Wheel Directory: BBS RF 17x7.5 +48

[Bristecom]

Originally Posted by C4RBON

Still backordered... Estimate went from 2 weeks, to 8 weeks, to July, to August, and now October. I'm thinking of cancelling now. This is getting out of hand.

Aww, that's too bad. Those wheels are definitely the nicest option for this car in my opinion. Hopefully they'll actually get a good stock of them here eventually.

[C4RBON]

TireRack called and they expect to have my set at the end of the month. I'm excited to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately I won't be able to use them much (if at all) this year, since I'm getting Pilot Super Sports put on. They will make awesome side-tables until the spring

[C4RBON]

I finally got my wheels. Just in time for winter! I put them on Wed night, and will be taking them off later today. I'll add some pictures when I get a chance.

[Mim]

Originally Posted by C4RBON

I finally got my wheels. Just in time for winter! I put them on Wed night, and will be taking them off later today. I'll add some pictures when I get a chance.

Please do! These are my dream wheels. One day they too shall be mine!

[C4RBON]

I decided to leave the wheels on for a Subaru meet today in Iowa City, despite it being 18 deg F this morning. These are the 17x7.5" BBS RF wheels in "Daimond Black" (RF504 is the model).The offset is 48mm. According to TireRack, these weigh 14.3 lbs. The tires are new Michelin Pilot Super Sport (PSS) in 225/45R17.

I chose the BBS RF for several reasons:
- They are extremely lightweight, which has benefits for track/performance driving
- There are tons of tire options for 225/45R17, which are an upgrade over stock, and still relatively inexpensive
- Non-aggressive sizing, so there are no fitment concerns, or significant suspension geometry changes.
- They look awesome, and match the style of the car (to my eye). They are also rare, which is kinda cool; everyone has RPF1s.
- They are forged, so they should be stronger than a similar size/weight cast wheel
- They are made in Japan by a well-respected company, and imported and sold through companies I trust (BBS USA & TireRack)

I plan to use these wheels around town during the summer, on fun driving trips, and on track days.

I ordered these wheels from TireRack on March 27, 2015 at a cost of $515 (USD) each, not including shipping. They arrived on November 18, 2015. TireRack shipped these wheels the same way all my other wheel/tire sets have came; cardboard on each face of the wheel, foam sheets between the cardboard and spokes, and all held together with tape and banding straps. They came with some generic chrome lug nuts; the same ones I've gotten before with cheaper wheels. They work just fine, but aren't at all fancy.



The outside face of the wheel is painted in a glossy dark silver metallic color. The inside of the wheel rim and the backside of the spokes are painted glossy black. The spokes don't have any "orange peel", but the inside of the wheel does. The center cap is glossy plastic, with a very cool BBS logo that appears "3D" inside the clear plastic. The face of the wheel that touches the brake rotor is not painted, nor are the insides of the five mounting holes, including the 60 deg chamfer where the lug nuts contact the wheel. The wheels came with BBS branded metal valve stems.

There was one small paint chip/scratch on one of the spokes, several mm long. I can't determine where in the production/shipping process it happened. It is very minor; I would have to really try to find it with the wheels mounted on my car. Somewhat disappointing, but ultimately I don't own a show-car, and I'm sure there will be plenty of rock chips on them in a year anyway.

These wheels have an understated look to them. At a meet with ~30 Subaru enthusiasts today, I didn't notice anyone really checking the wheels out (yet they were probably the most expensive ones there besides the stock 2015+ STi BBS wheels). They aren't "aggressive fitment", extreme offset, 19x9" wheels. The guys with big Rotas got way more attention. if you want attention, look elsewhere. If you are looking for a high-quality, lightweight, forged wheel, this is one of the front-runners. If you only care about performance and don't want the "specialness" of the RF, the Enkei RPF1 is a much cheaper alternative (half the cost).

These wheels utilize BBS's "Permanent Fitment System" (PFS) which is an aluminum centering ring. It is a snug fit to the hubs on the car; much tighter than my other wheels (stock wheels, and Enkeis with a plastic hub ring). I cleaned my hubs with a wire brush prior to mounting. The centering ring is held in place with a metal spring clip. Removing the centering ring is not a trivial procedure; it is called "permanent" for a reason. Some Google searches indicate that the centering rings can be removed, but it takes some patience and dexterity.

These wheels are going into storage until the spring. If anyone wants measurements beyond what BRZebra kindly shared, let me know. I checked if the Essex AP Racing Sprint brake kit will fit using their template, and there is plenty of clearance in every direction.

[C4RBON]

More pictures to show fitment. All the suspension is stock (for now) and this is the stock alignment.

[Bravo Romeo Zulu]

Nice pics and great choice in wheels but I'm biased. We're practically cousins -- I have the same wheels and tires. My car is slightly lowered 15 mm on Bilstein B6 shocks and H&R Sport springs. And I know what you mean by not attracting too much attention. I kind of like that.

The reduced unsprung weight definitely improves acceleration, handling, and ride quality. I'm thinking of getting a big brake kit next but still deciding which one -- depends partly on fitment.

Anyway congrats on finally having the wheels on your car.

[C4RBON]

Looks like there are some limited-edition colors in Japan (white, red, and dark blue). We'll probably never get these in North America.

http://bbs-japan.co.jp/wp-content/up...017-GENTEI.pdf

[Jeff Gray]

Originally Posted by C4RBON

I'm still waiting... TireRack said they have to wait for BBS Japan to make more. Apparently BBS ran out of stock. Hopefully it is just a few more weeks. At least I'll get some freshly-forged wheels



Did you order from TireRack?

I did and I got them about 3 months ago

[Bravo Romeo Zulu]

Pulled the trigger on the AP Racing Sprint kit with Ferodo DS2500 pads. Very noticeable improvement in ride, handling, and brake feel/bite. May be my imagination but car feels quicker. Looks nice too...

[C4RBON]

I've been using these wheels and tires for several months now. There is no doubt this combination performs better than the OEM wheels and tires. Most of the improvement is from the tires. But the light weight wheels certainly aren't hurting. They look awesome. The only people who notice or comment on them are the real car enthusiasts.

[Jeff Gray]

Love these wheels. They weight in at 14.2lbs per wheel. That with a light tire and you have dropped a considerable amount of unsprung weight and rotational mass.

[mike_b]

Anybody know if these will clear performance pkg brembos? I found these links that suggest they might, but I don’t speak Japanese.

https://minkara.carview.co.jp/smart/...647/parts.aspx
https://www.cockpit.co.jp/shop/107/diary/52073/

[Seiryuu]

Originally Posted by mike_b

Anybody know if these will clear performance pkg brembos? I found these links that suggest they might, but I don’t speak Japanese.

https://minkara.carview.co.jp/smart/...647/parts.aspx
https://www.cockpit.co.jp/shop/107/diary/52073/

Maybe you got your answer already but for anyone else wondering, it clears the Brembos with about 1-2 mm clearance. However, according to official fitment guides from BBS Japan and Tirerack, these "do not fit" (probably due to such minimal clearance).