[2024] 3SDM Wheels Review: Are They Any Good?

If you are into Euros, chances are you’ve seen a wheel brand with interesting designs and a weird name that no one knows the meaning of.

3SDM.

3SDM is a relatively new wheel company that makes interesting wheels that have become very popular among European car enthusiast, particularly the Audi and VW circles.

In this post, I’m going to go over 3SDM, who they are and how good their wheels are.

The History of 3SDM

3SDM is a wheel brand from UK. It is owned by a company called 360 Wheels Co, the owner of a number of wheel brands that have been around since 1985, originally as a retail store and tyre fitter.

In 1999 they launched Dare Motorsport, the rep wheels brand that makes replicas of popular BBS wheels and several other top wheel brands.

In 2002 they sold the retail and fitting businesses to focus on wheels, and have since launched a number of other wheel brands. In 2012 they launched 3SDM.

Originally selling cast wheels, 3SDM launched their forged multi-piece wheels in 2015, and in 2018 3SDM came to America. In 2019 they launched their forged monoblock wheels.

3SDM particularly cater to the Euro car scene, making wheels that fit the many specific and peculiar wheel fitments and PCDs that a lot of European cars have.

Combined with their rather unique designs, this made them stand out and they quickly became popular with the VW and Audi crowd in particular, so much so that a number of their wheels are now considered “played out”.

I’m sure you are probably wondering what the name 3SDM actually means, as am I, but unfortunately I was not able to find an explanation about it.

How 3SDM Rims Are Made?

3SDM make a wide range of cast, flow formed and forged wheels.

Cast

Their cast wheel lines come in a wide range of designs and sizes and are very popular due to their relatively low cost, with a set costing a little over $1000.

The cast wheels are made from A356 aluminium, and their facilities allow them to make low pressure, counter balance and gravity cast wheels.

Unfortunately, they don’t release any more specific details about how their cast wheels are made, so I’m not able to give you any more information.

However, by the way the language is worded I believe that the cast wheels are not make in the UK but somewhere overseas.

Flow Formed (Called Spun Forged)

3SDM currently have a small range of flow formed wheels which are lighter and stronger than traditionally cast wheels.

Unfortunately, they don’t reveal much about the specifics of their flow forming process, and it looks like this line is relatively new.

Forged

3SDM forged wheels are all custom made to order to your exact specifications and car, ensuring you get the perfect wheel you are looking for. They offer a wide range of sizes and will make practically anything you want.

All forged wheels are made in their factory in UK where they also make private label wheels for other brands.

They claim to have a large database of OEM and aftermarket brake caliper profiles on file, which allows them to know what is going to fit your setup without you having to give them measurements from your car.

They use FEA analysis (as do brands like BBS and Volk Racing) to ensure that the design and specifications will be strong enough.

Their forged wheels are made from aerograde 6061 T6 forged aluminium, which starts by being made into a flat disc.

The wheel is then put on the CNC mill, which features the latest Renishaw Optical Technology to find the exact center with microscopic accuracy, allowing the milling to be perfect. Each section of the wheel design is then milled out.

The barrels and lips of their wheels are also made out of spun 6061 T6 aluminium which is much higher quality and stronger than the 5000 grade aluminium that many other wheel companies use.

Here is a quick video from 3SDM showing how their forged wheels are made:

Finishes

Unfortunately, 3SDM do not specify exactly what finishes are available for their custom made wheels. However, they do show a range of colors and finishes on their website.

Safety Certifications

3SDM wheels are JWL & VIA certified. They also have a number of wheel models which have received TUV certification as well, which means they can be used legally in countries that require TUV specifications. Be sure to check this when buying your wheels if you need TUV approved wheels.

3SDM Wheel Lines

3SDM have a range of wheels including cast, flow formed and forged. Here are the wheel lines they currently offer:

Cast Monoblocks

Available in a range of designs from 16-20” diameters and 8-10” widths.

Cast Heritage Series

Available in 16×8, these are designed to give Audi UR Quattro owners more tire choices and bigger brake clearances.

Spin Forged (Flow Formed)

Currently available in 20” diameters and widths from 8-12”.

Forged Monoblocks

Made to order, available in 17-24” diameters and 6-13”widths.

Street Series

Available in 17-24” diameter.

Track Series

Available in 13-20” diameters.

Heritage Series

Available in 13-20” diameters

Forged 3-Piece

Fully custom wheels made to your specifications, available in 15-22” diameters and 5-14.5” widths.

FR Series

“Euro” style wheels with sandwich construction and step lips.

FX1 Series

“Euro” style wheels with extra brake clearance, step lip and face mount construction.

FX2 Series

“Contemporary” style with face mount construction and extended spokes.

FX3 Series

“Euro” style wheels with extra brake clearance, face mount construction and step lips.

Track Wheels

3SDM do have a “track series” (mentioned above) which includes not only those wheels but wheels they will make to match any technical requirements of the race series or your specification including cast, flow formed or forged.

Conclusion – Are 3SDM Wheels Good?

Overall 3SDM wheels seem to pretty decent when it comes to affordable wheels that look cool and offer a unique design.

Their cast wheel line is by far the most popular, particularly with Euro cars, and they offer a wide range of fitments and PCDs that can be hard to find otherwise.

However, you won’t find many people running their forged line, and I have not seen any instances of their wheels being used on the track.

Their cast wheels are also reported to be relatively heavy, and since they are only really popular with stance enthusiasts, I wouldn’t count on these wheels for any kind of performance driving.

With that said, they are JWL and VIA certified, and some models are even TUV certified, so I don’t think that there is anything wrong with the quality. I was not able to find a single report of one of their wheels failing. But I was also not able to find anyone using them at the track.

I was a little disappointed with the lack of information available regarding how the cast and flow formed wheels are made, as well as the lack of information regarding the finish options available for the forged wheels.

Overall, if you like some of their off-the-shelf designs or you want custom 3 piece wheels in a design they offer, I don’t see any problems with their wheels especially if you will be using them for street or show use. For performance driving I think there are more proven options out there.

FAQ About 3SDM

Are 3SDM Wheels Reps?

No, 3SDM wheels are not reps. They only make their own unique designs, of which they have quite a few. They also make genuine forged monoblock and 3-piece wheels.

Are 3SDM Wheels Any Good?

Yes, 3SDM wheels seem to be good quality and are JWL and VIA certified, and some even have TUV certification.

Where Are 3SDM Wheels Made?

3SDM forged wheels are made in the UK. They do not say where the cast and flow formed wheels are made.

How Much Are 3SDM Wheels?

3SDM range from around $1000 for a set of their cast wheels, to $4000+ for their custom forged wheels depending on the model and specs.

How Much Do 3SDM Wheels Weigh?

The weight of 3SDM wheels is going to depend greatly on the size of the wheel as well as whether it is cast, flow formed or forged. To give you an idea of weight, a cast 0.04 wheel is around 25 lb (11.3 kg) for 18s and 31 lb (14 kg) for the 20s. The 0.05 model 16s weight about 19.5lb (8.8 kg) and the 18s weight around 25 lb (11.3 kg).

Author
Recent Posts

Mateja Matic

Having been in the car tuning game for 15 years, I'm now using all the knowledge I acquired to help other people learn and select the right parts for their cars through this blog.

Cars owned: Mk2 Golf with 1.8T swap, BMW E28 with M30B35 swap, BMW E36 328I Mtech, BMW 750IL, Nissan 300ZX, Honda Civic EF