Here is a video that WEDS Sport Wheels made showing the difference between their wheels and an imitation wheel. My feeling, not only are you stealing someone’s engineering design, but you are also putting someone in danger. These Japanese wheels go through a strict certification process to be sold. Usually, imitation wheels do not go though such strict standards. Here is a quick rundown on the type of certification that REAL wheels must go through.
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Wheel Certificates explained
INTERNATIONAL COMPANY CERTIFICATION?
ISO 9001:2000 Certification – International Service Organization (ISO) is a worldwide organization that sets technical standards for testing and quality purposes for various international industries. ISO 9001:2000 is the latest quality management system for businesses. It basically creates a unique structure, development and implementation of a QMS in order to increase the quality of business transactions, quality and customer satisfaction.
JAPANESE?
JWL- Japanese wheels must have a “JWL” logo on the wheel and “JWL” (Japan Light Wheel Alloy) is a compilation of standards defined by the Japanese Government to ensure the vehicle’s safety for aluminum road wheels. Every wheel put to market must be tested to meet JWL standards before a wheel can be put out to market in Japan. These standards are generally accepted worldwide as acceptable for most road conditions. That is why you will see these marks on European and other Asian country wheels.
VIA Certification – Vehicle Inspection Association (VIA) is a third-party group in Japan which can test and verify whether or not any alloy wheels can meet JWL certification standards.
JAWA Certificate Sticker? The JAWA Quality Certificates: Since 1995, JAWA has introduced the “JAWA Quality Certificate” system to protect and develop consumer confidence in wheel safety and quality.
The certificate guarantees that all products qualify to the JWL and JWL-T light alloy disc wheel standards approved by Japanese government.
VIA Mark? A third-party entity called the Vehicle Inspection Association verifies whether a product meets the requirements prescribed by the JWL or JWL-T standard. This association permits a product to bear a VIA mark if it passes rigorous quality and strength verification tests conducted in accordance with the JWL or JWL-T standard.
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Here’s some European quality by Schmidt. Check out their Radinox-wheel lip test clip.
The outer wheel dish on Schmidt-Revolution RADINOX technology based wheels is made entirely of the special high-grade metal RADINOX. RADINOX is an extremely hard, lightweight stainless steel.
Source: Weds Sport / Vip Style Cars / Schmidt