Would you drive on these wheels?

[danp]

I was having some new tyres fitted to replace some horrid run flats, but they wouldn't hold any air due to these cracks...strange as there weren't any RFT dash lights beforehand and last time I checked the pressures they were OK (couple of weeks ago) NB 2 of the 4 had a crack, about 2" long.

Anyhow they've been welded up by a recommended fabricator (that does lots of work on cars inc wheels) and they appear to now be fine (on non RFT's)...but are my family and I likely to die in a fireball if I do 71mph?

I don't have pics of the repaired wheels, and they're not the sort of place that has equipment to X Ray/UV check them or suchlike, I had to try and get them sorted fairly quickly so went with this for now. (only driven locally at low speed thus far)

It'd be a good excuse to replace the rims for some nice lightweight ones, and my wife would even agree that it's sensible due to the safety aspect, but what do you think?

I did search for similar threads on PH and the advice was mixed, as you might expect but I gather this is an unusual place for them to crack as they normally go on the edge - so thought I'd ask.





Thanks! Dan

Edited by danp on Friday 27th November 19:26

[lostkiwi]

I'd call them scrap.

[Vincefox]

No, theyre fked.

[ruggedscotty]

get rid - These will kill you......

[98elise]

Got to agree with the above. Even if the repair is good you will never know where other cracks are forming.

My family is worth more than the price of new wheels.

[Sump]

Lol at even considering this.

[Easternlight]

Wouldn't want to be using those after the repair with out getting them x rayed.
Might be more of the same in other places.

[wildoliver]

Those are quite frightening, that wheel is trying to separate in to 2 halves. What kind of wheel is it?

[danp]

Wheels are standard BMW 17" - made by BBS, makes you wonder how many people could be driving around on similar.

[hairyben]

whats the car?

Given the ease at which you can pick up boggo alloys for most car types quite easily off ebay etc I'd not really contemplate repair unless they were something special

[555 Paul]

Simply welding up cracks on wheels isn't recommended, the recommended method is to cut out the crack and weld in replacement material.

[cjs racing.]

Not a chance I would drive on them.

[DuraAce]

They don't look brilliant. I can x-ray them for you if you like.

[robinessex]

555 Paul said:

Simply welding up cracks on wheels isn't recommended, the recommended method is to cut out the crack and weld in replacement material.

Here we go again!! bks !!!

[danp]

555 Paul said:

Simply welding up cracks on wheels isn't recommended, the recommended method is to cut out the crack and weld in replacement material.

Yes this is what they did. Car is a BMW 3 series - after seeing mine I'm not sure I'd trust secondhand rims that had seen a few years of punishment from RFT's!

[robinessex]

See end of:-

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Sump]

robinessex said:

555 Paul said:

Simply welding up cracks on wheels isn't recommended, the recommended method is to cut out the crack and weld in replacement material.

Here we go again!! bks !!!

Indeed, I'm sure he's muddling up with cutting out rust with welding alloys

[Superhoop]

Just out of interest, have they ever been refurbished ??

ETA: they look Donald Ducked to me... Time to look for replacements.

[Leptons]

I'm as bodgey as they come and even I'd scrap them!

[poing]

danp said:

.but are my family and I likely to die in a fireball if I do 71mph?

Nope you are safe up to 88mph.

No idea if they are safe or not but I wouldn't risk them, I'd have thought 1 wrong pothole and it's bad news.