Are 360 Challenge 18" Wheels really magnesium?

I thought they were. I have some pictures on my work computer but wont be there for a couple days. They do have a sticker on the back that clearly says they are not to be repaired if damaged. That is why I would stay away from painted ones myself.

 

If they are the Challenge wheels with PN# 182058 and 182059, I believe they are aluminium. It will be stamped on the back of the wheel what they are - it should read "Al Si 7". Simply ask the seller to send you a pic of the back of the wheel with a close-up of this stamp, it is there - unless he removed it... All 18" 360 Challenge wheels I've seen, not 19" CS wheels, have been alu. They are made by BBS and are very light, but not made for the street. They are very soft and not very durable. There's a reason why the 19" CS wheel is quite a bit heavier - it was made for the road. I think they can be DOT'd in the US as most wheels seem to can, but they cannot get a TÜV certification and run the roads here in Europe legally, they are not strong enough. I don't recall if there has even been any Challenge wheels in Magnesium since the Speedlines for the 348 and 355.

 

BBS Challenge wheels are aluminium

 

+1. 100% aluminium alloy and entirely suitable for road use......

I'm pretty certain they don't have the material marked in the casting.

They have the JML logo and are as strong as any other lightweight wheel.

I've run them for 3 years on the UK's shocking roads without issue.
Do people really believe the track is an easy environment? Kerbs?

They cannot be repaired due to the flow forming process. Which makes them very strong.


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The JWL stamp is not the same as a TÜV certification. It's a Japanese certification that is in no way as stringent and regulated as TÜV. Of course they can be run on the road if you are careful, but BBS never intended them to, It's not a matter of whether tracking is easier on the wheels or not, it's a matter of considering unsprung weight vs. durability. On a track in a race things are very different than on the street. Very few track wheels can be certified for road use for this very reason. These are actually lighter than the Speedline Mag wheels - that says something about how little material is actually there. I've seen them bend on roads, and I know many others have as well.

 

What does certified for road use actually mean? TUV is just a German standard.

18" 360 challenge wheels are only BBS CH wheels in Ferrari bolt pattern (the CS wheels are BBS CK)
If you look on the BBS site you can buy CH wheels made with the same flow forming process for road use. BMW fit them on some of their M cars.

Like I said I've used them for 3 years and 10k miles with no issues.
UK roads are amongst the worst in Europe.

I also frequently read they are soft and easily damaged which simply isn't true.
Sure you can damage them but you can damage any performance car wheel.




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This is correct and the key statement. The wheels are not technically legal in the US either. No one checks but they aren't legal IF someone were to check. What that means is: if a wheel fails or you have an accident and the wheel is damaged, your insurance likely won't cover the incident if they notice or find out about the wheels. It is not different than running track tires on the street. You can do it BUT given their change in grip if it rains or is cold, it probably isn't a great idea most of the time and you run the risk of negating insurance coverage.

 

Mythbuster:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/139031463-post3.html

 

Cool info !

 

sorry to slightly go off track....

are the 360 Modena starfish rims magnesium by any chance....having read that even the challenge rims aren't i believe that the Modena wouldn't be either.....but i do remember reading somewhere that they are magnesium and are hydrophilic (so shld be repaired asap when damaged)

 

I will be taking mine off this week for some brake and exhaust work and will check. I also have a set of starfish rims off of the car and will check those as well.

 

I will also check the Challenge Wheel set i have for sale ...

 

When BBS means "Intended for road use", they mean that the wheel is built to meet specific weight carrying criteria, can cope with certain rotational stresses and so forth. Yes the TÜV is "just a German standard" but it's a damn good one. Ask any wheel maker, HRE, BBS, OZ, RAYS, ADVAN etc. and they all say the same. It's the benchmark of wheel certification. Remember that a size and offset of wheel can be TÜV certified for several brands and models of cars. Sometimes they will have to be built a bit stronger than other times, depending on what cars they are meant to be certified for.

The Challenge wheel for the Ferrari 360 is not exactly like any other CH wheel. They were a limited run, made for Ferrari to meet their exact demands - which were to make them as light as possible for the track and not care about TÜV certification and long time durability. A normal 18x8" CH wheel weighs about 24-26 lbs. depending on offset and what cars they are certified for. Weigh a 360 Challenge front rim and you'll see there's a rather big difference in weight. That weight saving means less strength. It's been awhile since I've seen a 360 Challenge wheel on the scales, but I think the front's are like 17-18 lbs. by comparison. That's a huge difference.

 

Well mine have the JWL stamp.
Will definitely comply with the axle weight requirements as they are 360 specific.

The weight of the wheel is irrelevant as weight does not always equate to strength.

So again.....what is the issue?


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No one is stopping you; run them if you would like. RayJohn is a smart guy but as I recall, BBS sold that wheel "for off road use only". That means it was intended for track use where wheels are checked often and it wasn't intended for street use. But, do what makes you happy.

 

Here is the sticker that is on the inside of the challenge wheels.
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Thanks for posting this. I thought I remembered that but didn't have the proof. Why should facts interfere with Mike's opinion that these wheels are good for street use. Just don't cry to me if he has issues with them or the insurance company won't pay a claim.

 

No sticker on mine...

There is a JWL marking though and they are declared as a modification on my insurance policy. I'm fully covered........

The original comments were these are made of some kind of chocolate and not for road use. That is what I disagreed with.

I agree Ferrari will not want you to use these on a 360 road car. I believe if asked, they will say the same for F430 wheels or any aftermarket rim on a 360.
I also believe that as they are standard fitment BBS could reasonably expect people to use them and not want any liability from use.

The only facts here is a picture of a sticker or a marking cast into the wheels saying they comply with a globally recognised road wheel standard.
Why not omit the marking or cast in 'not for road use'?

Educate me......what do you need to run these or any other wheels legally in the US?
I still see no reason not to use them in the UK.




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I always thought that the issue was one of a smooth track vs a pothole laden street. Since the wheels are not to be repaired you run the risk of having to throw one away if you bend it, not that they are unsafe for "normal" use.

 

The JWL stamp is NOT a globally recognized stamp. It does not make the wheels legal anywhere in Europe or North America. It's a stamp that in Japan means it's a lightweight wheel and you're allowed to run it, on your own risk. It is also put there by the manufacture, not a 3rd. party sanctioning body. For the rim to be able to run on the racetracks over there, it also needs to be there - that's why it's there, not because it's a street wheel.

Does your insurance know that you run a wheel that is not CE or TÜV certified for use in Europe?

It is not Ferrari that tells you the wheel is not for street use - it is BBS, the manufacture. That sticker is a lot more telling than the JWL stamp. That stamp simply means it can run on Japanese roads and tracks. But hey, they also okay 16 lbs. 19" cast wheels on 700 hp 4000 lbs. cars. The aftermarket manufactures over there dictate that stuff in Japan, you can do everything to your car there, no matter how odd or dangerous.

You can do what you want, I don'r really care. It's your car and your wheels.

 

I've never seen a CE mark on a wheel and I very much doubt there is an EU directive covering wheels.....enough said

Pointless argument now and way off topic.....I'll bow out




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I should probably keep my mouth shut but I don't believe the comment about less weight = less strength is entirely true when it comes to wheels and metal alloys. I thought it depends on the type of alloy and the manufacturing process used. Am I wrong here? I don't want to jinx myself but I love my challenge wheels and they have been on the car for over a decade.

 

+1
I would like to know how many Challenge Wheels bad mouthing actually have experience using them on their cars.