View Poll Results: Which wheels would you like to buy?
Economy Line Bogarts, at less than $1K per set. No grinding or spacers needed.
83
45.11%
Weld Draglites/ProStars that fit without grinding or spacers.
75
40.76%
Centerline Telstars/ConvoPros that fit without grinding or spacers.
26
14.13%
Voters: 184. You may not vote on this poll
Wheel Poll (Bogart, Weld, Centerline)
08-01-2006, 07:05 PM
#22
Originally Posted by bigdsz
Madman, I'm not looking for a high end wheel. I'm looking for a wheel that will get me to and from the track on cheater slicks, without the risk of failure. I don't want to pay a big premium because this or that wheel is so good looking. Weld and Centerline both make numerous wheels that are very modestly priced, read $200 Vs $400 for high end, and IMHO look very nice. The fallicy is that people have been conditioned to think that you have to pay a big price to get a high quality product. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I guess I am from a different generation. If I wanted a wheel to drive on the street and wanted it to be superstrong then I bought a cheap wheel. I then gave a little and accepted the wheel to be heavy and either a Centerline or a low end Weld. When I wanted a light wheel that withstood the rigors of racing then I went to Bogart or the high end Weld. I never even thought about compromise. That isnt an option for me. But then I never wanted cheap either.
Oh what the new generation brings about.
08-01-2006, 10:54 PM
#24
Lots of good input guys. For the folks who really prefer a street setup that is safe, no drag wheel is a good option for the street and track. Keep all drag wheels on the track, not street…period. The idea of being a drag wheel is to decrease weight and concentrate on non-lateral movements...some wheels are more specific in this area over others, but none really are a good idea to be used on the street.
Front runners take most of the damaging stress loads...they are what you need to pay particular attention to. Rear wheels are secondary concern. NO drag front runner is street safe or approved for street use. Finding one would that does not say "for drag use only" on it would be ultimately an impossible task. (if you happen to find one somehow, it would probably not be called a “drag” wheel)
I think that for the folks who want the ‘best of both worlds”, there really isn’t any. Madman brought up a good point, which I know may be hard to adhere to especially when a budget may not allow it. My input is as follows, an analogy that I can best give is: Take an all season tire; no one uses them on our cars…why? Well they are not optimized for the summer in addition, for the winter, they are not very good either…so what you’d have is a tire that really is rather poor in both areas. Similarly, the same applies to a wheels performance.
My current suggestion is as followed, for the guys who want a street setup, concerned about street safety, forget the drag wheel…stick with a street setup that is designed to take higher lateral loads AND is light. This means stick with a wheel that is designed for road race use where high-lateral loads/stress is seen.
We setup guys with RR “skinnies” for that reason. One of our 17x6 wheels is rather light combined with our very light RR rear wheels (lighter then some of the rear-centerline drag wheels some of you guys use); the setup is better suited conversely then a heavier typical safe street wheel setup. Our RR setup in this manner really isn’t going to be the best drag setup, nor street setup, but at least you’ve got a setup that is as light as possible taking into consideration they are built to handle high-lateral loads!! The post isn’t addressing these wheels, nor are they in the price-range asked for…I’ve only mentioned it to show a safer option. Drag wheels period are not a safe street option. They wouldn’t be called “drag wheels” if they were. No need to comment that our RR wheels are too expensive for this poll or not an option for a particular person due to costs.
I did work on the prototype *Street/Strip Bogart designs (*note "drag wheel" is not in the name) which would have met the price-range demands listed BUT ran into a few snags…LS1 calipers have a large overhang which ultimately reduces backspace options regarding design…having a wheel stick too far out isn’t something that you guys want either…main problem why this is so hard to fit drag wheels in the first place.
Big, you've voiced your opinions in a few posts of which we appeared to butt heads, I really wish I had a better solution for you. Looking at what you've done to your car, it seems like you've got one very nice setup an invested quite a bit into it... a lot of money. Why skimp now? If you want something inexpensive then the Prostar weld wheel may be a good choice BUT don’t use them on the street or consider driving to the track as they are not safe… If you want to take advantage of your current setup for performance, then light-weight drag wheels is the best choice. It may be more expensive, but performance gains will be seen.
All and all…in the end, for the street, keep a good set of light street wheels so that handling is not sacrificed…driving on skinny drag wheels on the street takes much fun out of the everyday cruises and twisties.
I believe due to the LS1 design caliper, wheels that would meet your needs is going to be a very big shoe to fit. It may be easier to choose a smaller caliper with less overhang. ...I'm dreading the newer car designs and their caliper setups!! This may be the biggest challenge of them all...drag wheels may not be an option. The necessity of changing to smaller calipers may be a necessary solution.
Front runners take most of the damaging stress loads...they are what you need to pay particular attention to. Rear wheels are secondary concern. NO drag front runner is street safe or approved for street use. Finding one would that does not say "for drag use only" on it would be ultimately an impossible task. (if you happen to find one somehow, it would probably not be called a “drag” wheel)
I think that for the folks who want the ‘best of both worlds”, there really isn’t any. Madman brought up a good point, which I know may be hard to adhere to especially when a budget may not allow it. My input is as follows, an analogy that I can best give is: Take an all season tire; no one uses them on our cars…why? Well they are not optimized for the summer in addition, for the winter, they are not very good either…so what you’d have is a tire that really is rather poor in both areas. Similarly, the same applies to a wheels performance.
My current suggestion is as followed, for the guys who want a street setup, concerned about street safety, forget the drag wheel…stick with a street setup that is designed to take higher lateral loads AND is light. This means stick with a wheel that is designed for road race use where high-lateral loads/stress is seen.
We setup guys with RR “skinnies” for that reason. One of our 17x6 wheels is rather light combined with our very light RR rear wheels (lighter then some of the rear-centerline drag wheels some of you guys use); the setup is better suited conversely then a heavier typical safe street wheel setup. Our RR setup in this manner really isn’t going to be the best drag setup, nor street setup, but at least you’ve got a setup that is as light as possible taking into consideration they are built to handle high-lateral loads!! The post isn’t addressing these wheels, nor are they in the price-range asked for…I’ve only mentioned it to show a safer option. Drag wheels period are not a safe street option. They wouldn’t be called “drag wheels” if they were. No need to comment that our RR wheels are too expensive for this poll or not an option for a particular person due to costs.
I did work on the prototype *Street/Strip Bogart designs (*note "drag wheel" is not in the name) which would have met the price-range demands listed BUT ran into a few snags…LS1 calipers have a large overhang which ultimately reduces backspace options regarding design…having a wheel stick too far out isn’t something that you guys want either…main problem why this is so hard to fit drag wheels in the first place.
Big, you've voiced your opinions in a few posts of which we appeared to butt heads, I really wish I had a better solution for you. Looking at what you've done to your car, it seems like you've got one very nice setup an invested quite a bit into it... a lot of money. Why skimp now? If you want something inexpensive then the Prostar weld wheel may be a good choice BUT don’t use them on the street or consider driving to the track as they are not safe… If you want to take advantage of your current setup for performance, then light-weight drag wheels is the best choice. It may be more expensive, but performance gains will be seen.
All and all…in the end, for the street, keep a good set of light street wheels so that handling is not sacrificed…driving on skinny drag wheels on the street takes much fun out of the everyday cruises and twisties.
I believe due to the LS1 design caliper, wheels that would meet your needs is going to be a very big shoe to fit. It may be easier to choose a smaller caliper with less overhang. ...I'm dreading the newer car designs and their caliper setups!! This may be the biggest challenge of them all...drag wheels may not be an option. The necessity of changing to smaller calipers may be a necessary solution.
08-02-2006, 07:11 AM
#25
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How exactly are weld wheels not safe for street use besides them being skinny??? I have used mine for over 2yrs DD driving with no problems and know of many more that do the same. Others i hear about them splitting.
08-02-2006, 07:26 AM
#26
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I just want a wheel I can drive ~20 miles to the track on and is cost efficient. I don't want to drive on them every day, nor do I want to pay out the nose for them.
08-02-2006, 10:35 AM
#27
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Originally Posted by MADMAN
Why would you want a "cheap" high end wheel??
08-02-2006, 11:04 AM
#28
Originally Posted by ReaperSS
How exactly are weld wheels not safe for street use besides them being skinny??? I have used mine for over 2yrs DD driving with no problems and know of many more that do the same. Others i hear about them splitting.
I don't want to take this off-course from the intended post. I firmly believe that many of you guys should stick with a street wheel for the street, then change to a drag wheel for racing so that you are safe and secure. Afterall, safety should be first and foremost.
...this is not a discussion of wheel usage, it is a poll to see what you guys are looking for. From what I see, it looks like you want the best of both worlds which would be difficult if not impossible to meet.
Please keep the poll going.
08-03-2006, 09:03 AM
#31
I drove for 2 years on Weld Draglites (my first 98 Formula) and front runners. Sure, I couldn't take corners very quick, but I just drove it more carefully. Eventually, one of the wheels formed a crack inside (between the halves) and leaked air. Externally, the wheel looked perfect. This was most likely caused by fatigue failure over time. That set had around 25K miles on them. I've known guys that cracked them much sooner, but they were probably also taking corners much harder than I was.
What Steve is saying is that front runners are not designed to handle side loading. I agree. If you run front runners on the street, do NOT push those corners and side load the wheels. Its only a matter of time until they crack or bend if you do so.
What Steve is saying is that front runners are not designed to handle side loading. I agree. If you run front runners on the street, do NOT push those corners and side load the wheels. Its only a matter of time until they crack or bend if you do so.
08-04-2006, 11:01 AM
#32
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the only reason i choose both worlds is for the fact that i cant afford to have 2 sets of wheels. And i race other places besides the strip so i need something that will handle both.
08-05-2006, 10:03 PM
#33
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Originally Posted by Nine Ball
Lets face it, the majority of guys buying drag wheels go for appearance first, then worry about the weight (because all "drag" wheels/tires are still lighter than factory wheels/tires). Only the diehard track racers with full blown racecars worry more about having the lightest wheel possible.
Running track is all about getting the lightest wheel/$. The look is totally subjective. People would still be buying Welds if the Bogarts where not lighter. Like Steve said, everyone wants the lightest wheels/cheapest price. Go figure .Having a "Bugdet" Bogart wheel would just slow their sales down and decrease margin. Bogart wheels = highend and ligtest. Last time I went to the Thunder shootout everyone was running Bogarts except Steve Quinn
.Ryan
08-06-2006, 12:13 AM
#34
((((((Administrator))))))
I have to say Bogarts! 
I bought my Bogarts from Steve (SJM Manufacturing Inc) about 4 years ago and they're still are in great shape. I drove on them all over Houston, and for six months while my Fikse's were out for a re-anodize job I drove around on the Bogarts everyday.
Like Tony stated, you just have to take it easy on any drag wheel...no autocross driving style. And yes, I have seen a few buddies with Welds fall apart on them. You have to drive easy on drag wheels, bottom line.
Peace,
Craig.
I bought my Bogarts from Steve (SJM Manufacturing Inc) about 4 years ago and they're still are in great shape. I drove on them all over Houston, and for six months while my Fikse's were out for a re-anodize job I drove around on the Bogarts everyday.
Like Tony stated, you just have to take it easy on any drag wheel...no autocross driving style. And yes, I have seen a few buddies with Welds fall apart on them. You have to drive easy on drag wheels, bottom line.
Peace,
Craig.
08-06-2006, 06:41 AM
#35
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Originally Posted by 96-speed
Totally false. Have you seen the "weight list" lately? Running track is all about getting the lightest wheel/$. The look is totally subjective. People would still be buying Welds if the Bogarts where not lighter. Like Steve said, everyone wants the lightest wheels/cheapest price. Go figure .
Having a "Bugdet" Bogart wheel would just slow their sales down and decrease margin. Bogart wheels = highend and ligtest. Last time I went to the Thunder shootout everyone was running Bogarts except Steve Quinn.
Ryan
Running track is all about getting the lightest wheel/$. The look is totally subjective. People would still be buying Welds if the Bogarts where not lighter. Like Steve said, everyone wants the lightest wheels/cheapest price. Go figure .Having a "Bugdet" Bogart wheel would just slow their sales down and decrease margin. Bogart wheels = highend and ligtest. Last time I went to the Thunder shootout everyone was running Bogarts except Steve Quinn
.Ryan
08-06-2006, 03:05 PM
#36
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Bogarts hands down.
The customer service was excellent, Steve stands behind the product, the wheels look pimp and they're light. I don't know how you can put a price on safety but ultimately its your choice/problem. My wife and I couldn't put a price on safety and felt the additional cost of Bogarts was well worth it.
Besides, the price of the wheels is a fraction of what some of other parts cost.
The customer service was excellent, Steve stands behind the product, the wheels look pimp and they're light. I don't know how you can put a price on safety but ultimately its your choice/problem. My wife and I couldn't put a price on safety and felt the additional cost of Bogarts was well worth it.
Besides, the price of the wheels is a fraction of what some of other parts cost.
08-06-2006, 05:53 PM
#37
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id personally stay with the weld prostars that fit without grinding. i love the way those wheels looks. bogarts are nice wheels but i just like the prostars more.
08-11-2006, 07:59 AM
#39
Originally Posted by MADMAN
I guess I am from a different generation. If I wanted a wheel to drive on the street and wanted it to be superstrong then I bought a cheap wheel. I then gave a little and accepted the wheel to be heavy and either a Centerline or a low end Weld. When I wanted a light wheel that withstood the rigors of racing then I went to Bogart or the high end Weld. I never even thought about compromise. That isnt an option for me. But then I never wanted cheap either.
Oh what the new generation brings about.
Oh what the new generation brings about.
I was happy to pay retail price for my Bogarts. You really do get what you pay for with drag wheels. Last edited by Zger; 08-11-2006 at 08:11 AM.
08-11-2006, 10:12 AM
#40
Originally Posted by Zger
My thoughts exactly. I was happy to pay retail price for my Bogarts. You really do get what you pay for with drag wheels.
I was happy to pay retail price for my Bogarts. You really do get what you pay for with drag wheels.Hey man, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn for sale. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that they are happy to pay full list price.