I went to the site, and for all intents and purposes, they look the same. Perhaps the method of fabrication or type of material is the key. Not really sure. I've had a set of FM5's on the car for almost 3 years now and like them. The FM5 is an easy maintenance design and I love the look. WA2FST has or had a set on his ride as well.
I went to the site, and for all intents and purposes, they look the same. Perhaps the method of fabrication or type of material is the key. Not really sure. I've had a set of FM5's on the car for almost 3 years now and like them. The FM5 is an easy maintenance design and I love the look. WA2FST has or had a set on his ride as well.
Zrod
Yeah, I can't figure out the difference either. When you switched to the Fikse's, did you notice any difference between the stock Z06 rims and the FM5's as far as unsprung weight?
The thing I don't like about Fikse wheels (..and why I bought HRE 540R's instead for my Porsche 928) is that they 'cheat' with the rim.
Using their FM10's as an example, in order for Fikse to make an 18" wheel, they'll use the center portion (..the design part) of their 17" wheel, and then take an 18" rim, and step that down with an extra lip the 'reach' the 17" center portion.
What you end up with is a lot of rim (..too much rim IMO), and a teeny-tiny center portion which looks way too small and out of proportion with respect to the wheel as a whole, and especially when bolted onto the car.
Fikse also uses their 17" center with a 19" rim whose proportions are even more exacerbated. WAY too much rim, and not enough cowbell!
I have Kodiak track rims, and it looks like they use the same technique with their 17" rims; they use a 16" center portion, and and step down their 17" rim to match up with the 16" center.
Again, the results are the same, too much rim, and too small a center portion; it doesn't look 'right' to me. However, since they are track rims, I assume they do it for increased structural integrity for the rigors on the track. However, on the street, wheels are primarily a cosmetic choice with no need whatsoever for the strength and integrity of a track wheel.
So maybe their new 'Profile' series of rims address this 'issue', and make them more in line with other manufacturer's 'reverse-lipped' rims. A 19" reverse-lipped rim will not have it's rim step down to meet the center portion; instead, the center portion reaches all the way out to rim. So an 18" wheel uses an 18" center portion, and a 19" has it's own 19" center portion, etc.
The end result are longer 'fingers' in a mesh-type wheel like the Fikse FM10 versus an HRE 540R (..'R' is for reversed-lip). If you see the two types in person side-by-side, reversed-lipped versus standard, cosmetically, there is no comparison.
I posted this because at events, a lot of people have said while looking at my 928, that they wished they had known the difference before buying their non-reversed lipped rim.
Both rims do look good, and in the end, it all comes down to personal choice.
__________________
Road America 2:31.61 - Racepak G2X
5th time at RA; no other track experience
351 rwhp, x-pipe, engine oil cooler
Tunnel Plate, 04 Shocks, Kodiaks/trashcan-tires
The thing I don't like about Fikse wheels (..and why I bought HRE 540R's instead for my Porsche 928) is that they 'cheat' with the rim.
Using their FM10's as an example, in order for Fikse to make an 18" wheel, they'll use the center portion (..the design part) of their 17" wheel, and then take an 18" rim, and step that down with an extra lip the 'reach' the 17" center portion.
What you end up with is a lot of rim (..too much rim IMO), and a teeny-tiny center portion which looks way too small and out of proportion with respect to the wheel as a whole, and especially when bolted onto the car.
Fikse also uses their 17" center with a 19" rim whose proportions are even more exacerbated. WAY too much rim, and not enough cowbell!
I have Kodiak track rims, and it looks like they use the same technique with their 17" rims; they use a 16" center portion, and and step down their 17" rim to match up with the 16" center.
Again, the results are the same, too much rim, and too small a center portion; it doesn't look 'right' to me. However, since they are track rims, I assume they do it for increased structural integrity for the rigors on the track. However, on the street, wheels are primarily a cosmetic choice with no need whatsoever for the strength and integrity of a track wheel.
So maybe their new 'Profile' series of rims address this 'issue', and make them more in line with other manufacturer's 'reverse-lipped' rims. A 19" reverse-lipped rim will not have it's rim step down to meet the center portion; instead, the center portion reaches all the way out to rim. So an 18" wheel uses an 18" center portion, and a 19" has it's own 19" center portion, etc.
The end result are longer 'fingers' in a mesh-type wheel like the Fikse FM10 versus an HRE 540R (..'R' is for reversed-lip). If you see the two types in person side-by-side, reversed-lipped versus standard, cosmetically, there is no comparison.
I posted this because at events, a lot of people have said while looking at my 928, that they wished they had known the difference before buying their non-reversed lipped rim.
Both rims do look good, and in the end, it all comes down to personal choice.
I read somewhere a while back that with the profil series they did address this issue...That 19" wheels have true 19" centers...Could be wrong, but you may want to check into this. I was told this was the main difference between the two series.
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