911-TOUR

All,

So last night on my way home, my driver's side rear wheel cracked and shreded my brand-new RE730 - weird failure, the inside rim has a radial crack...and get this...the metal at the crack is crystalized. I didn't know that these alloys could fail this way - you usually only see crystalization in iron or steel. The wheel is a factory 17 incher.

My question: It's going to cost $800 bucks to get a new wheel, which is almost as much as a complete set of new aftermarket wheels from tirerack. Are there any concerns with aftermarket wheels ?? If the car is only a street car should I care ? What about track time ?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions on lowest prices for factory wheels ?

Any advice is much appreciated !!

Thanks guys,

sean

Robert Henriksen

Consensus around here is, you pay $200-250 for wheels, you take your life in your hands if you drive on the track!

Well, maybe that's overstating it a little... ;-) -- but track wheels that you can trust are going to run more than that. I was able to buy used OEM Porsche wheels for $800; it was a more palatable alternative to > $3k for Fikse FM-10s...

Jack

Sean:

Call Wheel Enhancement at 310-836-8908 and ask for John. I'd be surprised if they couldn't beat that price for a replacement 17" cup wheel.
Wheel Enhancement Home Page

Robin 993DX

Sean,

Sounds like the wheel have been repaired in the past. Not exactly sure the crystalization you are talking about, but below is a picture of a wheel I damaged by hitting a curb. Maybe that will give you a reference.

In any case I suggest you check ebay first for some options, there are many affordable wheels avaliable on there. I made some links for you below to check them out.



Ebay wheels 1

Ebay wheels 2

Ebay wheels 3

Ebay wheels 4

Ebay wheels 4

MG993

Robin,

Thank you for posting a link to my wheels on E-Bay and helping me sell them. More money for the RS flywheel. If you ever in Los Angeles I owe you a drink.

Myles

johnsopa

Sean, don't forget that this can be an insurance claim if you want to go that route. Insurance companies regularly cover pothole losses, etc. I had a friend that got two sets of bent wheels on her BMW from a bad pothole one dark rainy night and her insurance company paid for new ones.

Deductibles may not be worth it, etc. though.

E. J. - 993 Alumni

Sounds like a cost effective of getting a set of track wheels?

'Yes sir, never saw the pothole that destroyed all 4 wheels but didn't hurt any part of the car.'

E. J.

911-TOUR

So everyone knows that this story has a happy ending...I ended up buying Myles' wheels - special thanks to Robin from both parties involved (That drink offer extends to Houston BTW. Grin)

I did speak with my insurance company this afternoon as well, and they are going to let me claim part of it since I'm such a loyal customer (10 yrs, no claims). I now get to replace my horribly rashed rims...early X-mas present !!

I also have a call in to PCNA about having someone come take a look at the wheel, upon further examination with a magnifying glass this afternoon (no detective jokes okay ?), the crack originates from a small pocket interior to the wheel structure (inside the metal) This pocket is almost certainly a manufacturing defect, and I'm sure that PCNA will want to run the serial number down, considering the violence of the failure. If I had been on a track or the freeway, things might not have ended well.

Again, to all parties who helped me today - it's hard to express how much I appreciate your effort and advice. Thank You.

cheers,

sean