BBS Wheels, what do teams cost them at?

[dartmouth01]

Any teams here use the one piece BBS magnesium wheels they offer for FSAE teams? If so, can you tell me how much you costed them in the report? Since they are custom for one application, they haven't been able to give me a specified retail cost.

[fsae racer]

I thought we could cost them at the price we pay for them, $200. We ordered some just before the end of the new year and were told that they would be shipped middle of Feb. Are you looking at the same time line? We were only given drawings for 2 different offset wheels both 13x6. Have you seen drawings for a wider wheel? What are you guys using for drive pins and wheel nuts?

[IsheeM]

How are you getting one piece wheels? Everyone I have talked to said that BBS will provide three piece wheels? I think the one piece look better though.

Thanks,

[fsae racer]

Ask for Bob Wilson in racing at BBS of America in Braselton Georgia. He has been very helpfull and is always willing to at least listen to your questions even if he doesnt have an answer.

[dartmouth01]

We recieved the wheels before Christmas actually, pretty soon after we ordered. We have them in 13x6 and 0 offset. We got them pretty quickly, probably because we just asked what they had in stock and ordered from the choices they had. There weren't many choices in stock (more choices in color than in offset, actually), so perhaps yours are being manufactured now. We didnt inquire about a wider wheel, and we only saw two drawings, probably the same drawings you have. Which in the end didn't actually match up to any of the offsets they had in stock, oddly enough.

I am also under the impression that the wheels should be cost at $200 each, but I thought I remember some other teams that used these wheels in Pontiac last year, so I figured I'd post and ask what others have costed them at, just to be sure.

In terms of of look, they're nice, but lack some refinement. They're light, weighing in at 7.4 lb on our scale. But they have a very rough finish to them, and the paint job looks like it was done by a blind man with a rattle can (at least the inside part, which shouldn't be too visible at least). But they're a fair amount less weight than our wheels from last year, so we're happy overall.

Note, the wheels we got are centerlocking, and I assume all the one piece models are the same, just in case anyone is considering them.

[fsae racer]

Are you guy making or buying you wheel nuts and drive pins? As for the nuts, I would think, the ones for the left side of the car would almost certainly a left hand thread. Are you just going to use a normal tapered nut on the wheel eventhough it does not have a chamfer for the nut? Or does the wheel you got have a chamfer? When you say the wheel you recieved have 0 offset, you mean the hub/wheel flange was centered between the inner and outer bead correct? Lastly, how many pin holes do your wheels have?

[dartmouth01]

Oh, in terms of drive pins and center wheel nuts, we're still thinking about it. Center wheel nut will most likely be anodized aluminum, we're still deciding on pitch and reverse or forward threading.

[fsae racer]

Joseph in Oklahoma recommended the wheel nuts that Bishop racing in Oklahoma sells, as they are only 30 bucks. However, I have been unable to obtain any information about the nut itself. If anyone knows anything about this nut or any other readily purchasable nut, it would greatly appreciated. Thanks ina advance.

[dartmouth01]

I'm not at the shop at the moment, so I'll have to get back to you on some of the questions, but here's what I can remember.

I think there are 12 holes for drive pins, but don't quote me on that just yet. I'll have to check on chamfer, but I want to say that I think there was some chamfer on the surface in question. We will most likely manufacture the wheel nut, not sure about the drive pins, but I'm guessing we'll make those as well if we can't find a supplier for the exact diameter we'll need. O offset as in centered, yes, at least that was what I was told by Bob. I need to check on that myself though.

[dartmouth01]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't explicit when I was saying that we'll most likely manufacture our own wheel nuts, but if anyone has suggestions of good places to get them, please let us know!

[rjwoods77]

http://www.hyperracing.com
http://www.sprint-carparts.com/about.htm

[NovaCat2005]

Our team is using the BBS 3 piece wheels. They are exactly the same as were described except with a 4x100 bolt pattern with 16mm counter-sunk holes. The cast magnesium centers look rough, and have been painted...poorly.

[95M3Racer]

Originally posted by NovaCat2005:
Our team is using the BBS 3 piece wheels. They are exactly the same as were described except with a 4x100 bolt pattern with 16mm counter-sunk holes. The cast magnesium centers look rough, and have been painted...poorly.

Exactly the same but they are 3 peice, heavier and 4 bolt http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif I am not sure if i'd call that exactly the same haha. Goodluck Nova!

[J Mac]

I thought i'd add two things. First, don't cost them at $200. That is not the MSRP or whatever and you will get screwed big time on your cost report. You have to cost them at whatever normal people would buy them at. Also, Friday was Bob Wilson's last day, so don't bother asking for him.

[mysticv6]

Has anyone else made a descicion as to what to cost these at?

[Daves]

Are these the ones? They are the wheels I would like for my own car.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~dfr/thumbnails/P1010010_jpg.jpg (http://www.dartmouth.edu/~dfr/index1.htm)

[mysticv6]

Yup, those are them.

[dartmouth01]

For those teams that are running the FSAE Special BBS rims (the ones pictured above), I've got some info on pricing that I think I'm going to use. If any of you who are running these wheels has other information and will be using another price on the cost report, please let me know...

As far as my understanding goes, these wheels are made specially for a manufacturer who makes cars for the Formula Atlantic or similar series. I contacted them and found that they buy these wheels at $310 each. Unfortunately, they can't give me their documentation on cost, because those are internal documents, but I have the name of a contact in the company who we can list on the cost report and will vouch for the price. PM me if you want the information, I just dont want to post this personal info on the net.

Let me know if you guys come up with something else.

Al

[IsheeM]

Our drivetrain guy inquired about the cost of the three piece wheels and it was something around $600. We will unfortunately be using that.

[mysticv6]

We plan on costing the wheels the same way Dartmouth is also.

[MGizzle]

Hey, how much do those bbs rims weigh?? And what about the tire that you guys use??

[Mike Cook]

What is the prefered method of centering BBS's centerlocking wheel? There is no taper on the nut side, only one the wheel flange face. Putting a matching taper on the spindle does not seem like the optimal way of doing this. Thanks.

[TG]

Originally posted by Mike Cook:
What is the prefered method of centering BBS's centerlocking wheel? There is no taper on the nut side, only one the wheel flange face. Putting a matching taper on the spindle does not seem like the optimal way of doing this. Thanks.

If you taper both sides you then over-constrain the wheel on the spindle leading to the nut and the spindle working against each other during use and shortening their life.

[Mike Cook]

So what your saying is that I should just taper the spindle and call it good? The problem with this is that for the wheel to sit up against the spindle flange, and for the taper to hold the wheel centered, the taper needs to be dead nuts as far as overall diameter. I can do this but having a tapered nut would seem much easier. Maybe I'm missing something.

Mike

[TG]

Originally posted by Mike Cook:
So what your saying is that I should just taper the spindle and call it good? The problem with this is that for the wheel to sit up against the spindle flange, and for the taper to hold the wheel centered, the taper needs to be dead nuts as far as overall diameter. I can do this but having a tapered nut would seem much easier. Maybe I'm missing something.

Mike

I guess you could try tapering the wheel and use a tapered nut... just without anything on the spindle. I'm just not sure how it would turn out. You could try it, but I don't know if it would be worth the risk of screwing up the wheel if it didn't work out (you have to remember these wheels are magnesium, so a little care needs to be applied).

[Mike Cook]

I just found out that BBS recomends making the wheel a slip fit over your spindle/hub. Also that drive pins should be concentric.