Went to use the car for lunch today NOT. Took the flat tire off to check for something in the tread.

 

that is not good. time for a new one....

 

That's just not right!

 

Well; The good news was that it didn't happen going down the interstate, without a TPMS to warn you because the batteries finally died after 10 years.

 

Seems like stock cast wheels are having more problem cracking lately.

 

There seems to be quite a few of these cracked wheels showing up lately. Maybe they only have about a 10 year lifespan . . .

 

Or a 10 pot hole encounter limit, lol.....

 

just the nature of aluminum wheels....as they are going to only take so many miles banging the rough roads

 

I'm certainly no metallurgist, but it wouldn't surprise me to hear that the aluminium is starting to get brittle on our cars.
So are we all going to have to find some aftermarket wheels just to get some more up to date materials for them?

 

Mike, that was my first thought as well. I hope I am wrong. James

 

So what is the plan James.....
Find a clean replacement OEM or go with a new set of aftermarket wheels now ?

I probably need 2 wheels to crack at the same time before I can convince my wife I need a new set of wheels on mine

 

Gary, I have a used wheel that needs refinished but in good shape. I am taking that used wheel and the cracked wheel to the "Wheel Dr." one day this week and see what he thinks would be best to be used. He has straightened two and refinished two of my wheels in the past with perfect results. He will guide me right.

James

 

With a fine tip black marking pen you could draw a crack on two of your wheels. As long as the wife doesn't rub her finger on the wheel you could convince her that you need new wheels.

Stan

 

Never heard of age affecting aluminum wheels and that includes the 15x8s from 1978 on the Judge. Impact yes, age no unless defective in the first place.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alloy_wheel

 

Just swapped to my winter wheels and noticed one of my summer rims has a very similar, though smaller, crack. Curious to hear what the Wheel Dr. says about fixing it - I need new summer tires, really don't want to bite the bullet on new rims, too!

 

Just got back from dropping my wheel off. When he saw the crack, right away he suspected 2 or more bends in the wheel. Although hardly noticeable to the eye, he pointed out two very minor bends in the rim on the inside bead area. And exactly between them, was the crack. Common on wide alloy wheels. He has repaired 1000s of alloy wheels in his 15 years of business with the same problem. He didn't think age had anything to do with it. He has yet to see a cracked wheel with no other damage of some sort.

He will straighten the wheel, repair the crack, and touch up some older curb rash for $110. It will be ready in a few days. I trust his work and I am not concerned.

James

 

age just reflects the miles of pounding down the road.... We have trucks with 20-25 yr old aluminum bud wheels still rolling.... what can wear is the bead lip...causing a slow leak......common high mileage wheels

 

It is generally corrosion causing leaks around the bead from my experience. When ever I clean off corrosion from rim beads, I always spray clear coat back on the area. It helps seal the alloy to slow down the corrosion process to occur again, but it will. Also on my personal rims, I try to mount tires without the soapy solution when possible. And if I have to use the soap/lube, I wipe clean as much of the bead area as I can before airing the tires. I tend to think that soap trapped in the bead may speed up the corrosion process...

James