Is anyone familiar with these wheels or the company that is producing them? It sounds like they don't even have a model planned for this wheel but what are your thoughts?

http://blog.cardomain.com/blog/2008/...-first-on.html

 

Until the carbon nano-tube technology has really progressed, these wont be a reality. Ive seen a full carbon wheel prototype by a Japanese company, but they wont really build them. They are available for motorcycles, but the stresses are much lower, and the wheels are still not ultra strong.

 

Yes I'm very familiar with them in motorcycles thus I was surprised it had never been done in autos yet but it sounds like they are confident they can build them but want to know if there is a desire. I don't see them fitting in well with BMW's but maybe with porsche a f-cars.

 

CF isnt a very ideas material for a full wheel. The barrel is an OK use, even though its still somewhat brittle in comparison to aluminum alloys, but unless the spokes are rather thick, its not a good material. Im not an expert, but I do have experience with CF and a slight engineering background. It would be interesting to get someone to build these wheels and test out how strong they really are with TUV/JWL methods.

 

I believe WEDs in Japan makes a full carbon wheel, but like stated above, wont be available to the public. Looks sick either way.

 

There's a good reason the 100% carbon wheel has not made it to the market.
Current technology allows CF to be properly stressed only in one direction. In those applications it has a fiercely high strength-to-weight ratio. That's why it is used in aircraft.
Unfortunately, a wheel is not an airplane wing. CF will fail if subjected to the radial/lateral cross loads common in automotive wheel centers.
That's why the only CF wheels on the market use an alloy center.

 

Here is a photo of the Weds wheel. Per above, strictly for show, and no further research on a potential commercial release. The weight is approx. 15 kgs.

 

why so heavy?

 

My guess is he meant 15 lbs and not 15 Kg (33 lbs).

 

i would also like to see the durability of this wheel

 

Even if the durability is there, what is your option for repairs if/when you kerb a wheel? I've never seen CF repairs that actually matched the fiber pattern, so even if you could repair it you'd likely end up with an obvious patch job on an incredibly expensive wheel.

 

I highly doubt it would weigh 15 lbs. I had forged magnesium wheels on my MV Agusta, and they weighed like 12 lbs together. The weds wheel was, I believe, 15 or 16", and CF would be lighter than the magnesium. Ive also done 16" aluminum wheels that weighed about 15 or 16 lbs.

 

I saw that wheel in person in Japan at this years Tokyo Auto Salon. I believe it only weighed 6 lbs. But when you picked it up it was so flimsy.

 

That's freaking nice, but can Carbon really strong enough to support a vehicle?

 

Yeah, and also what happens when it comes time to dismount/mount new tires after the old ones wear out? Better hope the tire installer doesn't mess up the rim!