Method Race Wheels

[koozy]

Have done a few searches and come up dry. Team Dynamics takes any issue seriously. A link to a post will help. Thanks

Here's one of the cracking ones I recall, it's in your own thread. The one with regards to the center bore having to be sanded is somewhere here I'll have to dig when I have more time. I'm inclined to believe it's also in one of your threads too, but there's just too many pages for me to scroll through several of your threads right now.

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...ur-Fiesta-ST-!?p=142179&viewfull=1#post142179

 

[PCA-1]

Here's one of the cracking ones I recall, it's in your own thread. The one with regards to the center bore having to be sanded is somewhere here I'll have to dig when I have more time. I'm inclined to believe it's also in one of your threads too, but there's just too many pages for me to scroll through several of your threads right now.

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...ur-Fiesta-ST-!?p=142179&viewfull=1#post142179

Yes, and this wheel was immediately exchanged. I don't recall the bore issue. I'll see what I can dig up. Thanks for your time.

 

[koozy]

Yes, and this wheel was immediately exchanged. I don't recall the bore issue. I'll see what I can dig up. Thanks for your time.

I don't doubt your customer service. It seems like those that had issues were handled appropriately and to their satisfaction by you. I kinda wish you expanded your line of wheels besides TD. Your customer service before and after the sale is there, but your brand/product line up could expand some, IMO.

 

[Hijinx]

These Method wheels and the Sparco's are not competition wheels like the Team Dynamics Pro Rally wheels are. The Method wheels and the Sparco wheels are cheaper because they are manufactured the cheapest way, gravity cast, and they are made in China. Method doesn't manufacture wheels, nor does Sparco. These are brands in name only.

All Team Dynamics wheels are manufactured in the UK, by the same factory, Rimstock Plc, the largest OEM wheel manufacturer in the UK. There is no secret to this. All you need to do is visit Team Dynamics website, http://www.team-dynamics.com . As the Pro Rally is actually used on a professional level, and is the same, unmodified wheel you can buy, it is not in the same, lower class as either Method or Sparco. Not even close. No WRC team is going to slap on a set of gravity cast wheels made in China and hope they don't break and crash out. Just because a wheel "looks" like a rally wheel, certainly does not make one.

Many companies operate this way. It is more the norm than not. Contract with Chinese/Far East wheel manufacturer and go from there. Many of the brands Tire Rack sells are their own private label wheels. Bremmer Kraft, Sport Edition, Sport Tuning, and TR Motorsport comes to mind.

As far as beating prices go, you can buy the real thing or the cheap copy. Cheap, fake Rolex or real Rolex. Fake competition wheels, real competition wheels.

Speak out against mediocrity!


Scent from Glade Air Freshener

 

[Noodles]

Has anybody even gone to the Method site? They are wheels used in competition. They have it plastered all over the site.

Sent from the Canyon's Edge

 

[Genghis_Bob]

These Method wheels and the Sparco's are not competition wheels like the Team Dynamics Pro Rally wheels are. The Method wheels and the Sparco wheels are cheaper because they are manufactured the cheapest way, gravity cast, and they are made in China. Method doesn't manufacture wheels, nor does Sparco. These are brands in name only.

All Team Dynamics wheels are manufactured in the UK, by the same factory, Rimstock Plc, the largest OEM wheel manufacturer in the UK. There is no secret to this. All you need to do is visit Team Dynamics website, http://www.team-dynamics.com . As the Pro Rally is actually used on a professional level, and is the same, unmodified wheel you can buy, it is not in the same, lower class as either Method or Sparco. Not even close. No WRC team is going to slap on a set of gravity cast wheels made in China and hope they don't break and crash out. Just because a wheel "looks" like a rally wheel, certainly does not make one.

Many companies operate this way. It is more the norm than not. Contract with Chinese/Far East wheel manufacturer and go from there. Many of the brands Tire Rack sells are their own private label wheels. Bremmer Kraft, Sport Edition, Sport Tuning, and TR Motorsport comes to mind.

As far as beating prices go, you can buy the real thing or the cheap copy. Cheap, fake Rolex or real Rolex. Fake competition wheels, real competition wheels.

So what constitutes a "competition" wheel exactly? According to their website this is the same wheel David Higgins won a rally america championship on, while its no WRC but it is still a factory Subaru rally car. Is there any reason to believe they are lying? Also, they have a Rally america contingency program, that seems pretty competition oriented to me. I'm just curious because i've been considering these for awhile even though they're heavy for a 15 they seem durable, i was also hoping someone could chime in on the 48mm offset and if that would present any problem on a 15 inch wheel.

 

[PCA-1]

I don't doubt your customer service. It seems like those that had issues were handled appropriately and to their satisfaction by you. I kinda wish you expanded your line of wheels besides TD. Your customer service before and after the sale is there, but your brand/product line up could expand some, IMO.

First of all I thank you for your honesty. No one has taken the time to provide this sort of feedback. It is good to hear.

What I can tell you is I have looked into bringing on more brands. While I never will fail to explore an opportunity, I have yet to find either a company that will work with me or a company that I would want to work with. I am, perhaps, a bit old school. Anything I sell has to be of very good quality and value. I have been spoiled by Team Dynamics as the quality and value have stood the test of time, year after year. The ability to spec order individual sets , with full flexibility in sizes, specs, and colors with wide ranges of options is unparalleled at this price point. There is only one other company that does something like this, Braid, which I can sell, but is priced much higher and the wheel styles are limited. For cast rally wheels, Braid is a premium competition wheel in the segment with pricing that is more often than not too restrictive for the ST market.

For those who don't know me, PCA came straight from the 4x108 world. Specifically the Focus 00-11 models. Owning a Focus myself, I know very well the trials and tribulations of the 4x108 PCD. I stuck gold for the community with a chance out reach to TD that continues to grow in strength to this day. My door is always open, but you won't find me selling gravity cast wheels. I just cannot do it.

 

[PCA-1]

I have taken a look at the Method website and there offerings have greatly expanded since I last visited quite a while ago. I suspect they may have upped their game, targeting the Subaru market which Braid has been a major player in here in the US. Braid is out of Spain and manufactures their own wheels. Would be good to know the type of casting used. For the price, a minimum of low pressure casting I would think.

 

[PCA-1]

So what constitutes a "competition" wheel exactly? According to their website this is the same wheel David Higgins won a rally america championship on, while its no WRC but it is still a factory Subaru rally car. Is there any reason to believe they are lying? Also, they have a Rally america contingency program, that seems pretty competition oriented to me. I'm just curious because i've been considering these for awhile even though they're heavy for a 15 they seem durable, i was also hoping someone could chime in on the 48mm offset and if that would present any problem on a 15 inch wheel.

No issues with the 15x7/48mm offset fitment. The wheel will locate comfortably in the wheel wheel. Keeping with a stock wheel/tire diameter package, and not dropping the suspension too low, you are good to go.

Competition wheels have to meet the requirements of the competition use. The engineering that goes into the wheel design and casting increases strength. Braid, for example utilizes flow casting on some of their wheels and treatments to the rear rim, which is the weakest part of the wheel. Can't say what is Method's mix. By all appearances a competitive wheel for the price range.

 

[koozy]

First of all I thank you for your honesty. No one has taken the time to provide this sort of feedback. It is good to hear.

What I can tell you is I have looked into bringing on more brands. While I never will fail to explore an opportunity, I have yet to find either a company that will work with me or a company that I would want to work with. I am, perhaps, a bit old school. Anything I sell has to be of very good quality and value. I have been spoiled by Team Dynamics as the quality and value have stood the test of time, year after year. The ability to spec order individual sets , with full flexibility in sizes, specs, and colors with wide ranges of options is unparalleled at this price point. There is only one other company that does something like this, Braid, which I can sell, but is priced much higher and the wheel styles are limited. For cast rally wheels, Braid is a premium competition wheel in the segment with pricing that is more often than not too restrictive for the ST market.

For those who don't know me, PCA came straight from the 4x108 world. Specifically the Focus 00-11 models. Owning a Focus myself, I know very well the trials and tribulations of the 4x108 PCD. I stuck gold for the community with a chance out reach to TD that continues to grow in strength to this day. My door is always open, but you won't find me selling gravity cast wheels. I just cannot do it.

Okay, here's the post regarding the center bore.

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/1691-Meaty-Tires-Thread?p=142299&viewfull=1#post142299

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/1691-Meaty-Tires-Thread?p=142818&viewfull=1#post142818

 

[PCA-1]

Okay, here's the post regarding the center bore.

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/1691-Meaty-Tires-Thread?p=142299&viewfull=1#post142299

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/1691-Meaty-Tires-Thread?p=142818&viewfull=1#post142818

Yep.

Funny thing. I order hub centric wheels when available. When I started PCA, selling mainly individual factory spec orders, I specified the correct wheel bore. The warehouse here was wondering what was up with all the hub centric wheels. In Europe they majority of what they sell are universal bore wheels with hub rings, which is pretty much the same MO for what you buy from wheel warehouses here. I still get ribbed on it from time to time. That and bronze. Bronze evidently isn't a big seller in Europe. I told them they were missing the boat lol.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Just want to add in case anyone brings thus up, OZ owns the Sparco wheel brand, as well as MSW. OZ manufactures OZ wheels in Italy at OZ's plant. Oz's Sparco and MSW wheels are manufactured in China. Why?

The answer is obvious. Can't chance disparaging the OZ brand.

As far as you know, are all of the actual OZ labelled wheels (Superturismo, Superleggera, etc.) manufactured in Italy, or are they also cast in China/Taiwan?

(And YES, I know that they are heavy for their given sizes.)

 

[PCA-1]

As far as you know, are all of the actual OZ labelled wheels (Superturismo, Superleggera, etc.) manufactured in Italy, or are they also cast in China/Taiwan?

(And YES, I know that they are heavy for their given sizes.)

The OZ Racing line is manufactured in Italy. The X Line is apparently not.

 

[M-Sport fan]

The OZ Racing line is manufactured in Italy. The X Line is apparently not.

Are the two wheels I listed above considered their 'X line'?? (As opposed to their 'racing line' being the mega buck, 3 piece deals?)

OR, IF they have "OZ Racing" molded right into the casting on the face of the wheel, they ARE made in Italy?

 

[PCA-1]

The Method wheel is infact gravity cast.

 

[Genghis_Bob]

So from a performance standpoint, is a low pressure cast wheel always going to be superior to a gravity cast wheel regardless of brand? I ask because a quick search for low pressure cast on tire rack yields the sport edition p5, a wheel ive had my eye on for awhile because of its attractive price and availability in 16x7.5 which would somewhat satiate my desire for a wider 16 inch wheel. Although sport edition seems to have a reputation for being soft which is holding me back from purchasing those.

 

[PCA-1]

So from a performance standpoint, is a low pressure cast wheel always going to be superior to a gravity cast wheel regardless of brand? I ask because a quick search for low pressure cast on tire rack yields the sport edition p5, a wheel ive had my eye on for awhile because of its attractive price and availability in 16x7.5 which would somewhat satiate my desire for a wider 16 inch wheel. Although sport edition seems to have a reputation for being soft which is holding me back from purchasing those.

No. While on paper the answer is yes, in reality the quality of manufacture and materials determines , ultimately, the performance of the wheel. Unfortunately, more often then not, this level of information is not made available. This is very unfortunate.

Not the answer you wanted to hear I am sure. I am not trying to make things harder, but answering an absolute question requires an absolute answer.

Should a low pressure cast wheel be stronger and lighter than a gravity cast wheel, absolutely.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Just how much pressure/DEMAND would it take to convince RD/Rimstock Pic to produce a Pro Race 1.2 in a 4x108 16x8, or is that just not EVER happening, NO MATTER the demand, even worldwide??

 

[PCA-1]

Just how much pressure/DEMAND would it take to convince RD/Rimstock Pic to produce a Pro Race 1.2 in a 4x108 16x8, or is that just not EVER happening, NO MATTER the demand, even worldwide??

We took a good shot at it last year. With new ownership, there may be another/better shot. Stuff is just starting to shake out. What they are doing/how they are doing it could look totally different a year from now. Should I be in a position to act, everyone will know.

 

[Genghis_Bob]

Thats the answer i expected. I've read about the differences in low pressure casting vs gravity casting and suspected a cut back in quality of material used to be able to sell a low pressure cast wheel at that low of a price point. Although this is all all just my uneducated, half informed assumption. Maybe someone with some metallurgy knowledge has something to say about the grade of building materials commonly used by cheap wheel manufacturers?