Magnesium Wheels the Benefits and Pitfalls Yes or No

[Juno]

As this seems a hot topic I thought i'd start a thread about the benefits and pitfalls

Seems some people love them and some are not sure,I'm in the not sure category

Benefits:

Unsprung weight saving
Improved steering
Improved braking
Improved handling

Negatives:

Cost if damaged
Timescale to replace if damaged (I have heard 3 months in one case)
Can they be repaired and at what level of damage?

Questions:

Looks Subjective ?

Can anyone this side of a pro driver really feel or exploit the benefits ?


My summary is I like the technical advantages and don't really want to give them up, weight saving etc.

I'm terrified of the cost to replace and potential of the car being off the road if a lengthy wait for a new wheel.

I like the look of the standard wheel.


I'm currently favoring the standard wheel,I think .

[Cheib]

Given the nightmare people had with GT2 RS’s and WP magnesium wheel supply....replacement has got to be the biggest issue. Damage a wheel whilst they’re supplying a run of GT cars and three months could be mighty optimistic I reckon!

[Taffy66]

Cheib said:

Given the nightmare people had with GT2 RS’s and WP magnesium wheel supply....replacement has got to be the biggest issue. Damage a wheel whilst they’re supplying a run of GT cars and three months could be mighty optimistic I reckon!

Apolo1 had to have a Mag wheel replaced on his GT2 RS..The cost was £10K inc tyre, however he was lucky as his insurance covered the loss..

[993rsr]

40k miles on them in a CGT.

Still round, despite the worst of potholed roads and bouncing over the curbs of tracks in the EU and UK on numerous occasions.

No issues at all, careful when parallel parking and still in tip top shape after 15 years.

Worth the weight saving on unsprung mass if an option on the RS, just take a bit of care.

[Pope]

If you ordered and didn't get them; now you would've got them and have your spare set to boot - if you wanted them. I would see that as a bit of a result; one set for use; the others for best

[MeisterH]

Just buy a standard set? OR spec standard and but aftermarket BBS

[IMI A]

I'd buy them and store them as they'll be very expensive to buy from parts direct. If you're worried about potholes maybe order a normal set as a spare set and use these daily? Agree the standard wheels do look nicer but those mag wheels are going to be unicorns in a few years and virtually irreplaceable and also nice to have with WP

As an aside you definitely feel benefits of unsprung mass of lighter wheel on turn in. Well I do on a turbo but the stock turbo wheel is very heavy by comparison to a BBS F1 to be fair. I expect the stock GT3 RS wheel is very light any way.

[Taffy66]

IMI A said:

I'd buy them and store them as they'll be very expensive to buy from parts direct. If you're worried about potholes maybe order a normal set as a spare set and use these daily? Agree the standard wheels do look nicer but those mag wheels are going to be unicorns in a few years and virtually irreplaceable and also nice to have with WP

As an aside you definitely feel benefits of unsprung mass of lighter wheel on turn in. Well I do on a turbo but the stock turbo wheel is very heavy by comparison to a BBS F1 to be fair. I expect the stock GT3 RS wheel is very light any way.

I think as the second RS batch is going to be such a rare car then it makes every sense to choose both WP and Mag rims..The WP's USP is Titanium cage and Mag wheels..Both of these items together make the RS appreciably lighter which is what the Weissach pack is all about.
With both these options coupled with the second batch RS apparently being 18Kg lighter than the first batch even without WP..This translates to a total 47Kg lighter RS but only by getting the full WP benefits.

Edited by Taffy66 on Monday 13th May 08:27

[APOLO1]

Juno said:

As this seems a hot topic I thought i'd start a thread about the benefits and pitfalls

Seems some people love them and some are not sure,I'm in the not sure category

Benefits:

Unsprung weight saving
Improved steering
Improved braking
Improved handling

Negatives:

Cost if damaged
Timescale to replace if damaged (I have heard 3 months in one case)
Can they be repaired and at what level of damage?

Questions:

Looks Subjective ?

Can anyone this side of a pro driver really feel or exploit the benefits ?


My summary is I like the technical advantages and don't really want to give them up, weight saving etc.

I'm terrified of the cost to replace and potential of the car being off the road if a lengthy wait for a new wheel.

I like the look of the standard wheel.


I'm currently favoring the standard wheel,I think .

I have driven a GT2RS both with steels and Mag back to back. There is quite a bit of difference in the steering feel and feed back. Under breaking hard from very high speed could not feel any difference. I damaged one at very low speed on road the replacement OEM with a tyre was 11k, Insurance paid out. The Damaged wheel was repaired by an Indy Co for under 200..00 Inc Paint etc. I would 100% go with Mag wheels as the cost when brought with the pack is very good value, also unless it has the Mag wheels it wont be a full WP car in my opinion.

[MDL111]

If my memory is not playing tricks on me, then my 355 had some type of magnesium rims and I definitely had them refinished a couple of times after curbing them.

[hunter 66]

993rsr said:

40k miles on them in a CGT.

Still round, despite the worst of potholed roads and bouncing over the curbs of tracks in the EU and UK on numerous occasions.

No issues at all, careful when parallel parking and still in tip top shape after 15 years.

Worth the weight saving on unsprung mass if an option on the RS, just take a bit of care.

It cos you drive ......very gently
964 RS had them and come resale they were critical , but we all drove them with copies and kept the real ones aside .

[GT3RS]

get the wheels

[isaldiri]

IMI A said:

I expect the stock GT3 RS wheel is very light any way.

The stock RS wheel is actually bloody heavy.

That said, it's financially sensible to buy the mags, as an option price they are stupidly cheap vs buying on their own. Just get a second set of wheels (plenty floating around from 2rs owners that got 'free' standard wheels when mags weren't available). Price difference more than makes up for it.

P.S I strongly dislike mag wheels due to the pita involved with them and now I've found an alternative forged ali wheel for the car that has mags I am awfully tempted to get them and store the mags....

[Juno]

APOLO1 said:

Juno said:

As this seems a hot topic I thought i'd start a thread about the benefits and pitfalls

Seems some people love them and some are not sure,I'm in the not sure category

Benefits:

Unsprung weight saving
Improved steering
Improved braking
Improved handling

Negatives:

Cost if damaged
Timescale to replace if damaged (I have heard 3 months in one case)
Can they be repaired and at what level of damage?

Questions:

Looks Subjective ?

Can anyone this side of a pro driver really feel or exploit the benefits ?


My summary is I like the technical advantages and don't really want to give them up, weight saving etc.

I'm terrified of the cost to replace and potential of the car being off the road if a lengthy wait for a new wheel.

I like the look of the standard wheel.


I'm currently favoring the standard wheel,I think .

I have driven a GT2RS both with steels and Mag back to back. There is quite a bit of difference in the steering feel and feed back. Under breaking hard from very high speed could not feel any difference. I damaged one at very low speed on road the replacement OEM with a tyre was 11k, Insurance paid out. The Damaged wheel was repaired by an Indy Co for under 200..00 Inc Paint etc. I would 100% go with Mag wheels as the cost when brought with the pack is very good value, also unless it has the Mag wheels it wont be a full WP car in my opinion.

Who repaired them Apolo

[Juno]

I'm checking to see if I can still add them?

[IMI A]

isaldiri said:

IMI A said:

I expect the stock GT3 RS wheel is very light any way.

The stock RS wheel is actually bloody heavy.

That said, it's financially sensible to buy the mags, as an option price they are stupidly cheap vs buying on their own. Just get a second set of wheels (plenty floating around from 2rs owners that got 'free' standard wheels when mags weren't available). Price difference more than makes up for it.

P.S I strongly dislike mag wheels due to the pita involved with them and now I've found an alternative forged ali wheel for the car that has mags I am awfully tempted to get them and store the mags....

What’s the forged ali wheel? BBS F1 R? I’m a bit surprised Porsche offer a carbon wheel option for turbo but not for GT3 RS and GT2 RS. I’m quite taken with the idea of a set of carbon wheels for 991 turbo s. Bit dear at the moment but hoping Porsche run a special deal on them like they do on other wheels from time to time. Surprised the stock wheel heavy on an RS. Looks so light!

[Taffy66]

IMI A said:

What’s the forged ali wheel? BBS F1 R? I’m a bit surprised Porsche offer a carbon wheel option for turbo but not for GT3 RS and GT2 RS. I’m quite taken with the idea of a set of carbon wheels for 991 turbo s. Bit dear at the moment but hoping Porsche run a special deal on them like they do on other wheels from time to time. Surprised the stock wheel heavy on an RS. Looks so light!

You're limited on how light you make a Forged aluminium alloy wheel in terms of compromising wheel strength..The BBS Fi Rs are nearly as light as the optional Mag ones however with significantly less torsional rigidity..This is why car makers switch to hyper expensive Mag rims in the quest for lighter yet equally strong wheels..CGT,918WP etc..

[isaldiri]

Taffy66 said:

You're limited on how light you make a Forged aluminium alloy wheel in terms of compromising wheel strength..The BBS Fi Rs are nearly as light as the optional Mag ones however with significantly less torsional rigidity..This is why car makers switch to hyper expensive Mag rims in the quest for lighter yet equally strong wheels..CGT,918WP etc..

I'd like to know where you get 'significantly less torsional rigidity' on the BBS forged aluminium wheel vs mag wheels. Magnesium does have a higher stiffness to weight ratio but the main difference between the 2 is in weight not in rigidity. And anyway before wheel flex starts being a factor, the tyre itself and suspension is going to moving around a hell lot more.

[Taffy66]

isaldiri said:

I'd like to know where you get 'significantly less torsional rigidity' on the BBS forged aluminium wheel vs mag wheels. Magnesium does have a higher stiffness to weight ratio but the main difference between the 2 is in weight not in rigidity. And anyway before wheel flex starts being a factor, the tyre itself and suspension is going to moving around a hell lot more.

You've just managed to contradict yourself in three sentences.

[isaldiri]

Taffy66 said:

You've just managed to contradict yourself in three sentences.

Ok I'll spell it out if you want. How exactly do you manage to come up with 'The BBS Fi Rs are nearly as light as the optional Mag ones however with significantly less torsional rigidity.'?

The mag wheels are iirc about 10% lighter if not more than the bbs wheel. Half a kilo maybe more for the front, almost a kg for the rear. I strongly disagree that the bbs wheel will have 'significantly less torsional rigidity'. it perhaps has a bit less rigidity i agree but it's an irrelevant amount less, especially given tyre flex and suspension compliance.