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Bowling Green, Kentucky-based RC Components [2] has made a definitive statement in the drag racing world with their beautiful and modern front and rear wheel designs that borrow design cues from the companys’ custom motorcycle wheel heritage, but to date, only small tire racers could get their hands on the sleek forged wheels. But following years of demand and anticipation, they’ve finally pulled the wrap off their 16-inch rear RC Comp drag racing wheel at this year’s PRI Show, allowing bracket and sportsman drag racers, big tire heads-up competitors, and even the famous Street Outlaws, to bolt on RC’s hoops.
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The new RC Comp rears are available in 16×15 and 16×6 sizing, with 4-, 5-, and 6-inch backspacing options. Both of their traditional polished and black anodized wheel centers are likewise optioned, as are both single and dual beadlock.
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Here you can see the machines notch on the backside of the wheel center that matches the inside of the wheel shell to support the entire weight and torque of the car.
The beadlocks, of course, are one of the key features of RC’s line of rear drive wheels, as both the bead and the bolt-on ring sport machines grooves that, once installed, provide added clamping force for the tire under operation. The most unique attribute, however, of RC’s wheels lies in the wheel center itself, which features five machined notches that match sit firmly in “posts” on the wheel shell and interlock, thus serving as the load-bearing mechanism of the wheel, rather than bolts and nuts. In this case, said hardware simply holds the wheel center to the wheel, but does not support the wheel nor endures any torque.
[10]The wheel center for the 16-inch is a little beefier and with a bit more depth than those on RC’s traditional 15×8 up to 15×15 wheels.
The 16-inch RC Comp’s are available now and if previous history in the small-tire world is any indication, these should be a common sight in drag racing in 2018.