9lb Magnesium Wheel

[mkodama]

Don't know where you read that - but the E46 M3 CSL wheels were Aluminum. They are available in the US on the M3 on the Competition Package (in a slightly different size for the fronts).

Also, list price on them is $611.01 for the front, and $638.91 for the rear.

M3 CSL Wheels
8.5" front- 36-11-2-282-650
9.5" rear - 36-11-2-282-999

M3 Comp Package Wheels
8.0" front- 36-11-2-282-895
9.5" rear - 36-11-2-282-999

As you can see, the wheel part number is the same for the rear 9.5 wheels. They are not Magnesium. And certainly not $6,000.00!

My mistake, after doing more research, the OEM CSL wheels do seem to be aluminum and not magnesium.

I was confused after reading an article where magnesium wheels were mentioned on a CSL. As well as lots of damn online rumors.

Adding to the confusion, BBS does make magnesium wheels that look very similar to CSL wheels at $1600 a piece:

http://www.tcklineracing.com/wheels1.htm

[jblack]

A good example are the OEM CSL wheels made by BBS, which were entirely magnesium alloy and cost somewhere around $6000+ if you can find them.

Don't know where you read that - but the E46 M3 CSL wheels were Aluminum. They are available in the US on the M3 on the Competition Package (in a slightly different size for the fronts).

Also, list price on them is $611.01 for the front, and $638.91 for the rear.

M3 CSL Wheels
8.5" front- 36-11-2-282-650
9.5" rear - 36-11-2-282-999

M3 Comp Package Wheels
8.0" front- 36-11-2-282-895
9.5" rear - 36-11-2-282-999

As you can see, the wheel part number is the same for the rear 9.5 wheels. They are not Magnesium. And certainly not $6,000.00!

[mkodama]

I think with wheels like that it would either bit hit or miss. BBS and Dymag are some of the only companies that have made good wheels out of magnesium and they are really, really expensive.

A good example are the OEM CSL wheels made by BBS, which were entirely magnesium alloy and cost somewhere around $6000+ if you can find them. And then there are the Dymag magnesium and carbon fiber wheels which go for a similar price and are a little easier to come by.

But either way, magnesium is really light, but very reactive and soft making it very difficult to properly alloy it and manufacture it. Get the manufacturing and alloy percentages wrong and they bend on the first small pothole you hit.

For the value and strength, forged aluminum wheels are so much better. Half the price of the magnesium wheels and much stronger. I had a Toyota 4-runner plow into my car right at the rear wheel and the BBS RG-R wheel on my car was straight with the exception of a tear in the lip. In contrast, that collision tore the entire wheel off the SUV.

[einstein57]

If you're in a position where you're looking for that last 1/10th of a second maybe.

I watched my friend who races motorcycles, and whose dad is a former AMA champ, and sometimes Mg wheels would get bent and destroyed just going off track, not even wrecking, just riding in the pot marked ground.

And they were screwed up in wrecks.

I'd stay with a lightweight, cheaper yet still strong forged aluminum wheel.

Have not seen to many privateers go with forged wheels either. The new generation of factory wheels are very strong and light compared to the wheels made 3 years ago. I know I've put my bike in a few situations where i thought i for sure i bent my front wheel but rode away perfectly round.:up:

[sumyungguy]

im pretty sure some older [late 70's-early 80's] TD MB had them

Couple old Datsun's as well..

[Z3Jonathan]

And actually it is not flammable. It is a combustible metal.

If you want to correct vocabulary, then most MSDS sheets list it as "flammable".

At the end of the day, if you ever have to deal with a magnesium fire you're probably not going to care whether you call it "flammable" or a "combustible metal"...

[markseven]

as far as the cooling, that is why i went with the ERCO's and had him drill 5 x 1-3/8th" holes in each wheel. i was running porsche 356 front brakes and then switched to wilwood front discs and no cooling issues.

we ran a similar set up on our road race karmann ghia with ERCO's and 4 lug porsche brakes all around. even in the enduro races we had no problems.

i will see if i can dig up some pics of the ERCO's on the bug and scan them.

Yeah, I would love to see then :D

[Hick]

im pretty sure some older [late 70's-early 80's] TD MB had them

[der affe]

EMPI. That's a blast from the past! I had a '63 Notch and a '64 Square :D EMPI wide pattern Porsche alloys on the Notch and 8-spoke on the Square.

I think the centerline style would limit brake cooling and heat up the wheel bearing and wheel bearing grease.

as far as the cooling, that is why i went with the ERCO's and had him drill 5 x 1-3/8th" holes in each wheel. i was running porsche 356 front brakes and then switched to wilwood front discs and no cooling issues.

we ran a similar set up on our road race karmann ghia with ERCO's and 4 lug porsche brakes all around. even in the enduro races we had no problems.

i will see if i can dig up some pics of the ERCO's on the bug and scan them.

[der affe]

i dont think they would produce a pure MG wheel. its an alloy just like 'aluminum' wheels are not pure.

Also, hasnt Benz been using MG wheels for a very long time?

i don't think so, i just took off some AMG wheels and they were pretty dam heavy!

[Hick]

i dont think they would produce a pure MG wheel. its an alloy just like 'aluminum' wheels are not pure.

Also, hasnt Benz been using MG wheels for a very long time?

[markseven]

EMPI used to make BRM wheels that were something like 90% mag for air cooled vw's. i remember when the whole empi collecting thing blew up, i used to see lots of them coming out of the woodwork. most of them were cracked in the stress points and needed to be repaired. they were also very susceptible to water damage if left to sit in storage.

has anybody ever tried to do a 2 piece spun alum. wheel for bmws ala centerline or similar?

EMPI. That's a blast from the past! I had a '63 Notch and a '64 Square :D EMPI wide pattern Porsche alloys on the Notch and 8-spoke on the Square.

I think the centerline style would limit brake cooling and heat up the wheel bearing and wheel bearing grease.

[der affe]

EMPI used to make BRM wheels that were something like 90% mag for air cooled vw's. i remember when the whole empi collecting thing blew up, i used to see lots of them coming out of the woodwork. most of them were cracked in the stress points and needed to be repaired. they were also very susceptible to water damage if left to sit in storage.

has anybody ever tried to do a 2 piece spun alum. wheel for bmws ala centerline or similar?

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=115+400056+306956&autoview=sku

http://www.vwparts.net/ER419035.html

http://www.vwparts.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=VWP&Product_Code=ER41901756&Category_Code=

the second and third link is for ERCO. he will custom make wheels for just about any bolt pattern/offset you want, as well as custom cut outs, and or holes for cooling. they come in either weld together or bolt together (so you can replace either half if you gaffle a wheel). when i was at the VW shop i sold a lot of his wheels and even had a set made for my street strip turbo bug. great quality!

[markseven]

[quote=makaio;1064305]

I wouldn't say super flamable... In small pieces (chips, shavings, etc) yes you can ignite it. quote]

And actually it is not flammable. It is a combustible metal.

IIRC, it smolders and is hard to extinguish.

Hallibrands were mags (magnesium), correct? Didn't a bunch of race cars use mags?

[dark89e30]

And I would definitely not want one-size-fits-all wheels at all.