Wheel promoting brake cooling

I was trolling around Yahoo Japan when I was doing a search for wheels that might work well with my Corolla

when I stumbled over these....

So... is this just design... or might this aid in brake cooling??? Note there are 2 designed with one fin shape, and 2 with a reverse shape.

Also... which way would be superior to mount them... pulling air in... or pulling air out??? Check this last bit... I believe the small arrow along the rims edge shows rotation... and it would be to draw air from under the car out though the wheels

It'll help, but make sure they're sucking air out of the wheel wells and not pushing it in. Sucking it out isn't quite as good for cooling but is good for aero, pushing in in creates lift and kills any underbody downforce you may have had.

Some supercars use wheels like this.

Oh and keep in mind you're siphoning a bit of the car's forward speed for this.

I saw some wheels on a rally car that looked like a plenum fan sticking out past the rim. I thought maybe they were Ronal Turbos.

I was just thinking, purely for brake cooling these things are an awful deal compared to brake cooling ducts. You're running 4 big fans that draw more power with speed vs. a minor increase in drag to put just enough brake cooling air right where it's needed.

And doesn't your 'rolla already have brake cooling ducts?

FWIW, most C4 Corvette wheels were finned similarly and for the same purpose: brake cooling. (Corvette) Challenge cars were allowed to use finned hats on their Dymags when those wheels replaced the stockers. Gameboy is prolly right that for track use ducts are the way to go. My instinct is that a finned wheel would have some limited benefit for spirited street use but ducts would be be better for moderating sustained high temps.

This isn't the best pic, and I had a way harder time than I'd have thought googling up an image...

Damn. Beat me to it...

The Mazda 787B had those covers, as did most of the F1 field for years.

From a 962:

935:

F1 version 2012:

I could see them working for both aero and brake cooling. I do not see where you would lose unless you are racing at 150mph+. They will not affect acceleration (might help if they are lighter) and will only be a hinderance once you need every last HP to keep to speed

Doesnt matter, the wheels in OP are ridiculously HOT.

Some of those wheel fans were Corvair fans!

If you check out the Integrale restoration projects at www.mat.fi you'll see how the rally style fans were made. Just a disk with some blades on the inside, nothing fancy at all. I'll make it easy - http://www.mat.fi/n_index.php?nav=gallery_view&gallery=project1990lanciadeltaexbiasion&g=13 pictures 96-106.

e34 m5 wheels
not especially pretty but supposedly rather effective

From what I understand, fan fins on wheels only offer modest cooling at very high speeds. More heat gets wicked away by the wheel itself being a heatsink. YMMV, but that's what I've heard.

WilberM3 wrote: e34 m5 wheels not especially pretty but supposedly rather effective

The problem with those wheels is that they make every set of tires look like whitewalls.

In reply to Woody:

I thought you were kidding, then I LOL'd

Woody wrote:

WilberM3 wrote: e34 m5 wheels not especially pretty but supposedly rather effective

The problem with those wheels is that they make every set of tires look like whitewalls.

Not if you paint 'em....

oldeskewltoy wrote: I was trolling around Yahoo Japan when I was doing a search for wheels that might work well with my Corolla when I stumbled over these.... So... is this just design... or might this aid in brake cooling??? Note there are 2 designed with one fin shape, and 2 with a reverse shape. Also... which way would be superior to mount them... pulling air in... or pulling air out??? Check this last bit... I believe the small arrow along the rims edge shows rotation... and it would be to draw air from under the car out though the wheels

Looks like there's an arrow and some directions on the rim telling you how to mount them.....

Yep just follow the arrows

First Gen preludes had mags that were directional.... Not sure if it was for that purpose or not though..

I'd Imagine any wheel with "tear drops" as a style would have minor ammount of that as well.

(cliff note: I found the old car I bought to part out via google images haha)

They currently are selling for about $11.25..... yes all 4.. there is only 3 center caps... but I figured a small black center cap, and 4 black lug nuts might still look pretty good.... (ditching the 3 caps and outfitting all 4 with the black accents)

The problem is the "associated costs"... all the hands out along the way from Yahoo Japan to my door. The current wheels I have were a YJ purchase, I got them for roughly $55 - and then additional $500 (fees, shipping, etc) and 9 months later I got them...

Woody wrote: The problem with those wheels is that they make every set of tires look like whitewalls.

Problem?

Just an observation...