pika

is this as big of an issue as I see on the forum? How do I mitigate this risk outside of paying $1k for a wheel warranty?

Will non run-flat tires help? I usually keep the car in Touring and know not to use Track mode unless at the track

can a bend be straightened out and not have to be replaced? I am seeing some horror stories about all 4 wheels bending...

djnice

It is not an issue at all. I put 7500 miles on a GS then 7000 miles on a Z06 both with stock wheels. No bent wheels. I have never met anyone in person that bent the wheels. I was at Spring Mountain in October and no one said anything about bent wheels. I do have forged wheels for the track, but that is so I can run slicks.

hcvone

Depends where you live and drive you may or may not ever have a problem, I probably have 7 or 8 C7 Z06 owners that are wax customers of mine that have bent or even in one case broken their wheels. It can happen, my last 2 Z06's I put forged wheels from HRE and Forgeline wheels on them, didn't want to but for me it is peace of mind, funny my cheaper hellcat comes with forged wheels from the factory, and it appears the new ZR1 will have forged wheels, but not the Z06.

FastestBusaAround

Bent 3 on mine, all replaced under warranty, with a fight. They are cheap, cast junk wheels with zero strength. Bought a set of Cray's for $1600.00 and never looked back...

pika

I looked into forged wheels but I really like the design on these... I had a 370Z with a 35k MSRP which had forged wheels from the factory. Might go with non-run flats either this summer or next, will that help? I heard they have softer sidewalls which may give more leeway on a bump

RubiconVette

I just turned over 10k miles on my 2016 and have never bent a wheel. And I should mention the roads in Denver are absolutely horrible!

Kyflyer

It's like anything else, you pay your money and hope for the best. I have not had any issues on either of my C7s, an early stingray I bought in the fall of 2013, and the Z06 which I purchased in the fall of 2016. I put 36,000 miles on the stingray with zero issues. A caveat here, I replaced the original runflats with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3s early on as I purchased this as a touring car and really was not overly concerned about traction and I wanted a year round, comfortable tire. The Z is a dramatically different automobile than the stingray due to the incredible horsepower and torque. It is basically a spirited cruiser as well and it is more fun from that standpoint, but it is a more expensive car to drive and maintain. I am not sorry that I purchased it as I love the lines of it even more than the stingray and it is a show stopper at the car shows and cruise ins and when the urge strikes the acceleration is an extreme adrenaline rush. I will stick with the redline wheels that came on the car as they were one of the reasons that it caught my eye. If I do bend one, most likely I will simply replace it with the same wheel. Michelin is developing an all season A/S 3 tire for the Z06 and testing them now at Spring Mountain, but they will not be available before the middle of next year most likely. Unless you drive on crappy roads with a lot of potholes the increased cost of a forged wheel is not an economically viable option when you do the math, but if it gives you more peace of mind that should be added to the equation as well.

Poor-sha

Between my 2015 and 2017 Z06s I've bent 6 and cracked 2. Yes, it's an issue. I'd try it and see if you bend one. Then either buy another set for the ~$1500 online so you have spares or go to a better forged wheel.

djnice

I don't get it. The roads are horrible here too. Maybe we are used to dodging the pot holes because we lived with them all our lives. I will say I hit a nasty pot hole on the highway coming out of Chicago in a construction zone, but the wheels didn't bend.

Anyway, it is a good idea to plan on buying forged wheels.

Bill Dearborn

If the edge of the rim is bent the wheel can usually be repaired. However, if the bend occurs through the hub of the wheel (so the wheel has lateral run out when turned) wheel repair shops will not repair the wheel.

Bill

spearfish25

Bent 2, had one repaired. According to GM, we're all wrong that these bent wheels are a design problem.

pika

I was hoping to avoid having to buy another set of wheels... is it proven that non run flats such as continentals mitigate this issue? I've driven 700 miles so far and the car has 7000, and no issues yet on crappy NJ roads

Toysrus

I suspect there are a number of owners out there driving on bent rims without realizing it. It wasn't until i replaced my tires and saw the wheel flop around like a wet fish on the balancing machine that I found out. Amazingly it balanced to ZERO and it was unnoticeable while driving!

pika

So is it just up to luck with regards to getting good wheels? Maybe i have to get a wheel warranty.. but would think a car like this should have strong wheels. I am sure 90 percent of people still have stock wheels and some must be good otherwise there would be larger uproar...

Kyflyer

Yes, it seems to be the luck of the draw for street cruisers.

3 Z06ZR1

Between my 2015 and 2017 which were both switched from stockZ06 wheels which are heavy and ugly
to black cups no issues the cups are sweet and from the C6ZR1

Kyflyer

I have cups on one of the minis, but I never thought about them for the corvette though. They are a great wheel! But, I really like the appearance of the redlines on the corvette, much prettier than the cups.

Larry M

Slight bend in one of my wheels, had a vibration, took it in when I did the initial 500 mile oil change. Dealer claimed I hit a bad pothole, sure I hit some small potholes, but nothing bad.

Dealer wouldn't warranty, roadforce balancing solved the vibration.

JMB

I bent a front OEM wheel on my C6Z driving onto the Freeway on-ramp hitting a pothole so bending a wheel can really happen on any car.

Sorry, this is neither accurate or just because you've never met anyone with the problem doesn't mean its not an issue!

Poor-sha

Both cracked and two of the bent were the satin black cup wheels.

What really sucks is that while you can get an entire set for like $1500, try to buy a single replacement and they are $500+ each.