Are Rota wheels really that bad? Maybe not!


fljoshua129

fljoshua129

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I'm am sure I will get slated for this thread by some of you! :nerv: :))

Im sure most of you know this photo
http://picture.yorkbbs.ca/upload/2011/08/303/40677580519700.jpg

And there seems to be plenty of horror stories of peoples rota's being destroyed from the stresses they are under when on track. I'm not saying these are not true, but I came across this thread that was pretty interesting. The photos don't work anymore but you can get the jist of it from the text.

ROTA testing / quality - Skyline Owners Forum

Maybe rota have upped their game is the last few years. They have definitely upped their prices so maybe thats why.

O and here are some more pictures of broken wheels from the big names:
Rays, Enkei, Advan etc.
The Low Profile Blog: Broken wheels
 
I'd say they are Absolutely fine for normal use,

NEVER use for racing or track use, But for road use, personally i'd say they are more than O.K.

owned a few sets myself and never had s single problem. I've had Rays Wheels nuts sheer off and turn my Kosei K1 racing alloys - mounting holes elliptical... double the value of rota's lol..

I'd say if you don't plan on running in the time attacks or tracking it every weekend they are fine :nice:
 
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From what is said though, the wheels seem to be tested on a pretty hardcore track R35. (would be nice to see the pictures though)
Im not saying they are as good as brands such as rays or advan but things change and I think the quality of these wheels have improved. I'm sure if they can handle a big thumper like the R35 then they can handle our little civics.
 
What I don't get, where did the whole rota debate start?

I bought my first set 6 years ago now, and even then they were bashed. But even then there never any common complaints IMO. I think what annoyed people most about them was the simple replication of big brand wheel design.

I personally always have backed rota wheels.

But interesting post :nice:
 
Don't see what all the fuss is about. To many internet photo's about without any actual back story. Bet most of them where from crashes or been smashed of a curb or hedge at speed.

Been doing a good bit of searching lately on wheels and it all seems like more interweb gosip than actual cases of wheels failure from just use. If you dig well enough you will find just as many pictures of smashed Rays, Advans etc.

Considering when you look at how many track cars, time attack and drift cars that run rota's....... and they don't seem to be having any problems.
 
everytime this discussion starts, I have only one thing to say. Price- quality wise Rota has been unbeateble for years. I would even use Rota's for track use, maybe not the fancy wheels, but a Rota Grid or Slipstream or something
 
Rota make good wheels. as said, look at the drift cars and time attack cars that are running them.
 
rota.jpg
 
You do know that first one was the link in the first post of the thread creator.....

Got any links to factual failure's of wheels that have dissintergrated them selves from just beeing used. Not been bounced of a pavement or the likes.
 
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you get what you pay for regarding TRACK/RACE wheels. Hell my brake setup cost more that all my wheels...I trust RAYS...to protect my investment. Go to the track and ask questions regarding what works...
 
It was just a bit of tongue and cheek, I'm with you KieranEG6. Seems so many people are so quick to slate something without first hand experience. I track my car and it might not be the most powerful thing in the world but I'm 100% confident in my slipstreams. If Driftworks old 700+ horsepower drift car ran them my little civic will be just fine :)
 
I think there is this facade that the only quality parts are made in Japan, and anything else made from other countries is "fake crap" plus stuff not made in Japan has no jdm points. The picture above is one of the things that started the slating of rota, and yes I think too manny people just see something on the web and believe it. I'm no expert on the subject, but it seems to me that the reliability of the wheels has been proved in the link I posted. Plus a lot of drifters use them and give them a hell of a lot of abuse and they last for miles on end.
 
Some rare JDM items are really cool and I completely appreciate the rareness and the wow factor I've a few bits I paid waaaaaay over the top or just because they are 'jdm yo' but some stuff I just don't get. Look at the tegiwa manifolds. BRILLIANT product.
 
I've seen a magnesium wheel on a WRC fall apart like that, and I can assure you one of those costs more than a whole set of ROTAs... As someone already said, a picture without any background story means bugger all. It could be that the driver hit a pothole a few weeks before the wheel gave in and fell apart, which might have weakened one of the spokes. As soon as one goes the wheel just collapses... Also, if a producer makes thousands of wheels, even with strict QC there will always be the odd faulty one that slips through the net. If they were falling apart on a daily basis then fair enough, but a few isolated incidents do not necessarily mean they are all crap.
 
Nothing wrong with Rotas, they are certified in Germany (TuV) which means they have been tested to breaking point and meet all safety and quality requirements.

But ask yourself, would you wear a fake brand shirt?

And regarding those pictures, anything can break if you hit it hard enough!
 
Don't see how you can class Rota's as fake's as they are not trying to be passed off as anything other than a rota wheel.

They basically just copied wheel designs and reproduced them as their own. Not fake in any way. Just a wheel company that make wheels that are designed like those that are popular. In what way does that make them junk?
 
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