Carbon Fibre Rims
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Culpam Poena Premit Comes
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From: Sydney, Australia
Carbon Fibre Rims
I was only thinking about it the other day that it would only be a matter of time before things like these hit the market!
This ones for you Andrew you carbon fiber ho!
2.76 KG each!
They're made by Weds so I'm sure that at least some R&D went into making it but im not sure if they would stand up to the abuse our sydney roads would give them.
This ones for you Andrew you carbon fiber ho!
2.76 KG each!
They're made by Weds so I'm sure that at least some R&D went into making it but im not sure if they would stand up to the abuse our sydney roads would give them.
Shootin' from the hip
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Given that modern high end race boats have spars, winches and hulls made of carbon that have to withstand many tons of load (and often a quickly changing load), I don't see why car wheels cannot be engineered from carbon. Ditto most unsprung components (except maybe tyres, lol).
Buzz Buzz Buzz
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From: Melbourne, Victoria
Given that modern high end race boats have spars, winches and hulls made of carbon that have to withstand many tons of load (and often a quickly changing load), I don't see why car wheels cannot be engineered from carbon. Ditto most unsprung components (except maybe tyres, lol).
Hit it with enough newtons and the **** will hit the fan ... flying you backwards in a massive fireball of death.
I'm not talking cracks here either. Ever hit a cf squash racquet on a wall and seen it shatter? Well ... usually I'm concentrating too hard on the game when it happens to me (causing me to nip the wall a bit hard), but I've done some pretty impressive breakages over the years I've been playing ... usually averaging with about 3-5" of racquet being converted into shards (with a damage bill of $300+ a pop) ... sometimes more of the racquet becomes unrecognisable)
So, hit that speed hump, hit that rock, rash that kerb or blow a tyre at the right force and bang, there goes one rim ... and the rest of your car (presuming you'd need a decent amount of speed to provide enough force and presuming you have trees, cows or some other obstacle in the way of your chaotic direction of travel)
Using CF for structural stuff is good, but for wheels in my humble opinion: it's a bit risky as the rolling stock is more important to keep control in a crisis situation in comparison to chassis components.
That's just my 2 cents anyway.
Edit: I forgot to add that alloy rims with similar strength would be less brittle in my mind due to the metallurgical structure of the material.
Last edited by Cromax; Feb 4, 2008 at 08:44 PM.
Buzz Buzz Buzz
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From: Melbourne, Victoria
Shootin' from the hip
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From: Sydney, Australia
Problem is, for carbon fibre to be stronger, it also ends up more brittle.
Hit it with enough newtons and the **** will hit the fan ... flying you backwards in a massive fireball of death.
I'm not talking cracks here either. Ever hit a cf squash racquet on a wall and seen it shatter? Well ... usually I'm concentrating too hard on the game when it happens to me (causing me to nip the wall a bit hard), but I've done some pretty impressive breakages over the years I've been playing ... usually averaging with about 3-5" of racquet being converted into shards (with a damage bill of $300+ a pop) ... sometimes more of the racquet becomes unrecognisable)
So, hit that speed hump, hit that rock, rash that kerb or blow a tyre at the right force and bang, there goes one rim ... and the rest of your car (presuming you'd need a decent amount of speed to provide enough force and presuming you have trees, cows or some other obstacle in the way of your chaotic direction of travel)
Using CF for structural stuff is good, but for wheels in my humble opinion: it's a bit risky as the rolling stock is more important to keep control in a crisis situation in comparison to chassis components.
Edit: I forgot to add that alloy rims with similar strength would be less brittle in my mind due to the metallurgical structure of the material.
Hit it with enough newtons and the **** will hit the fan ... flying you backwards in a massive fireball of death.
I'm not talking cracks here either. Ever hit a cf squash racquet on a wall and seen it shatter? Well ... usually I'm concentrating too hard on the game when it happens to me (causing me to nip the wall a bit hard), but I've done some pretty impressive breakages over the years I've been playing ... usually averaging with about 3-5" of racquet being converted into shards (with a damage bill of $300+ a pop) ... sometimes more of the racquet becomes unrecognisable)
So, hit that speed hump, hit that rock, rash that kerb or blow a tyre at the right force and bang, there goes one rim ... and the rest of your car (presuming you'd need a decent amount of speed to provide enough force and presuming you have trees, cows or some other obstacle in the way of your chaotic direction of travel)
Using CF for structural stuff is good, but for wheels in my humble opinion: it's a bit risky as the rolling stock is more important to keep control in a crisis situation in comparison to chassis components.
Edit: I forgot to add that alloy rims with similar strength would be less brittle in my mind due to the metallurgical structure of the material.
The kind of cf failures you speak of are generally the result of under-engineering the component in question to achieve lightness at the expense of strength and durability (the very public sinking of an AC boat comes to mind). This problem is something that has been worked through the yachting industry for many years now and new curing techniques have been developed to overcome the brittleness you refer to.
Frankly, if they can build a wholly carbon multi-hull that Ellen McArthur can smash through the southern ocean for weeks on end, I reckon cf rims coping with potholes isn't an impossible proposition.
I also find your comparison of wheels and chassis as priorities in a 'crisis situation' pretty useless. Talk about drawing a very long bow...
Shootin' from the hip
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From: Sydney, Australia
Buzz Buzz Buzz
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From: Melbourne, Victoria
I have seen cf masts snap and shatter, which is a whole lot scarier than losing a squash racquet.
The kind of cf failures you speak of are generally the result of under-engineering the component in question to achieve lightness at the expense of strength and durability (the very public sinking of an AC boat comes to mind). This problem is something that has been worked through the yachting industry for many years now and new curing techniques have been developed to overcome the brittleness you refer to.
Frankly, if they can build a wholly carbon multi-hull that Ellen McArthur can smash through the southern ocean for weeks on end, I reckon cf rims coping with potholes isn't an impossible proposition.
I also find your comparison of wheels and chassis as priorities in a 'crisis situation' pretty useless. Talk about drawing a very long bow...
The kind of cf failures you speak of are generally the result of under-engineering the component in question to achieve lightness at the expense of strength and durability (the very public sinking of an AC boat comes to mind). This problem is something that has been worked through the yachting industry for many years now and new curing techniques have been developed to overcome the brittleness you refer to.
Frankly, if they can build a wholly carbon multi-hull that Ellen McArthur can smash through the southern ocean for weeks on end, I reckon cf rims coping with potholes isn't an impossible proposition.
I also find your comparison of wheels and chassis as priorities in a 'crisis situation' pretty useless. Talk about drawing a very long bow...
Shootin' from the hip
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Sydney, Australia
Anyone who buys these things for less than racing purposes is simply having themselves on, so I'm not in the market for them. It is interesting to see the development though.
And generally speaking, I think more and more car manufacturers will be investing in light weight technologies to aid fuel economy. Audi have been trying to do it for a while now with aluminium and even Ferrari has recognised that lighter weight should be pursued as diligently as more ponies.
Simply put, as fuel becomes more expensive, such development will become more commercially affordable. When large family cars are nearing the two tonne mark you just know that the auto equivalent of Jenny Craig needs to be called in...
Buzz Buzz Buzz
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From: Melbourne, Victoria
And I was merely responding to your post (as you responded to mine previously by quoting it) because I thought your views were outdated and potentially misleading to less informed readers. I have no interest in debating it further with you.
Anyone who buys these things for less than racing purposes is simply having themselves on, so I'm not in the market for them. It is interesting to see the development though.
And generally speaking, I think more and more car manufacturers will be investing in light weight technologies to aid fuel economy. Audi have been trying to do it for a while now with aluminium and even Ferrari has recognised that lighter weight should be pursued as diligently as more ponies.
Simply put, as fuel becomes more expensive, such development will become more commercially affordable. When large family cars are nearing the two tonne mark you just know that the auto equivalent of Jenny Craig needs to be called in...
Anyone who buys these things for less than racing purposes is simply having themselves on, so I'm not in the market for them. It is interesting to see the development though.
And generally speaking, I think more and more car manufacturers will be investing in light weight technologies to aid fuel economy. Audi have been trying to do it for a while now with aluminium and even Ferrari has recognised that lighter weight should be pursued as diligently as more ponies.
Simply put, as fuel becomes more expensive, such development will become more commercially affordable. When large family cars are nearing the two tonne mark you just know that the auto equivalent of Jenny Craig needs to be called in...
And your opinion is your opinion.
Rotary noob
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From: Melbourne, VIC, AU
New Member
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From: Melbourne, Australia
I prob like the CF centre with metal rim... look hot!
I will cost your arm and leg. Put it that way. The Carbon fibre wheels for a bicycle is $1500 for a set of 2. How much would that cost??
BTW: The Zipp wheel I said is whole sale price. RRP is over $2000.
I will cost your arm and leg. Put it that way. The Carbon fibre wheels for a bicycle is $1500 for a set of 2. How much would that cost??
BTW: The Zipp wheel I said is whole sale price. RRP is over $2000.
Last edited by takahashi; Feb 5, 2008 at 05:30 AM.
Pettit fangurl <3
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If CF wheel is ideal for racing purpose, I wonder why F1 havent use CF for their wheels ? Highly doubt Japanese is the first ones that thought about it .. "hang on.. why dont we use CF for wheel construction?" -..-"
there must be some kind of draw back why CF is not use as wheel manufacturing material.... if CF is so tough now days as some1 upstairs point out why is F1 body still snaping into pieces during collison ? Dont tell me bcoz F1 is not using the same kind of high end technology as a boat would, or potentially not using it to save costs.....if there is a weight saving in change of material to save weight on a more simple device.. I am sure all those top teams with top money would fly at it while using those saved weight and spend it on something else.. as we all know F1 cars have weight requirement...
But then again... if the CF construction wheel is not safe enough to be use in all any condition... how would they pass the Japanese alloy wheel governing body...yes they have a governing body for wheels....
sorry.. there are too many unknown factors and unknown knowledge of high end technology for a normal civiliian like myself.. but I personally think it would snap any second ! haha..
there must be some kind of draw back why CF is not use as wheel manufacturing material.... if CF is so tough now days as some1 upstairs point out why is F1 body still snaping into pieces during collison ? Dont tell me bcoz F1 is not using the same kind of high end technology as a boat would, or potentially not using it to save costs.....if there is a weight saving in change of material to save weight on a more simple device.. I am sure all those top teams with top money would fly at it while using those saved weight and spend it on something else.. as we all know F1 cars have weight requirement...
But then again... if the CF construction wheel is not safe enough to be use in all any condition... how would they pass the Japanese alloy wheel governing body...yes they have a governing body for wheels....
sorry.. there are too many unknown factors and unknown knowledge of high end technology for a normal civiliian like myself.. but I personally think it would snap any second ! haha..
Last edited by rotalution; Feb 6, 2008 at 03:55 AM.