TAC Tech => Tires, Brakes & Suspension => Topic started by: 1OLDBRD on April 25, 2021, 08:56:07 PM
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I am considering buying a new set of year-one or similar Repro WS6 Snowflakes for my 79. Can anyone comment on these wheels or point me to a review? I am looking for how everyone feels about quality, color match, general appearance as compared to factory. Am I better to just buy a resurfaced set of factory ones? Feel free to comment. Thank you!
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It would be hard for aftermarket to get a true match to original since there were production variations in the 1978-1981 15x8 WS6 wheels. I forgot them all at this point but there were things like the '78 version having a sharper outer edge, thin vs. thin spoke, etc. No matter who you go through for the reproductions wheels, they all come from China. Most people like the 17x9 wheels so I imagine you would be fine with the 15x8. I just ordered reproduction 16x8 WS6 3rd gen wheels for my '79 this week. Classic Industries has some good prices whenever they go on sale so make sure you get that deal. Otherwise, John at Second Gen Graveyard on Facebook is another good option for a vendor.
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If you can get someone to order them in locally, it can be easier to collect or return if any dramas in the shipping, same with any parts, cheap or expensive. Also, check which lugnuts they use. The first batch of the YO 17x9 used stock, the second used acorn style. I'd imagine 15x8 is similar by YO, can't speak for other brands of if any come from same factory.
The '78 spokes were not machined. A neat detail if you like originality but not often seen as the better looking version.
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Brian has one original of the 4 that was machined dramatically off center. I think the tire store put about 4 ounces of weight on it and I had not noticed before I saw that. So they're probably better than that.
He also told me that when he was in engineering school, which was right around 1980-84, in some class one of the profs was cutting apart current aluminum wheels (likely some snowflakes as aluminum wheels were pretty rare overall) and showing the class the voids and stuff in them. Fortunately, 40 years on, we can say yes they've held up fine and they proved to be reasonably safe and fit for use. I mean except for the off center one.
We had a big discussion on here about how they're centered, and trust me, I looked, the original ones can only be hub centered. There's no other way. The new ones could be built in such way that they could be lug centered, and if they are, you need to stick with their recommendation on lug nut shape.
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I remember their being a Thread sometime back on the YO Wheels. It got pretty out of control and I stopped following it. IIRC, the OP bought 4 wheels and did not open the boxes right away. The wheels were somewhat damaged and YO was not giving the OP the response he was looking for. Since the Forum has had an OH, I don't know how you would find the thread.
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I have them on my 74 since I couldn’t find a good set of honeycombs. I bought them from summit racing and have had no balancing issues. The finish is great, they are lug centric and use shouldered lug nuts.
Tom H
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langss, I recall that as well but it may have been the larger size wheels. I recall YO having some issues at one point but that has probably been long ago resolved. Personally I always try to get original parts, but by the time you factor the purchase of a used wheel, proper refinishing the $200 for a new one is well spent. I dont know but have been told they are all made offshore, and there are different vendors selling them. Look around for the best deal.
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Lug-centric if the holes are snug enough, otherwise they are hubcentric, and that's where some of the issues started. That's half the reason they swapped to acorn lugnuts rather than resolve issue of giant centre bore chamfer. I found mine were that snug doing up the lugnuts that it was perfect, others not so much. YO even supplied the hubcentric rings for a while there, if you asked, otherwise they wouldn't tell. Again, that was 1st production of 17x9, not sure how the later 15x8 fared.
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I had a post on my 17x9 YO I bought from Classic Industries. In the end they did replace the two damaged ones and all was good. But it was an ordeal.
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You can't even get them now. I ordered a set from classic (17x9 honeycombs) in Sept 2019 when they had a good deal on them. The wheels were backordered but the centers came (still sitting in my garage lol!) Anyway, A year later, I canceled order and have been looking for a set ever since. Few places advertise them, but they are never actually in stock. I confirmed this with John at 2nd Gen Graveyard.
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I’ve had the silver 17x9 YearOnes for 7 years now (1st version). No issues whatsoever.
I’ve been thinking about switching to gold ones and the Classic industries pricing on sale is really tempting. But they’ve been on back order for I believe 2 years now☹️
YearOne does appear to have wheels in stock.