Planet 9

themperor · #1 05-12-2009, 11:12 PM

I purchase these wheels directly from the manufacture since there was no local vendor in the Bay Area at the time of purchase. Great value and light weight. I will post the weights and more pics after I get them mounted.

The wheels are from a new company called Forgestar and they are a sister company of iForged. I purchased the following specs for my 987 Boxster lowered on PSS9's:

Forgestar F14 - 19x8.5 with 47mm offset and 19x10 with a 33mm offset in Titanium finish and mounting Nitto Invos 235/35 and 285/30’s. No lip and a concave face design similar to Neez, Morr, HRE but at less than 1/3 the price.

I am going to be very critical of the finish to help describe to you what to expect. Please be aware that the flaws I am listing are minor and I consider them to be acceptable although they might want to consider a new coating arrangement if they third party it out. I see the same minor flaws on my OEM Carerra S wheels to put it in perspective. The flaws in the clear coat can only be seen in particular lighting. The finish on the face is nearly flawless except for one wheel. The inner barrels have finising flaws

Lots of pictures mounted on cars can be found on their website: Wheels | Forgestar Custom Wheels
The wheels are packaged very well and include Forgestar branded center caps and hub rings. The center caps will not accept OEM Porsche and an overlay (sticker) will have to be used or you will have to get them manufactured (Boothe Designs?).

Hub rings

Wheel out of box with fabric cover and plastic on the face ring

Fabric and ring off exposing wheel and plastic wrap

Wheel face (with the camera flash on which showed the pearl in the paint)

Concave face on the 19x10

Another angle of the same wheel face

Inner barrel of the wheel, notice how the inner lip has scratches on it, most likely from not allowing the inner barrel to dry before rotating it during paint.

Close up of the inner barrel scratches

Close up of the inner hub which shows, size, load rating, JWL and UL certification stamps etc.

Here is a close up of the spoke finish, notice there is clear coat run streaming on the inner barrel where the spokes meet?

Close up of the inner barrel clear coat running

Inner barrel clear coat run from another angle

Another one on the inner barrel

And finally, more clear coat run on the outer lip, on the face

More pictures to come when I get them mounted.

JWL

JWL
Many may have noticed a marking on wheels with a visible logo “JWL”. Japanese wheels must have a "JWL" logo on the wheel and "JWL" (Japan Light Wheel Alloy) is a compilation of standards defined by the Japanese Government to ensure the vehicle's safety for aluminum road wheels. Every wheel put to market must be tested to meet JWL standards before a wheel can be put out to market in Japan. These standards are generally accepted worldwide as acceptable for most road conditions. That is why you will see these marks on European and other Asian country wheels.

JWL TESTS:

Cornering Fatigue Test (Drum Endurance Test)
The purpose of this test is for checking wheel rim strength and durability. Place a wheel assembly with tire on test equipment. Radial stress is then added to simulate vehicle weight.

Test run 500,000 cycles
After 500,000 cycles inspect for cracks, deformation and any nut loosening.

Radial Load Fatigue Test (Rotary Bending Test)
JWL pass criteria: 100,000 cycles
The purpose of this test is for checking durability of the wheel disc. The spokes and the hub are the first point of weight distribution from the vehicle and spoke strength is gauged by this test.

Place a wheel on testing equipment and by adding bending stress to center of disc –

Test run 100,000 cycles
After 100,000 cycles, inspect for cracks, deformation and any nut loosening.

13 Degree Impact Test
JWL pass criteria: 594 kg

The main purpose of test is for checking strength between rim and disc cross section. The “joint” or the area where the spoke and the rim meet is an important structural area that is subject to great stress. The horizontal weight of the rim and the vertical stress of the spokes meet at this joint and proper structural stability is crucial for a proper wheel.

The wheel assembly is placed with tire tilted 13 degrees from horizontal plane on testing equipment.

A preset weight is dropped on the outer sidewall of tire, thus giving impact to the wheel/tire. Then inspect for cracks, deformation and air leak.

This test is very important for the recent trend of a larger/wider wheel with lower profile tire combination, because there is less air volume than OE wheel/tire and more stress to inner rim section. This test simulates actual usage condition such as hitting corner curb or objects from side.

mrwonder · #2 05-13-2009, 02:37 PM

anxiously waiting for installed pictures, as i'm planning to buy them as well. I'm also in the Bay Area, and would love to buy you coffee and see them in person.

themperor · #3 05-13-2009, 08:10 PM

Wheels are mounted and wow! The thing that surprised me the most was how the Titanium finish changes color so much depending on the lighting conditions.

19x8.5 @ 22.5 lbs and 19x10 @ 24.4 lbs

Have not had a chance to test the tires yet but they are quite compared to my Sport Conti 2's which I thought were so so.

Tread pattern on the Invos is very unique!

Rear offset of 33m on a 19x10 was perfect, no rubbing with a 285/30

Another shot of the rear offset

In the shade they look black

Add a little light and gun metal comes out

casualsurfer · #4 05-13-2009, 09:35 PM

looks great! how long did it take to get them? are they custom order only? no bright silver color?

themperor · #5 05-13-2009, 10:32 PM

Took 3.5 weeks when it was supposed to be 14 days. Custom order and there are multiple colors available on their website.

Cayman S · #6 05-13-2009, 11:07 PM

Thanks for the great review. They look amazing! I'll be interested to hear how they hold up and how much you like them in a few months. So 1/3rd the cost of competing wheels...puts them under $2,000 a set?

BTW, the Titanium finish on your wheels look so much darker than the examples shown on the Forgeline site. On their blog, for example, they say these are all Titanium:

http://www.forgestar.com/blog/pics/e90m3f.jpg
http://www.forgestar.com/blog/pics/f14titanium.jpg
http://www.forgestar.com/blog/pics/f14titaniums.jpg

They don't look anything like the color on yours. I would have guessed yours were gunmetal.

http://www.forgestar.com/blog/pics/whitee904.jpg

themperor · #7 05-13-2009, 11:53 PM

You might be right on the color now that I look at it again....ARGHHH!
I emailed them with pictures comparing the e90 on their blog site. Lets see what they say.

Nitro8472 · #8 05-14-2009, 09:07 AM

Wow, they look GREAT!!

themperor · #9 05-14-2009, 12:32 PM

I did get an email from them with some great options. I ended up taking a discounted price and leaving the wheels as is. Not the color I was aiming for but looks good non the less. They were willing to fully correct the color or offer a full refund but honestly, I don't want to deal with the hassle.

Overall I am happy, with the product, customer service as a result of problems and the value. Thumbs up from a product and vendor perspective.

Chiroman-S · #10 05-16-2009, 12:18 PM

Very nice Wheels! I have just discoverd this wheel myself a few weeks back and I have spoke to Peter of forgestar. I will be going down to the shop on Tuesday this week to see the wheels in person. I also made is known to him that many poeple would be interested in the wheels due to the past Interest in the MORR wheel that never panned out. I also discussed price with him in a group buy setting which resulted in a price more like $1500 for the set!!!! I plan to take photos of the shop and the wheels and post them to gauge interest, furthermore I dont understand all the details in establishing a group buy with board but that can be handled. I m very excited about the wheel and look foreward to let you know how things work out.
Chiroman-S

mrwonder · #11 05-16-2009, 04:06 PM

I'm very interested in a group buy, but aren't these less than $1,500 to begin with?

Chiroman-S · #12 05-16-2009, 06:02 PM

Have you seen a better price? I first saw the wheel on wheel dynamics website for $1750. Naturally I thot $1500 is better although if there is a better deal to be had let us know.

mrwonder · #13 05-16-2009, 06:46 PM

6speedonline:

Auto Talent | New F14 AND F05 Forgestar Custom Lightweight Flow Formed Wheels - 6speedonline.com Forums

I saw it somewhere at $1,400 (where I forgot), and my local shop in Norcal quoted $1,450.

lisocayman · #14 05-16-2009, 07:29 PM

Any idea if they make an 18 for the track?

Chulander · #15 05-17-2009, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by lisocayman

Any idea if they make an 18 for the track?

+1 would be interested in an 18x8 (or 18x9) and 18x10 rear setup.

AKA WANI · #16 05-17-2009, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by mrwonder

6speedonline:

Auto Talent | New F14 AND F05 Forgestar Custom Lightweight Flow Formed Wheels - 6speedonline.com Forums

I saw it somewhere at $1,400 (where I forgot), and my local shop in Norcal quoted $1,450.

I think I saw the intro price at $13XX on there website in the beginning. I thought it might have been one of those "too good to be true" situations. It looks like they are the real deal and a pretty good deal as well

.

**finance09** · #17 05-17-2009, 12:35 PM

I've always been a Porsche wheel guy, 19" Turbo's, or maybe Carrera 2's, but I have to admit a possible change of position...these are the best looking wheels that I've seen for the 987

RobMason · #18 05-17-2009, 04:04 PM

Do these wheels accept the Porsche center cap?

Chiroman-S · #19 05-17-2009, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by RobMason

Do these wheels accept the Porsche center cap?

No they do not.

RobMason · #20 05-17-2009, 08:56 PM

Bummer, these are great lookin wheels.
Gunmetal finish