Thin spoke wheel crack
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I have seen some threads in the past about cracking thin spoke wheels, but I wouldn’t say it was a common problem.
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Last edited by grinder11; Aug 2, 2021 at 04:04 PM.
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It's not nearly as common as it is in say a C7, but it does happen sometimes. I agree that replacement would be the correct thing to do.
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Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
OEM wheels are not bullet proof... a road hazard impact that is bad enough can cause this issue. If thin spokes were defective, you would see more problems. All wheels are susceptible to damage. A hard enough impact ( deep pot hole , or road hazard can cause a slow deterioration of the integrity of a wheel ) . These cars are old. Even a poorly operated tire changer could cause the start of internal stress , that after many miles , turn into a crack..
when a wheel become slightly out of round, as it turns supporting the weight of the car, this area is flexed back an forth until internal stress turns into failure.. think about bending a piece of metal back and forth, and then it breaks.
OEM wheels are strong by design and have to be certified by the manufacturer. Standards are design by GM and the manufacturer has to submit certs to show that aggressive statistical process control ( SPC ) ( quality control ) is met. GM monitors these certs to insure a quality control trail and to keep the manufacturer honest.
This is my wheelhouse... that why I cringe when I see people asking about cheap wheels... the cost of quality is very expensive, When many Chinese companies do not have any quality control measure, and are not held to any standards at all. Remove quality control from a wheel and the profit increases dramatically. Cost of quality is about 1/3 the total cost of manufacture of the product.
Corvettes are, in many cases pushed harder than other cars... the condition of some streets and highways are not favorable to aggressive driving. We have all hit unsuspected road hazards, pot holes, run over things we should have avoided etc. Even the side wall of the tire ( aspect ratio ) plays a big part in the compression and impact of the wheel. These 20 and 25 aspect ratio tires might look cool, but they are a wheel disaster waiting to happen, on a public street. They are fine on a race course where the surface is properly maintained.
Just some feedback on how and why wheels can crack, and the chance you take with cheap wheels.
Bill aka ET
when a wheel become slightly out of round, as it turns supporting the weight of the car, this area is flexed back an forth until internal stress turns into failure.. think about bending a piece of metal back and forth, and then it breaks.
OEM wheels are strong by design and have to be certified by the manufacturer. Standards are design by GM and the manufacturer has to submit certs to show that aggressive statistical process control ( SPC ) ( quality control ) is met. GM monitors these certs to insure a quality control trail and to keep the manufacturer honest.
This is my wheelhouse... that why I cringe when I see people asking about cheap wheels... the cost of quality is very expensive, When many Chinese companies do not have any quality control measure, and are not held to any standards at all. Remove quality control from a wheel and the profit increases dramatically. Cost of quality is about 1/3 the total cost of manufacture of the product.
Corvettes are, in many cases pushed harder than other cars... the condition of some streets and highways are not favorable to aggressive driving. We have all hit unsuspected road hazards, pot holes, run over things we should have avoided etc. Even the side wall of the tire ( aspect ratio ) plays a big part in the compression and impact of the wheel. These 20 and 25 aspect ratio tires might look cool, but they are a wheel disaster waiting to happen, on a public street. They are fine on a race course where the surface is properly maintained.
Just some feedback on how and why wheels can crack, and the chance you take with cheap wheels.
Bill aka ET
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