Wheels wheels wheels
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,771
Likes: 138
From: cyberspace NY
Wheels wheels wheels
2019 Mercedes S560. all 4 wheels cracked. 1 leaking air.
2011 Escalade 3 wheels bent to shiit. No cracks.
2017 Corvette GS. No problems what so ever.
2011 Escalade 3 wheels bent to shiit. No cracks.
2017 Corvette GS. No problems what so ever.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,245
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From: Lindenhurst, IL
I'm one of those people that think that the C7 wide-body wheel cracking problem is blown way out proportion on this forum. The front wheels on the C7 GS and Z06 are 19 x 10, the same size as the rear wheels on the C6. The C7 Stingray rear wheels are 20 x 10. I don't believe that any of them are designed or manufactured any differently. None of them are fully forged. Some are rotary/spin forged. Why would this only be a problem on the C7? With that being said, it's not difficult to understand why a 12" wide rear wheel would be more prone to bending or cracking than a 10" or 11" wide wheel. I mean.....If you choose to buy a car with very low profile tires, and a firm suspension, you should be careful how and where you drive it. For instance, if you have any kind of raised curb entering your driveway, the stress of repeatedly running into it can lead to a bend or crack.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,771
Likes: 138
From: cyberspace NY
The real problem is the low profile, and run flat sidewall stiffness. Yes, the wheels can be made from a better alloy, or whatever. But it's really a combination of everything, including the potholes everywhere.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 808
Likes: 398
From: NW Georgia
I personally think while run flat tires serve a purpose, they are a major cause of all the bent and cracked leaking wheels that people are having a problem with. I helped a friend of mine that owns a tire store change my tires from the Michelin run flats to the Continental non run flat tires I have now and was amazed at the weight difference between the tires and the extremely hard side walls that the run flats have on them. I guess that is a price you pay for having the security of driving a car that has no spare tire with the run flats vs the softer side walls and more forgiving tire and easier on the wheels that the non run flats have.
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While the reported cracked/bent wheel problem may be out of proportion to the total number of owners with the wider wheels on their car, the fact remains that there are a number of owners of wide body cars that have had repeated instances of wheel damage on their car. Something just does not add up - could very well be a quality problem with the wider wheels.
Haven’t heard of many buyers of aftermarket forged wheels having this problem. And not many owners of narrow body cars report wheel issues (at least from what I have read).
Crappy roads undoubtedly can cause issues with wheels and the low profile tires (w/stiff sidewalls) transmit the shock to the entire wheel assembly, but the design process should have taken some of that into account. Just my $.02.
Haven’t heard of many buyers of aftermarket forged wheels having this problem. And not many owners of narrow body cars report wheel issues (at least from what I have read).
Crappy roads undoubtedly can cause issues with wheels and the low profile tires (w/stiff sidewalls) transmit the shock to the entire wheel assembly, but the design process should have taken some of that into account. Just my $.02.
