New Flow Formed Wheels

OE Wheels has just introduced a new line of forged Flow Formed wheels, so we thought you may want to learn a little about the Flow Formed process and the benefits it offers.

The rim of a Flow Formed wheel is forged under high pressure while the wheel is spun at high speed. This alters the molecular structure and the internal grain structure of the aluminum (much like the direction of the grain makes a difference in wood), making it stronger, lighter and more precise.

The process begins with a pressure-cast pre-form, which is then rapidly cooled. This quick cooling of the metal right after heating (sometimes referred to as quenching) enhances the elastic strength and durability by increasing the metal's density. The strengthened pre-form (Fig A) is then pulled from the mold and placed into the flow-forming machine (Fig B), which operates in a manner similar to a potter's wheel. This process stretches the barrel downward, causing the metal to "flow" into the correct "form" (hence the name), and this process gives the wheel its final shape (Fig C). Most importantly, the weight saving is in the outer rim of the wheel, which dramatically reduces rotational mass and fine-tunes the performance of your vehicle.

Our first Flow Formed wheel is the CV22C, a C7 Z06 style wheel that is available as a 19x8.5-20x10 staggered set to fit the 2005-2018 Corvette and the 1993-2002 Camaro and Firebird. More Flow Formed styles such as the CV40 and CV41 will be arriving soon, and you can find them when they're available by clicking on the search icon at the top of the website and searching for the phrase "flow formed."

Click here to see all the flow formed finish options available with the CV22.