It is actually lighter than stock 18. It weighs 24lbs front 27lbs rear. Stock 18 weighs 28lbs front and 30lbs rear. No idea about work's.

 

Good deal. You know I've heard of Linea Corse, but don't really know much about them. How does this brand compare to premium brands like Volk & BBS? I'm kinda leery b/c of the low price. How's the strength of the wheel?

 

so far so good. I have no problem with the wheels. I used to run MRR wheels which some people doubt its strength but I had no problem whatsoever, and I had hit some big potholes with that wheels too. Just don't run into big potholes at 70 mph, even $5000 wheels would be damaged if you do that. lol.

IMO low price ≠ no good..

 

I love the new setup Ricky! So flush!

 

Linea Corse is made in the Phillipines at the same place that makes Rota wheels. I believe they're cast just like Rota so they aren't really in the same market as a forged wheel like Volk or BBS. That said there are plenty of cast wheels out there that work just fine for OEM and aftermarket applications and they are much more affordable. They just won't be as light weight as a forged wheel because they need more material to offer the same strength. So as long as it's well designed the wheel should function just the same as another. Why is the stock OEM wheel so darn heavy? Because it's cast and Lexus specified the design a certain way so it would be strong enough. For most people wheels are all about the looks and style so whether it weighs a few pounds more or less than the stock wheel doesn't really matter that much.

 

I guess stock wheels are made strong for drivers who love curbs..esp female drivers..

 

So it's safe to assume that the similar looking Work Varianza T1's are a much stronger & higher quality wheel compared to the Linea Corse's?

Me personally, I am concerned about performance FIRST. I do not want a heavier aftermarket wheel. I know from experience, lighter wheels can make a big difference.

I do like the look of the design of this wheel and if they are indeed lighter than oem, priced significantly less, and strong enough, they look like winners in my book. Does anybody know what the Work Varianza T1's weigh? Also just to confirm, for these wheels to clear the 350's brakes, you MUST add spacers. correct?

 

Yes, at least 8mm spacers.. but to be safe I put 10mm, also 10mm is much easier to find than 8mm.

edit: only the front brakes, the rear clears fine without spacers.

 

Looks great Ricky!

Javier

 

I'm not sure that the Works are any stronger or higher quality. They have name brand cachet and they are two-piece design custom made to order in Japan, but I couldn't tell from the Works site whether they are forged or not. My guess is not, most forged wheels are strongly marketed as such if they are. On the D2 site they list one type of Works wheel (Rezax) that is forged, the rest are not listed as such. But people like to say their wheels are JDM not made in the Phillipines even if they look the same right?

I just found this 2007 interview with the president of Work Wheels, Takeshi Tanaka:

link to full interview: http://forums.jdmcentral.net/archive...hp/t-1572.html

there he said it -- a cast wheel is just fine for the street, arguably even better due to its absorption qualities.

I also read this other article posted @ OG-Made where they tested a lightweight wheel vs. a standard one on a track and found that stiffness and rigidity mattered more than weight: http://og-made.com/archives/category/ame-technology
Their conclusion: Making a wheel light at the cost of rigidity actually hurts the performance of the car overall, resulting in slower lap times.

Sorry to take this so far off-topic but it's been an area of interest for me as I researched what wheels to get and I've put a lot of thought into it. To go back on topic, I've seen Ricky's wheels in person and they look good!

 

looks great... I love this setup on this car

 

hmm.. this is interesting.. all this while I thought forged wheel is stronger, and hence better durability to potholes, bends or damage. and I thought light wheels are better so overall the car is lighter and handles better? but anyways my experience with cast wheels all this time have been great.. no problem whatsoever..and fyi I have hit big potholes before..and the wheels are still in one piece..

 

What would you expect to hear from the guy who sells Works for a living? Also all forged wheels are NOT made equally. The method Rays Engineering uses, for example, is substantially stronger than the more common forging process used by most forged wheel manufacturers. You're right that lightness at the cost of rigidity is never a good thing (unless you're in an F1 car), but when done properly, a forged wheel is always superior in performance and strength to a cast wheel.

BTW, just for everyone's edification - Work wheels (street use, publicly sold wheels, not the ones they only supply to GT cars and such) are NOT forged. There are only three companies in Japan that have the forging equipment required to make true forged wheels. BBS, Rays, and one other company that escapes my memory (because they don't sell wheels, they private-label them for many other "forged wheel" retailers).

Javier

 

have an angle shot of the rear?

 

I will have to take some pics first. Once I do that I will post them up here.. stay tuned..