Shipping by Ship – Factory Direct – What to Expect
(Shipping by Sea)
Time from Order-to-Delivery = 7+ weeks. All True Forged wheels take this long (or much longer) no matter the source or brand, so there is little sacrifice here. 7 weeks is the minimum time and only goes longer from then based on luck.
We lose money on shipping with every set of wheels. We do this intentionally to compromise with today’s free shipping expectations. It can take longer if the giant container ship is slowed for any globalized reason. The best-case scenario is they will arrive in 7 weeks. We have seen it take around 11 weeks for example. It can take longer still if certain events happen which are beyond control. But given we do not define a deadline there is no such thing as being late. This is the sacrifice for getting true forged wheels for much less. It serves no one to sugar-coat that the wait is long. The only way to make them arrive faster is to order them sooner- customers often spend many weeks deciding what to order. Here is how the whole delivery process goes.
1) You order your set of wheels.
2) The wheels are made over the following 20-30 days (+/-)
3) Upon completion, you will receive a picture of your finished wheels straight from the factory. This proof also helps ease your curiosity about what they will look like during the shipping journey.
4) Your wheels are sent to the container ship at the same time you get pictures.
5) A few days later the wheels are loaded onto the container ship. A UPS or FedEx tracking code is generated a few days afterwards and sent to you. When you look to track the package on the UPS or FedEx website, it will not be live. It will be pending / inactive until it is processed at the destination port and picked up by UPS or FedEx in the U.S.
6) Wait for the container ship to travel to the Port of Los Angeles (America’s #1 container port). You can refresh the specific UPS or FedEx tracking code website all you want to check when it arrives there. The tracking code will go live / active upon arrival. We suggest checking only once per week and more frequently on week #4 after first receiving the code. We have no more information than you during this time. We have no better answer than, “It’s on a boat headed to you currently. Please check / refresh your tracking code” if you were to ask where the package is. The easy way to endure this time is to forget you bought wheels in the first place and then be surprised when they show up. A watched pot never boils, as they say. They WILL arrive. It is also this stage which varies in time. It can take a few more weeks for the ship to do its thing. There is nothing we can do to make this time any faster. You can buy Shipping by Air for a ton more money at checkout. That makes this time 15 days on average.
7) Once your wheels are offloaded in the US, your tracking code will go live. It will behave like any UPS or FedEx package heading towards your doorstep. They will arrive very fast.
8) Delivery! Note that the shipment is 4 separate packages- one wheel in each box. Around 30% of the time only 3 of the 4 wheels are delivered at once. The 4th wheel will come the next day.
Next- Inspect the all the wheels immediately. If UPS or FedEx caused any damage to the wheels, we will need picture proof of that. We will also need pictures of the box. Do not throw away the boxes is any damage is observed.
Note: Any projected delivery dates are only accurate when the UPS or FedEx shows they are In Transit.
Air Shipping:
Shipping by air is recommended if you can afford the cost. The only part of the journey above that it saves is the time at sea. All other logistics like customs and ground shipping once in domestic carrier hands still apply. However, the time saved is often worth it to many. Generally, the time saved is around 15-20 days compared to shipping by sea. Another consideration this skips is also the traffic at the US ports which has become an issue as a result of COVID.
Shipping by Sea with Port Express:
This is a premium option at checkout which saves around 5 days total. People often focus on the time a ship is at sea. There's nothing we can change about that. However, this is not the full logistical picture. Once offloaded from the ship, containers spend a few days being sorted at the port itself. This means being placed in various piles, and in the worst case, at the bottom of a big pile which locks it in for a greater amount of time. Port Express does two main things: 1) it makes the container cut the line and avoid all the piles and congestion at the port when offloaded from the ship, and 2) it places the container at the top of the pile on the ship itself so it's first to offloaded. While saving +/- 5 days may not seem like great value when dealing with such long lead times, it is also insurance against the unlikely event that a container gets buried at the port which can extend the delivery time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) –
Q: Will the wheels work with the TPMS sensors?
A: Yes. The wheels are compatible with all tire pressure sensors (TPMS). You can take them off your existing wheels and put them on the new wheels. That will save you from buying new ones. If you want new TPMS sensors, take them to any tire shop or dealership and they will sync them with a wireless tool in 5 minutes.
Q: What’s the difference between all the names with “XYZ Forged” and simply “Forged” (or “True Forged”)?
A: All AEROLARRI wheels are “Forged” or “True Forged,” as we say. We say True Forged to help avoid the confusion with any “XYZ Forged” (or Formed) wheel. Forged/True Forged wheels are entirely CNC milled from a solid block of forged aluminum. That includes the face, sides and everything in between. It takes a long time and makes a much stronger, lighter and far more expensive wheel. Have a watch of our many videos showing our actual customers’ wheels being CNC milled on the face. Cast wheels by comparison are only 60% as strong as Forged wheels, generally speaking.
Check Out our CNC wheel making videos of actual AEROLARRI Wheel customers HERE
All “XYZ Forged” wheels are cheaper “cast” wheels. They begin life as molten metal and are poured into a cast to create all the permanent details and structures of the wheel face. That’s a cast wheel. When they describe the manufacturing process on their website, they usually skip describing this first casting step in detail and skip to step #2. After the wheel is removed from the cast, it is left with a nubby barrel. Step #2 is where only the nubby barrel is smashed outward using heat and a rolling-pin-like pressure. This is what they often call forging since it uses heat and pressure. Some common names for XYZ Forged wheels include: Rotary Forged, Hybrid Forged, Flow Forged, Rotary Formed, Spun Forged, Flow Formed and so on. Also, 100% of all XYZ Forged wheels are made in China. Actually, 99.8% of all wheels on Earth are made in China. You are driving on them now unless you paid $6,000 or more for the set. If you would like a set of wheels made in the USA, please email us at [email protected] since we also sell the full selection of Forgeline and Strasse wheels.
Q: What lug nuts will I need?
A: As for lug nuts, it is very easy. The best solution is to add the Max Grab lug nuts at checkout (M14x1.5 Conical Seat - For C8, all Teslas, and more) . They are new, functionally better than any other type, and specifically designed to fit our wheels and the wheels to fit them. Have a look at why, here: MAX GRAB lug nuts. Otherwise, we suggest looking on Amazon or eBay for M14x1.5 lug nuts for $25-$40. Any kind you find which are M14x1.5 with a cone/taper seat will fit these wheels and the C8. They are the most common kind, so you really can't go wrong choosing the wrong ones. Anodized ones are an interesting type for certain finishes. The stock lug nuts do fit these wheels in the cases we've seen attempted. (Often other aftermarket wheels will not fit the stock lug nuts).
Q: Will the original C8 Corvette center caps fit these wheels?
A: Yes- with one easy step. On the stock caps, you will have to loop some tape around the circle of clips on the back to thicken the diameter. More and more do-it-yourself methods are being used as well.
Q: What are the Offsets?
A: The offsets are confidential. The reason being that there is a ton of work and monetary investment involved in getting them perfected down to the mm. Competitors often pose as customers just to reap said info for their own advantage. This policy is in place for those many eventualities which occur constantly. Other brands often employ this policy for the same reason.
The research involves crawling all data points known, weeding out false data points (almost all listings online have deceptive offsets listed), and then plugging them into an algorithm I made to sort out various tire sizes, lowering, tire stretch, caliper fitments, among other factors. Then there is trial and error. Long before launching the brand, everything needed to be 100% perfected. So real-world tweaking was the next step. That includes plenty of true forged wheels going out and even experimenting with various tire sizes and so on. Even at these prices, that's not cheap. Once that's refined, we then go back into CAD and chop up the wheels to address the various findings. Even our 21x12.5 rears are perfect with no rub. Now multiply this by all the numerous different size options we offer as standard in the C8 Easy-Buy section. Of course, in order to get the maximum safe flushness with the fenders there are mere millimeters to spare. So this is all delicate. Also, we had a goal of having the most flush (and safe) offsets in the industry. And I am very sure we are one of the industry leaders on that objective.
If anyone is interested in seeing more on our standard fitments, we have a "Fitment" page which lists an abundance of pictures showing off how well and flush the wheels fit across sizes, and suspension setups. Find that here https://www.aerolarri.com/fitment.html After all, those pictures are far more important than the exact ET offset number for consumers. FYI, there's no rub either. If someone is interested in having a specific offset, we do accommodate that in our "Fit All Cars" buy section where you can dial-in the exact offset you wish.
Q: How concave are the wheels?
A: Through trial and error we can confidently say that our concavity is the maximum with 1 mm of depth to spare. If you take the rear C8 wheels off you will find that pesky axle sticking out for no good reason. We originally designed the concavity to clear that axle. But on one early set we made the wheels just too close so that it touched. If there was any more deviation in the amount by which they protruded, there would be a post-launch nightmare of complaints and returns. So we dialed that back by 1 mm for a more healthy clearance. Of course certain styles' geometries visually interrupt the perception of concavity, but that is a matter of the buyer's taste. The depth is always maximized.
Q: Do you ship to Australia, and other places?
A: Yes.
- Anywhere else in the globe is available too. Please ask at [email protected] for shipping costs.
Q: Is there any special maintenance?
A: Every time you dismount the wheels make sure to clean the center bore area and the hub on the axle. All our wheels are "hubcentric." This is the best possible type. This means that when mounting, the center bore hole on the back of the wheel (under the center cap) fits on the hub exactly with no tolerance at all. This relieves the lug nuts/bolts from carrying the weight of the car. Since there is no tolerance, after many miles of driving, crud, water, residue, salt, rust and many other types of things leak into where the hub and hub bore mate. And then the crud stays there and builds up over time. This eventually will make the wheel hard to get off if left uncleaned for too long. Therefore, make sure to clean those areas well every chance you get.
A: The offsets are confidential. The reason being that there is a ton of work and monetary investment involved in getting them perfected down to the mm. Competitors often pose as customers just to reap said info for their own advantage. This policy is in place for those many eventualities which occur constantly. Other brands often employ this policy for the same reason.
The research involves crawling all data points known, weeding out false data points (almost all listings online have deceptive offsets listed), and then plugging them into an algorithm I made to sort out various tire sizes, lowering, tire stretch, caliper fitments, among other factors. Then there is trial and error. Long before launching the brand, everything needed to be 100% perfected. So real-world tweaking was the next step. That includes plenty of true forged wheels going out and even experimenting with various tire sizes and so on. Even at these prices, that's not cheap. Once that's refined, we then go back into CAD and chop up the wheels to address the various findings. Even our 21x12.5 rears are perfect with no rub. Now multiply this by all the numerous different size options we offer as standard in the C8 Easy-Buy section. Of course, in order to get the maximum safe flushness with the fenders there are mere millimeters to spare. So this is all delicate. Also, we had a goal of having the most flush (and safe) offsets in the industry. And I am very sure we are one of the industry leaders on that objective.
If anyone is interested in seeing more on our standard fitments, we have a "Fitment" page which lists an abundance of pictures showing off how well and flush the wheels fit across sizes, and suspension setups. Find that here https://www.aerolarri.com/fitment.html After all, those pictures are far more important than the exact ET offset number for consumers. FYI, there's no rub either. If someone is interested in having a specific offset, we do accommodate that in our "Fit All Cars" buy section where you can dial-in the exact offset you wish.
Q: How concave are the wheels?
A: Through trial and error we can confidently say that our concavity is the maximum with 1 mm of depth to spare. If you take the rear C8 wheels off you will find that pesky axle sticking out for no good reason. We originally designed the concavity to clear that axle. But on one early set we made the wheels just too close so that it touched. If there was any more deviation in the amount by which they protruded, there would be a post-launch nightmare of complaints and returns. So we dialed that back by 1 mm for a more healthy clearance. Of course certain styles' geometries visually interrupt the perception of concavity, but that is a matter of the buyer's taste. The depth is always maximized.
Q: Do you ship to Australia, and other places?
A: Yes.
- Anywhere else in the globe is available too. Please ask at [email protected] for shipping costs.
Q: Is there any special maintenance?
A: Every time you dismount the wheels make sure to clean the center bore area and the hub on the axle. All our wheels are "hubcentric." This is the best possible type. This means that when mounting, the center bore hole on the back of the wheel (under the center cap) fits on the hub exactly with no tolerance at all. This relieves the lug nuts/bolts from carrying the weight of the car. Since there is no tolerance, after many miles of driving, crud, water, residue, salt, rust and many other types of things leak into where the hub and hub bore mate. And then the crud stays there and builds up over time. This eventually will make the wheel hard to get off if left uncleaned for too long. Therefore, make sure to clean those areas well every chance you get.