Anyone Here Have History with 2Forge ZF1

[esp_martin]

Been on a long running search to find flow formed wheels in 17x8 that don't look atrocious and lo and behold: https://www.performancealloys.com/2forge-zf1-gloss-gunmetal

My question for the forum: has anyone here run these wheels or any wheels from 2Forge? They're a very new company based outta England. Looks like they got their start around 2015 and I have no idea if they flow form their own blanks or just repurpose some other company's original supplier (they have a passing resemblance/build to team dynamics 1.2s...). The info I could find states the wheels themselves have Great Britain as the country of origin but I thought I found somewhere that they are produced in Taiwan and finished in GB. I couldn't retrace my steps to find and confirm that info though. For the record, I have no problems with wheels originating in an Asian country not named Japan I'm just looking for the info I can find.

And for everyone here who wants to react with "just get 16x8 Dekas", these 2Forge ZF1s can clear a big brake kit if I ever choose to go that route...also I like big rims. Bigger the better. and giving the rising cost of Konigs, having these ZF1s shipped from England only cost about $100 more for a set then getting Konig hexa or ampliforms here. And you'd still have to deal with spacers which are a huge no-go for me.

edit: there's a youtuber in Australia who fitted these to his ride and based on the video the 17x8 is about 17lbs and clear his BBK but that's on a different ride

 

[the duke]

Looks like they're a subsidy/owned by Bola wheels.

Honestly unless you're tracking them they're probably fine.

 

[esp_martin]

Looks like they're a subsidy/owned by Bola wheels.

Honestly unless you're tracking them they're probably fine.

thanks the heads up. yeah seems like a google search of bola+2forge comes back with them being produced in the same Taiwanese production facility.

I don't ever plan on tracking my car (well if I somehow get rich in the next five years maybe I'll do https://www.onelapofamerica.com/)

sounds like these might be the wheels for me then. if i do purchase them i'll be sure to post here.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Those look great, kind of like a melding of OZ Ultraleggeras and Superturismos.

IF the pound is still worthless (or dropping every day??), they may be even less than you were calculating (or did you already factor that into the price?).

 

[the duke]

thanks the heads up. yeah seems like a google search of bola+2forge comes back with them being produced in the same Taiwanese production facility.

I don't ever plan on tracking my car (well if I somehow get rich in the next five years maybe I'll do https://www.onelapofamerica.com/)

sounds like these might be the wheels for me then. if i do purchase them i'll be sure to post here.

Taiwan manufacturing is actually pretty good typically. I know for tools it's on the higher tier for quality and finish. I wouldn't balk at anything made in Taiwan. Hell, Chinese manufacturing is fine as long as the customer standards/requirements are met, otherwise it'll be the cheapest they can get away with. I believe there is a facility in China that manufacturing both Harbor Freight and Snap-On tools in the same plant, just different processes/requirements.

As long as the wheel is made "correctly" it's fine. The material/manufacturing process needs be chosen to meet the wheel design requirements. If a wheel designed is thinned and designed for a forging process, switching to standard casting could (and usually is) a major issue. The forces acting on the wheel can exceed the strength and/or ductility of the material.

 

[esp_martin]

Taiwan manufacturing is actually pretty good typically. I know for tools it's on the higher tier for quality and finish. I wouldn't balk at anything made in Taiwan. Hell, Chinese manufacturing is fine as long as the customer standards/requirements are met, otherwise it'll be the cheapest they can get away with. I believe there is a facility in China that manufacturing both Harbor Freight and Snap-On tools in the same plant, just different processes/requirements.

As long as the wheel is made "correctly" it's fine. The material/manufacturing process needs be chosen to meet the wheel design requirements. If a wheel designed is thinned and designed for a forging process, switching to standard casting could (and usually is) a major issue. The forces acting on the wheel can exceed the strength and/or ductility of the material.

I'm replying to reinforce what you said @the duke

in case there's any confusion, i have ZERO problems with production in China, Taiwan, Vietnam (which goes without saying South Korea and Japan); i used to work in process and quality engineering and know that if those countries can iron out smartphone supply chain/production, things like a flow formed wheel are cake in comparison. the company's reputation means more to me then where it's produced.

long story short, if it's made for a company that demands high end quality, it doesn't matter where it's made. and if it's from a company that doesn't prioritize quality, it doesn't matter where it's made...

edit: what sold me is duke pointing out that 2Forge look to be Bola wheels and I know the BMW community love Bola; if a company can win over the BMW dbags you know they're doing something (no offense if anyone reading this is a BMW dbag)

 

[esp_martin]

Those look great, kind of like a melding of OZ Ultraleggeras and Superturismos.

IF the pound is still worthless (or dropping every day??), they may be even less than you were calculating (or did you already factor that into the price?).

@M-Sport fan i completely agree. not to knock KONIG but their 4x108 flow formed wheels just don't look as good in person as they do in pictures. they somehow look like 15in rims even though they're 17inches and they take away that Euro import styling that's so inherent on these FiSTs. these ZF1s look BIGGER than 17inch rims they lend itself to that OZ/Euro-style look like you say. which i think fits perfectly.

once you subtract VAT since it's an export item and add the average currency conversion (about 1.2USD to 1GBP) it comes out to somewhere between $200-225/wheel and about $150-200 to have them shipped.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Yes, I understand exactly what you are talking about as per the Konig stuff.

As much as I like my Dekagrams, I still wish that they did NOT have those stupid 'lightening holes' around the center bore hub pocket, as well as the squared-off lug pocket openings.

The fact that everyone and their great grand 6th auntie has them on their FiST does not help my love for them either, but I guess that is a testament to their class leading weight and strength to price ratio factor.

At this point I wish that the newly re-started/re-formed Team Dynamics (as well as KE Motorsports Pros, which look like they are flow formed in the very same factory) would release some 17x7.5s/17x8s already, like they have promised to do.

I would sell all of my Dekagrams to get those, or if I were absolutely insane, and did not care about going broke at all, a set of gold colored Braid Fullrace As in 16x8 or 17x8.

 

[Dpro]

Yes, I understand exactly what you are talking about as per the Konig stuff.

As much as I like my Dekagrams, I still wish that they did NOT have those stupid 'lightening holes' around the center bore hub pocket, as well as the squared-off lug pocket openings.

The fact that everyone and their great grand 6th auntie has them on their FiST does not help my love for them either, but I guess that is a testament to their class leading weight and strength to price ratio factor.

At this point I wish that the newly re-started/re-formed Team Dynamics (as well as KE Motorsports Pros, which look like they are flow formed in the very same factory) would release some 17x7.5s/17x8s already, like they have promised to do.

I would sell all of my Dekagrams to get those, or if I were absolutely insane, and did not care about going broke at all, a set of gold colored Braid Fullrace As in 16x8 or 17x8.

I cannot disagree here. I have Dekagrams because they are light and 16x8 and ya. I am not completely enamored with the spoke design which if it had been concave it would have looked better nor can I buy Konigs excuse( they would not clear brakes) for not making the in the 5mm lower Concave face version for our cars . Hell they do not even clear 300mm big brakes without at least a 3mm minimum spacer which puts me exactly 2mm off the 35 offset Concave version in 4x100!
I was thinking of getting these I know they still have those silly random holes. Konig Heliogrms 15.38lbs slightly heavier than a Dekagram but look better too!
https://www.fitmentindustries.com/b...iogram-16x8-40?suspension=Stock#review-system

Though the 17’s 2forge look interesting but we need to know the offset.

 

[esp_martin]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPXPweVAo4k


Darkside Developments used the 2Forge ZF1 wheel in their VW MK5 Golf TDI race car and it's clearing a massive BBK in the above video

They actually did track with it. Not just track but straight up race. At the 21minute mark they make a pitt stop. My computer screen is too dark to tell if they're still using the ZF1 but it looks like it.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f80TL0rh8F4&list=PLz_nHs7o9ueWmBG876FgwFNENgYHB5e1R&index=18

 

[esp_martin]

Yes, I understand exactly what you are talking about as per the Konig stuff.

As much as I like my Dekagrams, I still wish that they did NOT have those stupid 'lightening holes' around the center bore hub pocket, as well as the squared-off lug pocket openings.

The fact that everyone and their great grand 6th auntie has them on their FiST does not help my love for them either, but I guess that is a testament to their class leading weight and strength to price ratio factor.

At this point I wish that the newly re-started/re-formed Team Dynamics (as well as KE Motorsports Pros, which look like they are flow formed in the very same factory) would release some 17x7.5s/17x8s already, like they have promised to do.

I would sell all of my Dekagrams to get those, or if I were absolutely insane, and did not care about going broke at all, a set of gold colored Braid Fullrace As in 16x8 or 17x8.

just looked up Braid Forged wheels. lol, hoooooly crap. they are beautiful though.

Titan-7 here in the states used to make Focus RS forged wheels. They sell for around $500-600 per wheel but they don't do anything in 4x1XX bolt pattern. which is a shame. I'd spend $2000 on a full forged wheel set in a second.

 

[Capri to ST]

just looked up Braid Forged wheels. lol, hoooooly crap. they are beautiful though.

Titan-7 here in the states used to make Focus RS forged wheels. They sell for around $500-600 per wheel but they don't do anything in 4x1XX bolt pattern. which is a shame. I'd spend $2000 on a full forged wheel set in a second.

That would be nice to have an option to get a fully forged set of wheels for around $2,000.
I wasn't previously familiar with the Braid forged wheels, but I also looked up their website. One of the wheels was quite nice looking, similar to the Volk CE28Ns that I had on my other car, and you can basically custom design them with a wide range of offsets and colors. However, a set of four would be $6,400, and the weight would be no lighter than my Pro Race 1.2s, around 17 lb for a 17x7!

 

[M-Sport fan]

I cannot disagree here. I have Dekagrams because they are light and 16x8 and ya. I am not completely enamored with the spoke design which if it had been concave it would have looked better nor can I buy Konigs excuse( they would not clear brakes) for not making the in the 5mm lower Concave face version for our cars . Hell they do not even clear 300mm big brakes without at least a 3mm minimum spacer which puts me exactly 2mm off the 35 offset Concave version in 4x100!
I was thinking of getting these I know they still have those silly random holes. Konig Heliogrms 15.38lbs slightly heavier than a Dekagram but look better too!
https://www.fitmentindustries.com/b...iogram-16x8-40?suspension=Stock#review-system
View attachment 53066
Though the 17’s 2forge look interesting but we need to know the offset.

That concave spoking looks great, but the evenly spaced, multi-spoke pattern of the Dekas is one of the features I really like about them.

 

[M-Sport fan]

just looked up Braid Forged wheels. lol, hoooooly crap. they are beautiful though.

Even their NOT forged (and some sizes/models not even flow formed, but still heat treated and STRONG!) cast wheels are not exactly what I would label 'bargain basement' wheels.

Some, depending on the size and color options chosen can co$t as much as, or more than those forged Titan-7s you mentioned.

 

[esp_martin]

Even their NOT forged (and some sizes/models not even flow formed, but still heat treated and STRONG!) cast wheels are not exactly what I would label 'bargain basement' wheels.

Some, depending on the size and color options chosen can co$t as much as, or more than those forged Titan-7s you mentioned.

I reached out to Titan7 and James has been great with responding.

Turns out they're willing to make their T-C5 17x8 forged wheel in a 4x108 bolt pattern if they get a 60 or more unit order. Going to find out if that means 60 wheels or 60 *sets* of wheels.

if it's 60 wheels I'm going to make a thread and really try to see if I can get 12 or more people to go in on it. Figure anyone who is willing will probably want a 5th wheel since we'll never get an opportunity again to have forged 4x108 wheels for $530/wheel.

edit: after investigating it looks like Titan7s are a hard pass. Their forge process isn't like the top guys at all and the strength is about the same as high end cast wheels. oh well, BACK TO LOOKING AT 2FORGE!

 

[dhminer]

@M-Sport fan i completely agree. not to knock KONIG but their 4x108 flow formed wheels just don't look as good in person as they do in pictures. they somehow look like 15in rims even though they're 17inches and they take away that Euro import styling that's so inherent on these FiSTs. these ZF1s look BIGGER than 17inch rims they lend itself to that OZ/Euro-style look like you say. which i think fits perfectly.

once you subtract VAT since it's an export item and add the average currency conversion (about 1.2USD to 1GBP) it comes out to somewhere between $200-225/wheel and about $150-200 to have them shipped.

Agreed on the Konigs. I'm hoping powder coating mine silver makes them prettier.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Yes, I DO admire my dekagrams much more from a distance than up close, as those center hub pocket holes then disappear, and the squared out lug pockets are not noticeable at all.

I am even thinking about finding some type of cap to cancel out those holes on my black set of Dekagrams.

 

[kevinatfms]

If anyone has any questions about running cheap ass wheels in track events see below:


Those black with red stripe wheels are the finest China grade steel from Touren called the TR-60. For $419 a set shipped they have taken 100x more abuse than some of the flow formed wheels that i have bent/broken/cracked over the last few years.

We even spun going into Left Hook at VIR North at the 8+7 last year which destroyed an end link and pushed it into the wheel. Car limped into the pits with the tire still holding air yet missing nearly the entire back bead.

 

[Capri to ST]

If anyone has any questions about running cheap ass wheels in track events see below:
View attachment 53102

Those black with red stripe wheels are the finest China grade steel from Touren called the TR-60. For $419 a set shipped they have taken 100x more abuse than some of the flow formed wheels that i have bent/broken/cracked over the last few years.

We even spun going into Left Hook at VIR North at the 8+7 last year which destroyed an end link and pushed it into the wheel. Car limped into the pits with the tire still holding air yet missing nearly the entire back bead.
View attachment 53103
View attachment 53104

That's oddly comforting.

 

[M-Sport fan]

If anyone has any questions about running cheap ass wheels in track events see below:
View attachment 53102

Those black with red stripe wheels are the finest China grade steel from Touren called the TR-60. For $419 a set shipped they have taken 100x more abuse than some of the flow formed wheels that i have bent/broken/cracked over the last few years.

We even spun going into Left Hook at VIR North at the 8+7 last year which destroyed an end link and pushed it into the wheel. Car limped into the pits with the tire still holding air yet missing nearly the entire back bead.
View attachment 53103
View attachment 53104

Steel, or a not flow formed, cheap alloy??