19-Inch Wheels…anyone?

[Gnmcnally]

Looking to add a set of wheels to the garage, and basically deciding between 2 sets.

Polished CCW Classics in typical specs: 18x9.5 +25 on 275/35/18
18x11 +19 on 335/30/18

However, with all the QC issues with CCW coming up in many of the groups recently, considering a set of Victory Custom Wheels Clutch Twist Brushed Clear in a 19” setup. I believe these specs would work, but looking for input if anyone has run a 19”.

19x9.5 +25 on 265/35/18
19x11 +19 on 325/30/19

Fenders are rolled, low profile IRS bolts are there.

If anyone is running 19’s and can provide insight, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[03' White Snake]

Why not get a custom set of Victory’s in 18’s?

I’ve been following them for a while and they make some nice looking wheels.

 

[Gnmcnally]

Why not get a custom set of Victory’s in 18’s?

I’ve been following them for a while and they make some nice looking wheels.

That’s 100% an option and one I haven’t completely ruled out, I just have a line on a set of polished CCW’s brand new and never had tires mounted on them for a good price and available immediately so that was attractive.

I do like the idea of brushed or tinted brushed instead of polished, regardless of the size, and have also heard amazing things about Victory.

 

[03' White Snake]

Polished wheels look great when new/maintained, but if not maintained well, look hideous and like crap very quickly. So keep in mind with the classics the amount of work to keep those polished and sealed.

My TF wheels have an acrylic clear coat on them. Don't require any polishing, just wash and go. I am starting to get some small blemishes from moisture getting under the clear coating at the seams, but not bad enough for me to strip them and re-polish/finish.

 

[Gnmcnally]

Polished wheels look great when new/maintained, but if not maintained well, look hideous and like crap very quickly. So keep in mind with the classics the amount of work to keep those polished and sealed.

My TF wheels have an acrylic clear coat on them. Don't require any polishing, just wash and go. I am starting to get some small blemishes from moisture getting under the clear coating at the seams, but not bad enough for me to strip them and re-polish/finish.

That is exactly why I was thinking about brushed over polished if I ordered a set. My SP500’s are polished but enough of a pain, the classic style is going to be way worse to keep up lol

 

[iTz JoHN]

id love to hear from people running 19's as well

 

[98 svt]

Yeah, I'd advise against polished unless they have a clear coat applied.
Even when ceramic coated, bare wheels fade fast. I grew tired of bare polished wheels very quickly.

 

[SID297]

Yeah, I'd advise against polished unless they have a clear coat applied.
Even when ceramic coated, bare wheels fade fast. I grew tired of bare polished wheels very quickly.

This, bare polished wheels look great but are a nightmare to maintain (especially in humid areas). I remember tons of people finding that out the hard way when Boyds were popular.

 

[sam92lx]

This, bare polished wheels look great but are a nightmare to maintain (especially in humid areas). I remember tons of people finding that out the hard way when Boyds were popular.

I have bare polished CCW wheels and I feel like I live in the humidity capital of the world . I love the polished look but they are a mf'n chore to keep clean/protected.

 

[sam92lx]

Out of curiosity I wonder if CCW would sell just center sections to swap out?

 

[SsnakeSVT03]

Yeah, I'd advise against polished unless they have a clear coat applied.
Even when ceramic coated, bare wheels fade fast. I grew tired of bare polished wheels very quickly.

I have never seen clear coated polished wheels hold up long term the way people expect. Even when ceramic coated, bare polished aluminum fades fast as the ceramic doesn’t bond.

 

[Gnmcnally]

I have never seen clear coated polished wheels hold up long term the way people expect. Even when ceramic coated, bare polished aluminum fades fast as the ceramic doesn’t bond.

This is why I decided to stay away from polished and ended up with a brushed tint finish with a raw polished lip. The lip will take some maintenance, but better than a full wheel. Hopefully I’m happy with the look, if not they’ll get powder coated

 

[SsnakeSVT03]

Also, isn’t Victory Custom Wheels just selling Chinese/Ali Baba wheels? I remember a few months back they were exposed in the Cobra FB groups for this.

I always thought they had nice wheels and was considering purchasing a set myself.

 

[CobraBob]

This is why I decided to stay away from polished and ended up with a brushed tint finish with a raw polished lip. The lip will take some maintenance, but better than a full wheel. Hopefully I’m happy with the look, if not they’ll get powder coated

So you went with the Victory set? Any photos of them installed? I think very soon you're going to grimace at the required lip maintenance. If you bought the wheel in the photo in your original post, that is not a small area of polished metal. Personally I would have entirely stayed away of any polished wheel, even a lip section like that one. JMO.

 

[sam92lx]

Also, isn’t Victory Custom Wheels just selling Chinese/Ali Baba wheels? I remember a few months back they were exposed in the Cobra FB groups for this.

I always thought they had nice wheels and was considering purchasing a set myself.

Yea I've saw that. I wonder if the fella was just bitter over something or he had legit reason to air all that out.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Also, isn’t Victory Custom Wheels just selling Chinese/Ali Baba wheels? I remember a few months back they were exposed in the Cobra FB groups for this.

I always thought they had nice wheels and was considering purchasing a set myself.

I don't think anyone is really selling Ali Baba wheels.

Fact is 99% of wheels come from China. Even Japanese brands come from China.

I think the manufacturers are cutting out the middle man and selling direct to through Ali Baba.

The big downside to this is you have no guarantee of the actual quality when compared to companies that actually test and certify their wheels such as Apex for example.

It may look the same but is the quality of the actual aluminum the same?

There's plenty of horror stories with cheaper brands and now people want to race to the bottom?

No thanks.

 

[sam92lx]

The only experience I have with the Alibaba wheels, is a good friend of mine has been working with them. He ordered a set of custom wheels for his lightning with only one hiccup with the bs off on the front wheels. He returned them with no issues and waiting on the corrected set. The wheels look really nice.


Yea I'm locked into the Masters!!

 

[01yellercobra]

A friend of mine just ordered a set of wheels from over seas. I guess it was something like what BC Forged carries. The first set of wheels they sent him where someone else's order. He finally received the wheels he ordered, but the backspacing was wrong on the rears I think so he's waiting for new hoops.

 

[Gnmcnally]

So you went with the Victory set? Any photos of them installed? I think very soon you're going to grimace at the required lip maintenance. If you bought the wheel in the photo in your original post, that is not a small area of polished metal. Personally I would have entirely stayed away of any polished wheel, even a lip section like that one. JMO.

I did go with Victory, but no pictures as they haven’t arrived yet, probably sometime in May.

Keep in mind I do have experience with polished wheels as I have CCW SP500’s now as well as have had Raceline Manhattan’s in my Continental that were also polished. With how little it’s driven and washed, shouldn’t be terrible to maintain just the lips.

 

[Gnmcnally]

Also, isn’t Victory Custom Wheels just selling Chinese/Ali Baba wheels? I remember a few months back they were exposed in the Cobra FB groups for this.

I always thought they had nice wheels and was considering purchasing a set myself.

So I actually held off on them for a couple weeks because of this, and looked into ordering from Alibaba as well. I couldn’t bring myself to do it because I’d never forgive myself if something went wrong and someone got hurt, nevermind the horror story’s from some buyers on what they receive.

As far as Victory and Alibaba, from talking to them they are for sure made overseas but not from an Alibaba manufacturer, they work with one specific offshore manufacturer with proven results and claim the product has improved since moving production out of the US.

Not one to take a company only at their word, I jumped down the customer rabbit hole and their reviews are incredible for quality and customer service. That was enough for me.

I talked to a couple people who said they were an Alibaba middle man, but there was no actual evidence that was the case other than them being made overseas, which 90% are and that doesn’t bother me. The claims are from people who haven’t owned the brand and are just making assumptions because they’re not American made. Meanwhile, CCW is American made and the reviews over the last few years are awful for both quality and customer service.

So do I know for sure what’s true and what’s not, no. Neither does anyone else. I can say I feel comfortable in a middle ground price point with a company to hold accountable and from what I can tell a 100% customer success rate versus super cheap unknowns and over-priced with issues.