18" BBS Challenge Wheels discussion

I’m sat having a coffee break so I will give my opinion to this and try to back it up with references so please if you want to disagree (which is fine) please try to do the same if we are the have a rational debate.
It would be great if an actual subject matter expert chimed in.

Whether a wheel is legal for use in a country depends solely on where that country sets the bar and nothing else.
Reading the Apex Motorsports link I posted earlier it appears the US could set it quite low, as does the UK (where I am).

It is indeed a fact the BBS 18” 360 Challenge rims have a manufacturer label with “competition only, not for street use” but don’t automatically mix this up with legality.
Sure…..don’t expect any support from the manufacturer if you were to have an issue but it doesn’t automatically make it illegal to use them either. Again that depends on what your local legislation allows.

My point on the other thread was that BBS have marked the wheels with a JWL symbol (Don’t take my word for what it means….look it up).
So as I read it there are two labels on the wheels, which could justifiably be seen as contradictory.
One is removable, hidden and will never normally be seen by the end-user and one is cast into the back of the wheel, isn’t removable and is visible.
As these wheels bolt straight on to the road car (unlike the 430 ones) it could also have been reasonably foreseen that these wheels would be used on the road and if they were to be unsafe for road use, I believe BBS would still have a liability issue.

Comments were made that meeting the JWL standard can be by self-certification (it isn’t always). This maybe an issue for some ‘no-label copy’ wheels but should certainly not an issue for probably the global leader in alloy wheel manufacture.
Does TUV certification exist for them? Who knows…..I couldn’t find and I doubt anyone can a TUV certificate for any Ferrari OEM wheel but if you can or have it on listed on your local conformity documents please post the reference.

The UK uses what’s called an IVA test for personally imported cars to make sure they meet UK standards. Tyres are covered by it, strangely wheels aren’t.
In fact I could not find any legislation in the UK when I bought the wheels to see what they had to comply with. If it came to it I would have to demonstrate that they were suitable for use and for that I’d fall back on the JWL mark.

Finally, I’ve run these wheels on my car in the UK for 3 years/10k miles and particularly the wider front tyres really improve the turn-in and steering feel.
They are also declared as a modification on my insurance.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I cannot see any reason why I cannot legally use these wheels in the UK even if it is against the wheel manufacturers recommendation.
I’d remove them immediately if I found this to be incorrect.

Skidlid said why let facts (the label) interfere with my opinion that these wheels are OK for street use.
Exactly the opposite….it is because the facts as I see them do not interfere with my choice to run them……

Flame away but as the OP said initially let’s have a decent debate

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A well presented case. As I said before, it is doubtful that anyone would ever check the wheels (even in the case of a wheel failure) so there is little risk from a legal side. I also do not think that they are inherently unsafe or going to systematically fail with street use. BUT, none of that changes the manufacturers recommendation so it is valid as well. Taken together means it is down to a choice. For me, the 18" aren't as attractive as the 19" CS wheels and difference in weight isn't as critical to me so the choice is easy. For you the improved turn in (one of the primary reasons they ran them on the challenge cars) and weight may be much more important. Then you make a choice. Neither is really wrong but we are simply selecting different trade offs.

 

Agreed.....going against a manufacturers recommendation always puts you out on a limb.

I also ask why the didn't put unsafe or unsuitable for road use on the label.
That would be harder to ignore.....


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So if putting 18" Challenge wheels on a Modena what size studs are required?

 

I absolutely love those videos. The wheels do look tender as they are bashing over the bumps flying downhill in the rain in that second one, hahaha! I especially like the single pink ribbon they are using to protect the bystanders in the crowd in areas.

Anyway, isn't it possible that Ferrari/BBS had no reason to go through the headache and cost of getting these wheels approved for street use when they were intended for off road/track use only? Why would they bother? Seems to be the most plausible explanation to me.

 

Quite possibly but what does 'approved for street use' actually mean or need?

 

I ran them for 3 years on my 360, no issues. They came from a respected F.chatter in the UK who had no issues for years also. A friend now owns my 360 and has had zero issues. Best to avoid pot holes with any alloy wheel. I now have a 430 and have read that many have suffered from bent rims.

 

Holy cannoli !! My god, that's some intense driving. I think I need a cigarette.

 

I meant TUV approved or the like which was tossed around earlier in the thread. I'm sure there are significant cost and logistics involved in getting a wheel approved and if these were never meant for the street why would they go through the process and incur the expense? Lack of a street transportation type approval rating doesn't mean they are weaker than street wheels in any way.

I'll throw another one out there, if these are aluminum does anyone know if they are forged or what process was used to produce them? Forged wheels are usually lighter and stronger than cast wheels. These seem very similar in build quality to my BMW E9X M3 Competition Pkg wheels also made by BBS. Not forged but I think made with a higher pressure cast than a gravity cast wheel.

 

All true. A few are very sensitive to people who point out that they these haven't been tested EVEN IF we aren't saying that they are weaker or in any way worse.

These were made using BBS's "Flow Forming". Cast wheels are melted aluminum poured into a mold. Flow Forming the aluminum is heated and pressed, similar to forging but with heat to make it flow more easily. Forged is just that, a big press. BBS says that flow forming produces wheels almost as strong as forged and much lighter than cast. That probably means flow formed wheels are not as strong as forged and they are somewhat heavier than forged. Kind of the middle ground.

 

Great info, thanks!

 

Not sensitive John just trying to dispel the myths and keep to the facts
If you know they haven't been tested post up the evidence then we can add it to the fact list.

Facts;
They carry a JWL mark.
We don't know if they have been TUV tested or not.
You don't need a TUV certificate to run them on the road in all countries.
They aren't made of chocolate.

 

Generally a racing wheel is missing TUV or DOT approval. Racing wheels are disposable. They are usually run until one hits something, then when bent, are discarded not repaired. They are usually lighter then road approved wheels because the unsprung mass reduction is more important then durability. -1 or 2# per wheel is significant to motion rates when setting up a suspension for the track. Also slicks last 1 race or a couple practices, so the wheels are constantly being inspected during tire changes, and pressure setup prior to and during track use. If a crack forms, it gets discovered very quickly, and the wheel is discarded. Can anyone using them on the street say they are doing this level of maintenance?

All that said, if you dont hit curbs and you don't hit large potholes they will work fine on the street, just understand they are not built for typical road abuse, check them often.

For the record
real challenge wheels are 8x18 & 10.5x18.

 

Has any one confirmed the biggest brake you can squeeze inside this front wheel

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Has anyone in this, or any other thread, mentioned the specs for the 18" challenge wheels?
Google turns up a search with varying measurements.
Also, I assume they have a gloss finish in order for the stickers to attach, correct?

 

Hello Jason,

I have a mint set of the 18” Challenge Wheels for sale. What kind of info are you looking for? Also, yes gloss finish.

Cheers, Mat

 

Looking for the specs. I have a set of BBS on my car that look to be the same spec but aren't, seeing how they have a rough finish.
For a minute, I thought maybe they were Challenge wheels.

 

Can you post some photos of what you have? The parts numbers are visible from the outside of the wheels on the outer edges of the faces. RE480 and RE481 if I remember correctly.

Front- BBS RE480, 8x18
Rear- BBS RE481, 10.5x18

 

Those are the sizes and numbers on my wheels. So, I assume that means they are challenge wheels? They do say BBS on them, also.
The finish is rough, not shiney.
Interesting.


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Yes, these are OEM Ferrari 18" Challange BBS wheels.

Originally they cam from the factory like this: NEW 18" Ferrari 360 Challenge Front BBS OEM factory competition wheel rim | eBay

Alot of people had them stripped and painted OEM Ferrari Argento Nuburgring Silver and clear coated to look more "street" rather than "race".

 

I think mine have been media blasted. There's no paint, they are bare metal. The finish is kind of rough so I don't think stickers would adhere.
Now I kind of want to get them back to factory spec. I wonder how much trouble it would be to smooth them out and painted the right color.