Wheels are in stock!
We are proud to introduce Rogue Engineering's ARK9 wheel! Months of development, Solidworks modeling, FEM/FEA analysis, and tooling, we have finally made it to reality!
ARK9 in 18 x 10 ET25 (Prototype gloss black finish shown)
ARK9 18 x 9.5 ET35 Satin Gunmetal
Stoptech ST40 BBK, no wheel spacers
Element of Design
Since we already had started the wheels in motion with the motorsport retro design of the
GTR rim, Rogue Engineering wanted to produce a wheel with a more modern look. Knowing full well that a fully forged wheel was out of the budget of most, we worked with a manufacturer that would be able to help us produce a wheel with performance using flow formed manufacturing techniques. Our list of wants included strength, reasonable weight, lots of big brake caliper clearance, flow formed technology, as well as knurled bead to prevent tire slippage.
One design feature you will notice is that the spokes of the ARK9 terminate at the outside of the rim barrel. This was done to reinforce the outer portion of the rim barrel against potholes and other things that the rim could hit. When you have an unsupported portion of the rim, it is more susceptible to damage. Although no rim is impervious to damage, we hope to try to offer a design as robust as possible.
Step One: Computer Mumbo Jumbo
We knew we had to start beyond the typical napkin tracing, so we started with our own in-house Solidworks 3D renderings. From here, we could tweak, redraw, compare, analyse, 3D print and even virtually "test" our design.
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Solidworks 3D rendering of the ARK9
FEM analysis of the ARK9 design
Flow Forming: Forging without the high costs
The GTR wheel uses a technique called flow forming to manufacture the barrel of the wheel. By applying high pressure to the inside of the barrel, it forms the aluminum over a mandrel (an existing inside rim barrel mold) into its shape. This forms the aluminum grain to a much stronger alignment and tighter grain structure. This "squeezing" process makes a thinner, stronger wall than a fully cast wheel but also a stronger wheel as well.
ARK9 Flowforming Process
Not Quite Done
After the flow forming, the rim is hardly completed. It has multiple stages of heat treating, multiple CNC operations, painting, quality control and final packaging. Frankly, getting a wheel from concept to final production is a herculean task which is mind boggling if
Weight or Wait?
Wait a minute...what about weight?
One of the many reasons we decided to embark on this wheel journey is that we wanted to produce and offer a STRONG wheel. There are many options out in the marketplace but often times, focusing on static weight (the weight of the rim itself) is not as beneficial as one may think. Factory OEM wheels are commonly heavy, but for good reason. They need to be strong enough to support a 3000-5000 pound vehicle while trying to prevent failure from potholes and other hazards in the road.
We wanted to make a wheel strong enough to take track curbing, but also able to handle road abuse. Initial 3D renderings show that we could reduce weight by approximately 10%-15%, but at the risk of strength and wheel stiffness. We opted for increased strength and stiffness over a small weight difference. We anticipate our customers would appreciate this benefit as well.
Detailed Specifications
- ARK9 18x9.5 weight, 21.3 lbs.
- ARK9 18x10 weight, 22.6 lbs.
For reference, the weights of OEM BMW rims:
OEM BMW Style 67 on the E46 M3
18 x 9, 27 lbs.
| OEM BMW Style 219M on the E9X M3
18 x 9.5, 25.9 lbs. |
Benefits of the Rogue Engineering ARK9 wheel
- Flow formed construction means strength without excessive weight
- Spokes extend to outside of rim to reinforce strength against bending (potholes, racetrack curbing, etc.)
- Engineered for brake caliper clearance for BBKs (at least 355mm rotors) without the use of spacers.
- Knurled bead on the inside of the barrel minimizes tire slippage on track cars and cars with high horsepower/high g-load cornering.
- FEA/FEM optimized for strength and stiffness without sacrificing weight
- Engineered and tested to meet and exceed DOT/SAE, JWL/VIA standards (JWL certificate testing being done)
- Chamfered rear hub face is compatible with Rogue Engineering 10mm and 12mm spacers
- Centercaps included. Production rims will allow factory BMW centercaps (36-13-6-783-536) to fit.
- Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) compatible (sensors not included)
- Available in motorsport silver, stain gunmetal, satin black, and raw finish (for those who want to have their own color done by their own resources)
Notes:
- Wheel fitment on your vehicle is the responsibility of the customer. Contact us if you have questions. Returns are limited only to quality issues.
Priced per wheel (each)
