breaking wheels
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Joined: Sep 2005
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breaking wheels
I have an 04 coupe with 40 K. I have done a few of the right mods, 6spd laying down 473 hp to wheels. I have polished c5 wheels. I just broke # 3 rear wheel. Is this a common problem. I have owned the car since new. Are c5 wheels made form steel & chrome plated avail. Thanks Hip
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All C5 wheels are aluminum except for the magnesium wheels that were optional. There have been reports of cracks in the aluminum wheels, but if you've broke 3, then maybe you should go with a better set of wheels.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 941
Likes: 3
From: Grand Rapids MI
We broke one after picking up a friend's 01 in dallas on our drive home to Michigan! Really really sucked. (Huge thanks to jeff@tpe and 02402ramair for getting us back on the road after being stranded in little rock on the weekend!)
I did some research after the fact and it seems to happen to polished thinspoke rears for some reason or other. The 17" fronts seem fine, and the non-polished versions also seem to not have issues. I have not yet figured out if this because there are simply more polished wheels out there than not, but idk if that will ever be able determined conclusively. My personal theory is that it could be a heat-related weakness caused during the actual polishing process during manufacture, but what do i know?
What i do know is that the thinspoke design changed in 01, (the edges are sharper and not rounded like the early thinspokes). It could be worth a shot to pick up a set of y2k wheels and see if you have better luck.
Jack
I did some research after the fact and it seems to happen to polished thinspoke rears for some reason or other. The 17" fronts seem fine, and the non-polished versions also seem to not have issues. I have not yet figured out if this because there are simply more polished wheels out there than not, but idk if that will ever be able determined conclusively. My personal theory is that it could be a heat-related weakness caused during the actual polishing process during manufacture, but what do i know?
What i do know is that the thinspoke design changed in 01, (the edges are sharper and not rounded like the early thinspokes). It could be worth a shot to pick up a set of y2k wheels and see if you have better luck.
Jack
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 4,812
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From: Taylorsville North Carolina
Just pick up a set of the Z06 wheels. Guys use them for track wheels and beat the crap out of them and I have never heard of them breaking or cracking - only the aftermarket knockoffs.
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