New lightweight wheels

AB7 · Postby **AB7** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:39 am

Yes, the full carbon wheel is 2.76 KG!!!..I assumed in 17\"
No more buckle!!! Hello pothole and see your wheels shreeds :shock:

16bit · Postby **16bit** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:05 am

if you used a kevlar or other arimid fibre in the weave it will not shatter.

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:12 am

Composite wheels have been on motorbikes for quite a while now, but then they have a lot less sprung weight.
I think Blackstone Engineering in the US was a pioneer for composite wheels for cars. I have a nice air filter heat shield from them

GP · Postby GP » Wed Feb 06, 2008 1:20 pm

Hard to Imagine they would be legal considering how fragile the stuff is in comparison to alloy. :shock:

ben wilson · Postby **ben wilson** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 5:36 pm

GP wrote:Hard to Imagine they would be legal considering how fragile the stuff is in comparison to alloy.

For toughness, I'd take carbon/kevlar over cast alloy any day. Straight carbon is probably still a lot stronger than cast alloy, but its failure will be a lot worse.

Brad · Postby **Brad** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:35 pm

Well if F1 hasn't been using them there must be a reason...and after looking at the regs, this would be because...

\"12.3 Wheel material :
All wheels must be made from an homogeneous metallic material.\"

http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.ns ... penelement

16bit · Postby **16bit** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:23 am

Carbon fibre has an equal maxium modulus strength and major failure point hence why is fine until it shatters. However kevlar is near on indstructable and is part of regulation for v8 supercars to have as part of the laminate in any composite material used on or in the cars. I am sure these wheels would be safe to use in any condition if they have been constructed with this in mind. After all per weight carbon and kevlar are both quite a bit stronger then pretty much all alloys.