Japanese Multi Piece Wheels VS American Multi piece wheels???

I build and rebuild a lot of wheels, and was wondering what peoples opinions are on the quality, durability, and availability of Japanes Multi piece wheels VS American Multi piece wheels?

Let us know what your experiences were with either one, or both....good or bad!!

My experience:

[SIZE=3][B]Japanese Wheels:[/B][/SIZE]

[B]Pro's :[/B]
Unique Designs
Exotic finishes
Exclusivity (meaning you can have some rare wheels that you won't see a lot)!
Detailed spec stickers in barrels (on a lot of the older stuff). Offset, size, part sizes!
Heavy centers that can last long on some designs!
Resale can be good if they are in good shape and rare.


[B]Cons:[/B]
Cast centers
unreliable manufacturing (often built by multiple mfgs) in some cases.
Replacement parts difficult to get.
Non uniform parts, flange bolt patterns, face registry diameters, and fasteners!
Welding and sealing of inner and outer barrels (basically making it a 2 piece wheel)
Weaker outer lips (non rolled edges) that bend easily
Weight (usually very heavy designs)
Fastening bolts hard to torque (like an allen key head opposed to a 12 point)!
Japanese mfg often hard to work with in regards to custom one-off sets


[SIZE=3][B]American Wheels:[/B][/SIZE]

[B]Pro's:[/B]

Uniform parts and PCD bolt patterns, and registry diameters (with the exception of a couple companies like Forgiato)
Forged CNC cut centers and (majority of them)
Replacement part availability 
Ability to shave, mill, and modify centers with less chance of cracking
Lightweight forgings
Rolled outer lips, and now inner barrels (much stronger design)
Many options offered from the mfg in regards to customization.

[B]
Cons:[/B]
A lot of copycat designs between mfgs!!
Options on the retail side are way too expensive.
Sometimes way over priced (like HRE's)
Lots of scammers in the american wheel market 
Some mfgs hesitate to build really aggressive set-ups
No standards for wheels (most are not engineered at all or even tested)
Resale

i noticed both my Work and my SSR have rolled inner barrel edges. much stronger than my makaveli inner barrels

Are the outer lips on them also rolled?

the cons for the american wheels is what keeps me away from them.

^ agreed, id be open to buying american, but nothing really stands out to me

I'd love to buy american, but I am not paying double to get a copy of a Japanese wheel and then still get shitty customer service.

Funny you say that man...LOL!!!  HRE's new 790 Series look very similar to japanes designed wheels IMO..LOL!

That's funny, 1 of the designer for hre used to hang out at the same shop I did back in ohio a decade and a half ago. Also for the sake of this discussion we have to remember how old some of the jdm wheels are compared to the american made wheels.

Definitely so...the JDM wheels are what set the trend for the whole  Big Lip craze here in the US!!!  Zauber Gettins, Maya's, Lowenharts...ect!!!

Still.....the quality of many of the JDM wheels is not the greatest (for the most part)...especially the older ones (there are some exceptions though)! I get some rebuilds in...and two of the wheels will be welded (inner and outer), and two will be bolted and sealed...LOL!!!!!

[QUOTE=B. Gorman;410360]Definitely so...the JDM wheels are what set the trend for the whole Big Lip craze here in the US!!! Zauber Gettins, Maya's, Lowenharts...ect!!!
 
Still.....the quality of many of the JDM wheels is not the greatest (for the most part)...especially the older ones (there are some exceptions though)! I get some rebuilds in...and two of the wheels will be welded (inner and outer), and two will be bolted and sealed...LOL!!!!![/QUOTE]
 
 
True, but you are getting them from 3rd, 4th and even 5th owners sometimes I am sure. Over the course of their lifespan any one of those owners may have had a pair repaired etc and that would account for the difference. Again, there are some older JDM wheels that aren't stellar, but when comparing the two you have to stick to wheels made within the same era etc.

Majority of the rebuilt Japanese wheels were rebuilt from terrible specs and rebuilt by and idiot.

Just sayin' lol

Personally, I wish I could get the customer service out of Japanese companies like I do CCW. CCW is hands down best customer service in aftermarket wheels, you leave a message you get a call back that day, and that's in the rare occasion they don't pick up the phone. They also are honest unless DPE, HRE, etc etc. If your wheels aren't going to be done, they tell you that and why. They don't lie through their teeth to cover their ass and blame it on other people.

rotiform seemed to have good customer service as well, and theyve blown up recently...they are to europe as ccw is to east coast right now

aren't rotiforms made in asia?

[QUOTE=B. Gorman;410303]Are the outer lips on them also rolled?[/QUOTE]
i just check my SSR's. the outters are rolled as well. not sure about my Works tho

[QUOTE=Matkg;410409]aren't rotiforms made in asia?[/QUOTE]

i think the cheap, one-piece cast ones are -- i'd assume that the forged multipiece ones are still made here

european.

American Cons:
Not quoting offset numbers.

Why the fark not? Really that worried about people 'copying' it that you're going to turn away a handful of actual buyers who want to know how they will fit before laying the money out?
Silly silly idea.

cause people in america who buy them for american cars dont go by offset. they just buy what schwab tells them to. 

On the real they go by back spacing and are hardly going after the super flush like we are. If that makes sense?

oh whats a rolled center? and edge?

rolled edge: __n
non- rolled: __/

The later bends easier as it is single-thickness, the rolled edge helps hold the lip strength.

oh! ok

Anything from Japan right now is going to be ass-spensive. The Yen to $ conversion is really low. Things cost about 30% more, thanigs take AT Least twice as long to get here, and it is a huge headache compared to about 6 months ago. 
 
You can still find stuff if you look however and the quality is good if you buy well known brands. But there are low ballers no matter where you go, and they import rims from Hong Kong to Japan just like everyhere else. Just gotta shop quality.
 
My Weds are rolled barrels and lips.  I have had a couple of close calls where I swear I bent the barrel, but they have held up like champs!  3 piece non-welded, reused the hardware. No issues as of late wheels are about 10 years old.

[QUOTE=rustyP;410700]American Cons:
Not quoting offset numbers.

Why the fark not? Really that worried about people 'copying' it that you're going to turn away a handful of actual buyers who want to know how they will fit before laying the money out?
Silly silly idea.[/QUOTE]

The point of custom wheels is just that... YOU get to decide the offsets.

I won't get into this discussion again.

What up B? Your the man! Love you garage! Lol:biggthumpup:

Thanks man....your more than welcome to come hang out anytime your out this way!!! =)