GT350 R Carbon Fiber Wheels

[Grant 302]

4 lb./corner isn't bad...but I'm pretty sure I can tell the difference when switching between 20lb. Forgestars and 24 lb SVE drifts.

If I end up with an R, I'm still running the CF.

Not sure why the sky is falling over this. ???

 

[fuhrius]

lighter is only one benefit.
they're stiffer as well...and, based on this article and other stuff I'm learning, I think they'll have better thermal resistance and, overall, be a superior wheel.
I'm not going to hesitate to track these and am completely stoked that it's yet another component on the car that you don't feel like you need to 'upgrade' to get better performance for the track (or street, or whatever). bring on the carbon wheels!

(at a smaller scale, this whole story has already played out in my other passion-area...mountain biking...all the best rims are now CF and anyone's who's ridden them will NEVER go back to aluminum).

 

[BigTaco]

New article stating the CF wheels weigh 18 lbs. A quality AL wheel should be in the 22 lbs. range for a 19x11. Hmmm I thought I read they were 15 lbs. Shouldn't be a problem putting slightly heavier wheels on the car.

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/07/10/shelby-gt350r-offers-first-mass-produced-carbon-fiber-wheels/

I would no doubt run the carbon wheels and not worry about it. The economy of scale will eventually lower the price for replacements; even Alum wheels eventually need to be replaced. I would hit the track and enjoy the crap out of these....

An example would be (for pricing, not performance) the Boss LS wheels sold by ford racing. You can get a set of staggered wheels as a FRPP kit cheaper than OEM replacement wheel from any dealer, and it's the exact same wheel. Sooner or later, FRPP will have the wheels for sale.

The other thing that makes me scratch my head is spending money on quality alum wheels (that's not cheap once you get into the 22ish lbs and lower price range). Seems like stepping over a dollar to pick up a nickel to me...

Dedicated track rats, please don't see my comments as a slight; you guys are the ones I count on for lessons learned out there in the HPDE world. It just seems to me that these CF wheels are such an important part of the entire package , why water it down from the get go? Take these wheels to the track and put them to the test. I bet you a frosty adult beverage that they will hold up fine and I bet that some buy an additional set for safe keeping or to mount slicks.....

By the way, I don't think that if you remove your CF wheels and put aluminum ones on your car will immediately slide into a buss full of Nuns before hitting a child on the side walk and then catching fire as it pummels down a cliff as your family screams at you "why Daddy? Why?!!?) ala Tommy Boy. I do wonder however if running heavier wheels will produce annoying fault codes.

 

[TMSBOSS]

Not sure why the sky is falling over this. ???
[/quote]


Bench racing is all we got until the first GT-350R shows up. :

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Here is a cutaway of carbon fiber wheels. These are demo/display models (only 5" wide) but you can get an idea of flange thickness etc.

 

[VoodooBoss]

An Australian article on the wheels.

http://www.motoring.com.au/news/2015/medium-passenger/ford/mustang/shelby-mustang-riding-on-advanced-aussie-wheels-52458

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

An Australian article on the wheels.

http://www.motoring.com.au/news/2015/medium-passenger/ford/mustang/shelby-mustang-riding-on-advanced-aussie-wheels-52458

This part is pretty interesting:

noting that the ceramic plasma arc spray on the front wheels is the same process used to protect the space shuttle's main engine turbine blades from high heat.

the wheels will not buckle (or split, fracture, break, bend or melt!) under the load of 900° Celsius heat from the car's brake package.

 

[blacksheep-1]

If I were you guys, I'd wait a couple of years and see how this shakes out, IMO you have race only wheels, at an exorbitant price, on factory race cars...basically, the guys that can afford them, although a few will make it on the street eventually. Wait and see what the mid level and non pro teams are running first, then get an idea. I've always been a person who preferred function over form, so a more robust wheel, that can sustain some damage, will always be preferred, you ding or curb one of these..it's toast.

 

[Grant 302]

If I were you guys, I'd wait a couple of years and see how this shakes out, IMO you have race only wheels, at an exorbitant price, on factory race cars...basically, the guys that can afford them, although a few will make it on the street eventually. Wait and see what the mid level and non pro teams are running first, then get an idea. I've always been a person who preferred function over form, so a more robust wheel, that can sustain some damage, will always be preferred, you ding or curb one of these..it's toast.

I'm old enough to remember when that was *exactly* how people felt about using aluminum vs steel wheels.

I feel like I've been waiting long enough for this to happen...but I'm not one of the most aggressive drivers here, for what that's worth. I certainly won't be using them at race level conditions or driving. I figure if I'm going to break or damage them with moderate use, that I'd want to do it while well in the warrantee period.

Years ago, I imagined other composite constructions for wheels and was pretty sure it would only be a matter of time 'til it happened. I'm just glad it's in a relatively affordable form within my lifetime.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Excellent post. I think many R owners will buy track wheels and save the CF ones for cars and coffee. At least that's what I plan on doing if I can get my hands on one in 2017.

After a conversation I had yesterday with someone in the know I'm sticking by this statement. Supposedly the CF wheels take some specific equipment to change the tires and not everyone has that equipment. I'm not afraid to use the wheels on the track but what I'm saying is for those that track their car often using other tires most will use aftermarket wheels and not the CF wheels as their "track wheels".

 

[fuhrius]

After a conversation I had yesterday with someone in the know I'm sticking by this statement. Supposedly the CF wheels take some specific equipment to change the wheels and not everyone has that equipment. I'm not afraid to use the wheels on the track but what I'm saying is for those that track their car often using other tires most will use aftermarket wheels and not the CF wheels as their "track wheels".

did you mean 'change the tires'?

 

[VoodooBoss]

A couple of links to Carbon Rev. Note the photos of the 350R on the Instagram page.

http://www.carbonrev.com/

https://instagram.com/carbonrev/

 

[VoodooBoss]

Re: GT350 R Carbon Fiber Wheels **Pricing**

As posted on SVT from White Bear Ford parts guy here's the prices and parts number for the CF wheels.

The wheels run $9882.40 for a set of four.

FR3Z*1007*S 2266.00 ea
FR3Z*1007*R 2675.20 ea

 

[Grant 302]

Man, that first curb is gonna HURT!

 

[VoodooBoss]

Hurt the wallet!

 

[fuhrius]

that actually seems reasonable given what you're getting for that $10k. Where else could you allocate those dollars (versus high-quality non-carbon wheels) to get the same performance pay-off?

 

[Tob]

It'd be nice to follow sales of these wheels through the Ford Parts network to see who is buying them, what they are actually paying for them, and how many are sold in a single year.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Just for reference, a really nice set of Forgelines will run you under $5K...

 

[BigTaco]

that actually seems reasonable given what you're getting for that $10k. Where else could you allocate those dollars (versus high-quality non-carbon wheels) to get the same performance pay-off?

Hella This.

 

[fuhrius]

Just for reference, a really nice set of Forgelines will run you under $5K...

yep...which makes the $10k carbon wheels a $5k upgrade from other really good wheels. they're lighter and stronger and OEM. I'm not saying that totally justifies the price...we're clearly at the front end of a trend toward more carbon everywhere and we're paying a premium to be at the leading edge. But how cool are carbon wheels? ;-)