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Old 04-22-2022, 11:56 AM   #49
AKADriver
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tuzzio View Post
The "problem" here is that the lug holes are likely cast into the center core, and they are finish machined at a later date. I understand however, this would really just require them to pay for a new or modified core box. However, you also have to remember that core box is likely different for every size/ spoke design, and that gets expensive quick.
For some wheels for sure, especially when the spokes extend all the way to the center. For others like the RPF1 where the center is just a 'dish' I think they really just have 4 and 5 lug castings. And plenty of inexpensive wheels just have a single casting for each size, which you can tell since the mounting surface face is just flat all the way across with no cast-in reliefs between the lugs.

But yeah. I've seen some horrible Volk CE28N reps where they clearly took a mold from a real 5x114.3 CE28N and then redrilled it to whatever, but there are cast-in flats where the 5x114.3 lug holes would've been. Embarrassing:



Quote:
Originally Posted by mav1178
Keep in mind that the wheel makers with the lowest or most mature cost process often sell worldwide.
Sure, lots of southeast Asia market Mitsubishi-based or kei car based stuff, which is where a lot of these budget wheels are made (Thailand, PH, Malaysia)

A lot of it is also down to the Japanese companies dropping stuff that would mostly fit stock S13s, FCs, and other basically deprecated old cars. The fact that UP Garages routinely sell the typical 16" S13 fitment wheel sets for less than 20k yen tells me no one there is buying them anymore. Enkei used to have part numbers for 16x7 and 16x8 ET30 4x114.3 RPF1s but it no longer exists.

For me it's just not economical to spend $500 converting my car to 5 lug to buy a set of <$1000 wheels.
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