[2024] Forgestar Wheels Review: How Good Are They Really?

If you are looking for good value for money lightweight wheels, you’ve probably heard about Forgestar.

From Nissan GTR to Porsche owners, Forgestar has got everyone’s attention for producing some very affordable lightweight wheels as well as making some very innovative products.

But just how good are their wheels?

In this post, I’m going to cover Forgestar in detail and how good their wheels really are.

The History of Forgestar

Right from the beginning, Forgestar has set out to make waves in the wheel industry.

They started out with a bang in 2007 by making the world’s first custom flow formed wheel. From there, they continued to make a range of innovative and unique technologies and products including:

In 2008 they designed and engineered the world’s first variable bolt pattern – a pre-casted and pre-finished PCD pattern that allows you to use the same wheels on various fitments
In 2009 they made the first 22” flow formed wheel
In 2011 they made first 12” wide flow formed wheel
In 2013 they engineered the first modular flow formed wheel
In 2014 they engineered the first 13” wide flow formed wheel
In 2015 they created the first Dual Two Way flow formed wheel
In 2016 they made the first flow formed drag racing wheels
In 2018 they produce the first flow formed beadlock wheels for drag racing

Their wheels proved to be very popular and quickly became the wheel of choice for track enthusiasts looking for affordable, lightweight wheels.

In 2017, Weld Racing bought Forgestar and added them to their list of brands (they also bought CCW Wheels).

With their interest in producing performance wheels, Forgestar are actively involved in motorsport across America including sponsoring Formula Drift teams.

Forgestar also offer private label wheel production using their flow forming technology.

How Forgestar Wheels Are Made

Forgestar have specialized themselves when it comes to flow formed wheels, what they call Rotary Forming.

They have really taken this technology and stretched it to see what they could do, making some very unique products in the process.

Wheel Design

Forgrestar wheels all start as design sketches which are then made using CAD modelling software to create a 3D image.

They are then run through FEA analysis, which is what many of the best wheel companies use, to simulate load tests and verify the designs to ensure they can handle the loads required.

One the FEA analysis is complete and adjustments have been made, the wheel design is put through a final inspection and scrutiny where it must pass structural testing. Any designs that don’t meet the standards are either adjusted or scrapped.

Flow Formed

Once a design has been completed and approved, the wheels are made using flow forming.

Forgestar has a unique model whereby they bring in semi-finished flow formed wheel blanks produced overseas, and then machine and finish them to the customers specifications.

This allows them to custom make each wheel to the customers requirements, including offset and backspacing, PCD, centerbore and the finish of the wheel. This is done at their facilities in America.

This is a relatively unique way of producing flow formed wheels that not many other companies do.

Modular Forged (2-Piece)

Forgestar also offer modular 2-piece wheels they call “Modular Forged”. These wheels, however, are not forged, but are flow formed like all of their wheels.

The face and barrel or lip (depending on the design of the wheel) is flow formed as a single unit, and the bolt-on lip or barrel is “forged rolled”. Unfortunately, Forgestar don’t go into any details as to what exactly that is, but I imagine it’s just another way of saying flow formed.

Finishes

Another thing that makes Forgestar unique is that they offer a wide range of finishes as well as custom finishes on their wheels. This is not common when it comes to flow formed wheels, and is typically reserved for expensive forged wheels only.

Forgestar powdercoats their wheels using electrostatically applied powder which is cured under heat, resulting in a tougher finish than regular paint.

Safety Testing

Forgestar claim to have an in-house testing laboratory where they test all their wheels, as well as getting them independently tested by a third-party laboratory.

Their wheels are tested to SFI, SAE J2530, JWL and VIA standards, and you can find the test reports of their wheels on their website here.

They test every width of each wheel design group with the offset that creates the highest stress (typically the highest offset), to ensure that the wheels are adequate to support the maximum rated load.

Tests include:

Dynamic cornering fatigue test
Dynamic radial fatigue test
Impact test

Where Are Forgestar Wheels Made?

Forgestar imports their semi-finished wheel blanks from overseas (it appears that they get them from China, though I have no proof of this) and then machine and finish them in house in the USA.

Forgestar Wheel Options

Here are the wheel selections that Forgestar currently offer.

F14

The F14 is Forgestar’s most popular design and comes in a range of different options.

These wheels are available in standard configuration as well as Drag Spec which come in bead lock and skinny setups.

For the standard wheels, they offer 3 options for concave profiles – semi, deep and super deep.

Sizes range from 17-22” diameters, widths from 8.5-12” and offsets from as low as -25 to as high as +65, depending on the wheel configuration. They can be drilled to practically any PCD and can be custom made to your specifications.

F14 Wheel Weight

To give you an idea of how much these wheels weigh, here are a few sizes and their weights:

5 – 17.6 lb (7.9 kg)
18×12 – 20 lb (9 kg)

This is a very low weight for this size wheel.

Rotary Formed Series

The Rotary Formed Series feature all of Forgestar’s standard flow formed wheels including the F14. These wheels are all monoblock and are designed to be as lightweight as possible.

X Series

Designed for trucks and SUVs such as Fords, Cadillacs and GMCs, these wheels are available in deep and super deep concave profiles and come in 22” and 24” sizes. Available in 6 lug PCDs.

Modular Forged Series

These are 2-piece modular flow formed wheels which are designed similar to modular forged wheels and can be customized to suit your needs.

Drag Pack Series

These are beadlock and drag spec wheels which include narrow sizes for front skinny tire setups such as 17×5.

So How Good Are Forgestar Wheels?

Forgestar wheels are designed to be affordable, lightweight performance wheels which can be used on the track.

They are generally considered to be good value for money wheels that are OEM or slightly better quality.

Many people across America use them on the track and have had years of service from them without any issues, showing that they are good quality and fit for purpose. This includes Camaros, Mustangs, Porsches, Nissan GTRs and more. We’re not exactly talking cheap cars here.

Past Issues

Forgestar did seem to have some issues with the quality of their wheels, particularly around the 2010-2015 period.

There were some reports of issues with Forgestar wheels which include the odd case of poor finishes with blemishes and a couple of instances of cracked wheels (though the most famous of these are debated as to whether it was user error).

Most of these cases I can find were in the early years, around 2010-2015. I haven’t been able to find many cases of reported issues in recent years, which seems to indicate that Forgestar have solved any potential issues that were occurring.

It’s also worth noting that they sold many sets of wheels and countless people were using them at tracks all over America, so a few failures are always going to happen. Even BBS wheels have broken.

Conclusion – Should You Buy Forgestar Wheels?

From everything I have seen, I think Forgestar wheels are a good buy.

Sure, there were a couple of instances years ago of their wheels cracking, but each one was at the track and there could be a range of explanations for that which don’t include manufacturing issues. I haven’t seen a single instance of a Forgestar wheel breaking on the street.

Forgestar have been doing some very innovative things when it comes to flow formed wheels and their wheels are some of the lightest wheels on the market.

The only thing I personally don’t like is that they used the word “forge” in their name when they don’t offer any actually forged wheels.

But aside from that, if you are looking for track day wheels, or even just good looking street wheels I think Forgestars are good value for money and many people across the country are happily using them for track duty with no problems.

Where to Buy Forgestar Wheels?

If you want to get Forgestar wheels for your car, you can get them here for the best price:

GET FORGESTAR WHEELS FOR THE BEST PRICE HERE

FAQ About Forgestar Wheels

Are Forgestar Wheels Good?

Yes, Forgestar wheels are good, lightweight wheels that are sold for a very good price.

Are Forgestar Wheels Reps?

No, Forgestar wheels are not reps. Forgestar only make unique designs and genuine wheels.

How Much Are Forgestar F14 Wheels?

Forgestar F14 wheels will cost you around $350-500 per wheel depending on the specs of the wheels.

Are Forgestar Wheels Forged?

No, Forgestar wheels are not forged. All Forgestar wheels are made using flow forming.

How to Change Forgestar Wheel Emblems?

On most Forgestar wheel center caps you can peel the emblem and put a replacement sticker. You can also order center caps with the same diameter and they should work on your wheels.