in unsprung weight enables the car to perform better. The question you have to start asking yourself is if the increase in performance is worth the cost of the wheels.
Source: APP Forged Wheels, 714/546-4100, www.appwheels.com; Fikse USA, 253/872-3888, www.fikse.com; Kinesis Motorsport, 760/930-9800, www.kinesismotorsport.com; Weld Wheels, 866/753-4297, www.weldracing.com
The Importance Of WeightIn the most non-committal way we know possible, we're here to say that wheel weight doesn't matter that much. That said, wheel weight is very, very important. Is this beginning to sound like so many other articles you've read about wheel weight where no one is willing to commit to an answer about lightweight versus not-so-lightweight wheels? Well, why stop now?
The truth of the matter is this: Wheel weight does matter. If you're looking to make a car perform, you need to minimize the amount of unsprung weight the vehicle is toting around. Without getting too technical, here's the one basic fact you need to know about unsprung weight-one pound of unsprung weight is not equal to one pound of sprung weight, it's equal to a lot more. Thus, by saving 40 pounds through lightweight wheels, you're going to see a noticeable increase in performance, and by noticeable, we're talking about knocking a second or so off your lap time at the track, and a tenth or two at the dragstrip.
To accelerate, your car has to rotate the wheels and tires, and the heavier those components are the slower your car will accelerate. In theory, the lighter the wheel, the easier it will be for the car to rotate the wheels, thus the faster the car will accelerate.
We may have just sold you on lightweight wheels, but that's not what we're trying to do. The key to modifying is knowing what your specific application is going to be. Not to disillusion some people, but you cannot build a competitive track car that is also a great looking show car, and a comfy and reliable daily driver. It's simply impossible. The parts needed to build each of these three kinds of cars are completely different. To put this into engine performance terminology, if you're going to put a turbo on your Golf and try to get 500 hp out of your VR6, the chance of the engine running flawlessly every day, year after year, is almost nonexistent. That setup is good for the track, but if you're relying on the car to get you to and from work then you'll probably end up losing your job.