Ouch! Cracked Wheel!!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 753
Likes: 2
From: Denville NJ
Ouch! Cracked Wheel!!
Read posts on cracked wheels Friday and pulled mine off Saturday for a cleaning. I have a 2004 C5 with 25K miles. One was cracked in an unusual area, in the middle of the drum area in the direction of the axel. It is small, approx. 1 1/2 inches in length. Other posts speak of problems in the spoke connection at the drum. Is this common also? Is it destined to get worse? Is it fixable? 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 6,101
Likes: 44
From: ABQ NM
Cruise-In II Veteran
Read posts on cracked wheels Friday and pulled mine off Saturday for a cleaning. I have a 2004 C5 with 25K miles. One was cracked in an unusual area, in the middle of the drum area in the direction of the axel. It is small, approx. 1 1/2 inches in length. Other posts speak of problems in the spoke connection at the drum. Is this common also? Is it destined to get worse? Is it fixable?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 1
From: LEBANON PA.
Ouch Cracked Wheel
Hi there Nick1,
Sorry to hear of your cracked wheel. Doing the same thing you are on my 01 vette. I didn't find any cracks.
Are those the factory gm wheels? They are stamped on the inside & say GM made in the usa , Kentucky. Also have a heat treat number 6 digits & one letter at the end.I am wire brushing the axle hub & using fine sand paper on the wheel hub to remove the rust. Going to put on some corrosion preventive as when you have two different metals mated together you get intergrangular corrosion. When reinstalling torque in 25lb increments & use the star pattern. Final torque 100 ft.lbs. Also good time to check the axle nut torque. Torque is 118 ft. lbs. I just measured 15/16 of an inch from top of nut to the end of the axle stud.Also good time to apply armorall on all the rubber boots on your control rod linkages. Also a good time to apply wd-40 to the bolt located on the black torsion bar spring. Keep me posted on how you made out with the wheel.
Best regars;
robsc501
Sorry to hear of your cracked wheel. Doing the same thing you are on my 01 vette. I didn't find any cracks.
Are those the factory gm wheels? They are stamped on the inside & say GM made in the usa , Kentucky. Also have a heat treat number 6 digits & one letter at the end.I am wire brushing the axle hub & using fine sand paper on the wheel hub to remove the rust. Going to put on some corrosion preventive as when you have two different metals mated together you get intergrangular corrosion. When reinstalling torque in 25lb increments & use the star pattern. Final torque 100 ft.lbs. Also good time to check the axle nut torque. Torque is 118 ft. lbs. I just measured 15/16 of an inch from top of nut to the end of the axle stud.Also good time to apply armorall on all the rubber boots on your control rod linkages. Also a good time to apply wd-40 to the bolt located on the black torsion bar spring. Keep me posted on how you made out with the wheel.
Best regars;
robsc501
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
Read posts on cracked wheels Friday and pulled mine off Saturday for a cleaning. I have a 2004 C5 with 25K miles. One was cracked in an unusual area, in the middle of the drum area in the direction of the axel. It is small, approx. 1 1/2 inches in length. Other posts speak of problems in the spoke connection at the drum. Is this common also? Is it destined to get worse? Is it fixable?
I didn't discover mine until it actually started leaking air through the crack. I bought a replacement for $150 shipped from a forum vendor.
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: READING PA
We have a place here in Behlehem PA that might be able to repair it for you. - Factory OEM Aluminum Alloy Rims Wheel Sales & Wheel Collision Center Bath Allentown Pennsylvania PAFactory and Aftermarket. They have a web site and look very reputible. You might like to contact them,if nothing more just to ask them a question. CHRIS
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
There was a whole spate of these cracks about a year ago. One member NHTSA with a complaint but didn't hear what came of it. I'd say with a safety issue such as this its always good to take it up with the dealer and try for and out of warranty replacement. JMHO
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 47
Likes: 3
From: Brea CA
Thinspoke Crack
I have a 2002 with thinspokes. A couple of months ago I discovered cracks at three spokes on a rear wheel. First dealer said a new wheel would be 500 bucks no warranty. Second dealer worked with me and honored the GM extended warranty. Call the 800 number on your extended warranty and explain the problem. I told them that it is a safety issue. Once you have spoken to the warranty people, your info will be available to any dealer. By the way, the rear wheel has a new part number from the original, so that should tell you something.
