612 Wheels

How severe would the handling and steering feel on a 612 OTO with HGTS suffer if I changed from 20 inch wheels to the standard 18 inch front, 19 inch rear setup? I'm trying to balance handling and performance with protection against near constant damage from NYC roads. Thanks.

 

I have a 2007 612 HGTS model with the following:
245/40/ZR19 Front
285/40/ZR19 Rear

I believe these are factory spec.

Excellent performance and comfortable ride.

Hear is a pick of it:
Ferrari 612 spotted in Charlotte, NC, North Carolina on 06/28/2014

 

Jef- The HGTS and HGTC models both came with 19" wheels OEM. That would probably be the best compromise. Tire diameters on the 18", 19", and 20" wheels are about the same, but there is a lot more rubber on the rim on the smaller sizes. If you fitted 18" and 19" OEM wheels (they are all the same width, 8" and 10") with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, I doubt handling would be compromised much, if any. Sets of those are pretty cheap and the Michelins are too, surprisingly.

 

Thanks Taz. Will the 18 or 19 inch wheels fit over the CC brakes on the OTO?

 

Jef- No, I do not think the 18" wheels will go over the 380 mm CCMs and 6 piston calipers. That is why Ferrari supplied 19" wheels with the HGTC package. Forgot to tell you that. Chris from Exoticar just e-mailed me to check as well, and I told him I knew who you were, but did not think they will fit. Sorry for leading you down the garden path. Hopefully he has a set of 19s, which will still be a big help with taller sidewalls and more cushioning compared to the 20s. The MPSS tires will help since they are much more compliant than the Pirellis or Bridgestones, while offering superior braking and cornering to both.

 

My 2006 came with OEM 19" front and rear. Steel, standard brakes.

 

My 07 came with the 19" wheels and ceramics. They have been sitting under a tarp for almost three years. Probably time to sell them if you are interested. Still have OEM tires on them that are probably dry rot by now, but they only had 7,000 miles on them. I'll look try to find a picture.

 

Found a picture. No TPMS or lugs, but you can have the center caps. I believe they were pretty close to perfect when I took them off. Is $1,700 plus shipping a fair price?
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Just curious - what does your 612 ride on now?

Thanks.

 

monolithics
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Are your 19s ball polished?

 

I'm not positive. They were pretty shiny from memory. Do you know if there was a non-ball polished version of this style? I'll take a picture when I get home from work tonight. I can probably check the original window sticker also, if I can find it quickly.

 

Jef- Bet they are and that is a great price. Here are the original specs for the HGTS/HGTC packages showing modular, ball polished wheels for the HGTC package with CCM brakes.

They look very nice.

Packages:
* *HGTS Package includes: Sports Exhausts, Modular Wheel Rims 19″ with Sport Tires, Colored Brake Calipers, Specific Suspension Control ECU, Revised F1 Gearbox Software with Shorter Gear Shift times.
* * *HGTC Package includes: Carbon-Ceramic Brake Discs, CCM System Mono-block Brake Calipers, Sports Exhaust, Ball-polished Modular Wheel Rims 19″ with Sport Tires, Color Brake Calipers, Specific Suspension Control ECU and Revised F1 Gearbox Software with Shorter Gear Shift times.

 

Thanks Taz. I've always kept them around in case I crack a monolithic or wanted some all seasons for our weather, but just never used them. Starting to really consider a 599, so it is time to pass them on to someone whom could use them.

 

If Jef does not buy them, Chris at Exoticar might be interested.

 

Very nice.

Are those wheels black or titanium grey?

 

Had them done in Grigio Silverstone.

 

Sent you a pm last night.

 

I pulled my ball polished wheels out of storage and I'm a little unsure if they look right. All of the wheels have something that looks like dimpling or pitting. I'm assuming this is the normal finish for the ball polished, but I have nothing to compare it against. I've attached a few pictures. Anyone know?
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Yup, that is normal. For real ball polished wheels, and not the painted variety, small ball bearings are used to bring out the shine in the metal and also work harden the aluminum-magnesium alloy (mostly aluminum) so the finish is very tough. Similar affect from the old technique of wheel turning aluminum surfaces for a similar lasting finish. I believe Ferrari does clear coat the wheels after ball polishing to ensure the finish does not fade over time.

 

Hi Macadoo, do you still have these wheels? Thank you!

 

I still have them. jef decided to pass. Probably for the best as I decided i will hold onto them for a while longer. I'd like to have the storage space back, but it might make more sense for me to keep as a backup plan in case I damage a current wheel. Sorry, just noticed your pm as well. You will be the first I contact when it is time to let them go which hopefully won't be that far off.