Billet 3 pc wheels... Now finished!!!! Loads more pics and a video added
25-02-2011, 04:22 PM
#1
Billet 3 pc wheels... Now finished!!!! Loads more pics and a video added
Thought you might find this of interest 
. My Firenza runs 16" wheels front and rear and originally had 225/45 (608mm tall) on the front and 245/45 (625mm tall) on the rear, anyhow it soon became clear that the fronts were too tall as they would foul the wings when turning on bump and so I had to step down to 225/40 (586mm tall) tyres.
This had the knock on effect of making the rear tyres look like balloons compared to the new fronts, so I thought ok lets get new rear tyres too but I soon discovered that there is a very limited choice in 16" rubber and there isnt anything available that would work
Then I had a brainwave, bin off the rear wheels completely and buy a new pair of 17" TFNs from Compomotive and fit 245/35x17 (604mm tall) tyres. This would give a great look and also the overall height of the rear would come down, job jobbed!
Well, once I had convinced myself that spending 1k on rear wheels and tyres was a good idea I was straight on the phone to Compomotive to place my order.... Only to be told that they had no stock of TFN 17" centres and that they had no plans to remake them any time soon if at all I really wanted them so I nagged and nagged but it fell of deaf ears, then brainwave no.2 came. Why not get someone to copy my original 16" rears and machine me a new pair from billet but in 17" , Boyd Coddington styleee 
Next problem was who I could get to do the job, called Mark at MK Motorsport and he said 'no problem'
So Monday he will have all the parts from me and he's ordering a couple of big lumps of 6082 alloy. Will post pics as the process happens, quite excited about it tbh
Tractor rears...
So I sent Mark my original 16" rear..
And a 17" CXN centre (for outer rim location measurements)
. My Firenza runs 16" wheels front and rear and originally had 225/45 (608mm tall) on the front and 245/45 (625mm tall) on the rear, anyhow it soon became clear that the fronts were too tall as they would foul the wings when turning on bump and so I had to step down to 225/40 (586mm tall) tyres. This had the knock on effect of making the rear tyres look like balloons compared to the new fronts, so I thought ok lets get new rear tyres too but I soon discovered that there is a very limited choice in 16" rubber and there isnt anything available that would work
Then I had a brainwave, bin off the rear wheels completely and buy a new pair of 17" TFNs from Compomotive and fit 245/35x17 (604mm tall) tyres. This would give a great look and also the overall height of the rear would come down, job jobbed!Well, once I had convinced myself that spending 1k on rear wheels and tyres was a good idea I was straight on the phone to Compomotive to place my order.... Only to be told that they had no stock of TFN 17" centres and that they had no plans to remake them any time soon if at all
I really wanted them so I nagged and nagged but it fell of deaf ears, then brainwave no.2 came. Why not get someone to copy my original 16" rears and machine me a new pair from billet but in 17" , Boyd Coddington styleee Next problem was who I could get to do the job, called Mark at MK Motorsport and he said 'no problem'
So Monday he will have all the parts from me and he's ordering a couple of big lumps of 6082 alloy. Will post pics as the process happens, quite excited about it tbh Tractor rears...
So I sent Mark my original 16" rear..
And a 17" CXN centre (for outer rim location measurements)
Last edited by Martin-Hadland; 08-07-2011 at 07:44 AM.
25-02-2011, 05:08 PM
#4
hi wanted to do billet 3 piece wheels for some time ,so this is a good opportunity to start doing them ,i will be doing billet cxn centres or any billet centres not available anymore ,we will be able to supply in most offsets ,diameter ,and widths ,and probably could do one offs ,these will all be available through martin at reyland ,so any enquires please contact martin
thanks mark
thanks mark
03-03-2011, 07:27 AM
#16
Update The CAD drawing has been started by Mark 
Lucky for me that yesterday I decided to buy the inner and outer rims, so I called Compomotive and they don't keep the sizes that I need! :-( So I spoke with Image wheels who sold me a pair of inners and outers, I'm lucky because I found out before Mark had made the centres that Compomotive use 30 fixing bolts and Image use 35!
The CAD drawing has been started by Mark Lucky for me that yesterday I decided to buy the inner and outer rims, so I called Compomotive and they don't keep the sizes that I need! :-( So I spoke with Image wheels who sold me a pair of inners and outers, I'm lucky because I found out before Mark had made the centres that Compomotive use 30 fixing bolts and Image use 35!
Last edited by Martin-Hadland; 03-03-2011 at 07:32 AM.
03-03-2011, 10:36 AM
#18
nice.
can mark just get the outers "off the shelf" in assorted sizes/widths then as long as he has the right bolt pattern for his supplier??
be a good thing to get into especially if he can knock out good quality product and still undercut the competition. Image do some lovely rims but the price is quite scary
can mark just get the outers "off the shelf" in assorted sizes/widths then as long as he has the right bolt pattern for his supplier??
be a good thing to get into especially if he can knock out good quality product and still undercut the competition. Image do some lovely rims but the price is quite scary
07-07-2011, 06:45 PM
#19
Update time
Click on the image below to see the CNC machine churning them out
More pics....
Pre fettling and paint...
Had the rims back off Mark about a month ago, they were 98% there and just needed small bits of finishing which was fine as he gave me something nearly finished that I could sort myself
I did a bit of final machining and dropped the centres off at Compomotive so they could put them through the paint process and fit the steel inserts for the wheel nuts. I collected them today and have now bolted then together and to say I'm happy would be an understatement ......
Compomotive were properly impressed with our efforts Tyres on tomorrow.
Click on the image below to see the CNC machine churning them out
More pics....
Pre fettling and paint...
Had the rims back off Mark about a month ago, they were 98% there and just needed small bits of finishing which was fine as he gave me something nearly finished that I could sort myself
I did a bit of final machining and dropped the centres off at Compomotive so they could put them through the paint process and fit the steel inserts for the wheel nuts. I collected them today and have now bolted then together and to say I'm happy would be an understatement ...... Compomotive were properly impressed with our efforts
Tyres on tomorrow.
Last edited by Martin-Hadland; 08-07-2011 at 07:42 AM.
07-07-2011, 09:21 PM
#34
Testing the future
how does this work with regards safety? i'm not saying they're not as safe as the originals, but how do you know if they are or not? it's a critical component.
i'm sure that compomotive would have had something to say if they had any doubts, so i'm sure you done a proper job regarding material selection etc it would be a shame if any tom, dick or harry saw ideas like this and just thought that they could knock something out on the cnc machine and it be good enough.
in germany, you would not be able to fit these as you wouldn't have the paperwork to prove that they had been approved for safety come MOT time (or any other time the cops stop you)
i'm sure that compomotive would have had something to say if they had any doubts, so i'm sure you done a proper job regarding material selection etc
it would be a shame if any tom, dick or harry saw ideas like this and just thought that they could knock something out on the cnc machine and it be good enough.in germany, you would not be able to fit these as you wouldn't have the paperwork to prove that they had been approved for safety come MOT time (or any other time the cops stop you)
08-07-2011, 07:31 AM
#36
how does this work with regards safety? i'm not saying they're not as safe as the originals, but how do you know if they are or not? it's a critical component.
i'm sure that compomotive would have had something to say if they had any doubts, so i'm sure you done a proper job regarding material selection etc it would be a shame if any tom, dick or harry saw ideas like this and just thought that they could knock something out on the cnc machine and it be good enough.
in germany, you would not be able to fit these as you wouldn't have the paperwork to prove that they had been approved for safety come MOT time (or any other time the cops stop you)
i'm sure that compomotive would have had something to say if they had any doubts, so i'm sure you done a proper job regarding material selection etc
it would be a shame if any tom, dick or harry saw ideas like this and just thought that they could knock something out on the cnc machine and it be good enough.in germany, you would not be able to fit these as you wouldn't have the paperwork to prove that they had been approved for safety come MOT time (or any other time the cops stop you)
I don't think too many Ron, dick and Barry's would have a go, as soon as they priced the material, rims and bolts they'd soon think twice but having said that there are plenty of talented folk out there so why not??
In Germany (Sweden & Norway too I think) they want paperwork for almost anything non OE but that doesn't stop people using non TUV approved stuff
