VNTGSPD

What kind of wheels were these again?

993_Pilot

ViperBob makes a good point that it very well could be a manufacturing defect, fatigue, etc. I was probably getting carried away a bit because I have had similar problems with contractors and such, not wanting to stand behind their work lately. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction.

993c2cab

they were oz's

993c2cab

and after.

dbf73

Perhaps you can lock the Oz people in a room with the tire shop folks and tell them that the door gets unlocked when somebody agrees to pay or replace.

VNTGSPD

Okay, OZ wheels and a good picture. This should help.

The first thing that I would do is evaluate the other three wheels to see if there is any sign of damage or repair (will require dismounting tires). If they seem okay, then get the dimensions of the outer wheel shell (width, inside diameter of rim, and diameter of the 40 bolt circle) as well as any model info you have for the wheels. Contact some wheel repair places with the particulars and see if they can source the new half. I know Wheels America is a chain that does this but there are others (check classifieds in Autoweek magazine).

If that doesn't work, you can try to contact wheel mfrs such as Bogart, Keizer, CCW etc to see if they can make a rim half to suit your needs. This may be a bit costly but would be less expensive than good quality replacement wheels.

Good Luck!

FLYT993

If it's really gnawing at you...find out, unequivocally, where the accountability is...either with OZ, or the installer. VB makes some excellent points, along with several others. I would contact OZ and discuss with them. If it's a manufacturing defect, you're not the first one this has happened too. If it failed because it was "shaved".....uh....they'd need to provide some tangible evidence of that before I'd accept it. Remember the "Peter Principle" is in effect...everywhere! If it is truly a manufacturer defect, OZ should replace it....if it was the result of the installer's incompetence, THEY should replace it. Either way, I wouldn't just let it go....because this sets a precedent. Challenge them and see what falls out. Just my $.03

993c2cab

I will do some sort of follow up, In my 20 plus years on the road I've never had a repair shop admit a mistake. When this occured why didn't he point out to me the problems with the rim?? Insted he offered me a ride home and said he would get right on finding a replacement wheel or repair of my damaged one. Only the next business day does he ask me if any work has been done to the wheel.. I've owned the car a little over two years no problems with the rims except for eating rear tires. ( Anyone else with a 95 have this problem?) So when Ibrought the car in I assumed all was well. A fellow rennlister is helping with the repairs as he may have some spare parts. But in the mean time what do I do for wheels?? I endured a long Michigan winter and need to drive.

993c2cab

side bar what do I do with the three new tires I foolishlly purchased from this shop that are mounted on my car so I could get it home?? Do I take it back and have the remove the tires for a refund?? can they or will they do this no that the tires are used?? Do I stop payement on the cc?? Am I over reacting?? If I need to buy new rims they might not fit and that's no good..

Jack of Hearts

Can't you just send the wheel to OZ and tell them you want to replace it? Unless they are dicks they should give you some kind of break on the price. Either way you are back on the road. I sure wouldn't use that tire shop any more.

TMc993

+1 on what VB said.

I think it is also worth mentioning that the 40 PSI limit is to protect the tire, not the rim. 50-60 PSI may be a lot for a tire, but shouldn't be anything for an alloy wheel.

The remarkable cornering forces generated by today's tires, along with the poor condition of many roads, puts a remarkable amount of stress on the wider wheels, particularly on the outside rim. Absent the type of scanning done by race teams, flaws and cracks are virtually impossible to detect until the wheel fails.

I suspect that the wheel had a fault, but at this point only sophisticated metalurgical tests could determine for sure whether that is actually the case and whether the failure was due to a manufacturing problem or an acquired problem like shaving or road damage.

Either way, it sucks that you have to pay for it, but it's good that it didn't happen on the road.

CarmG993

If the shop admitted fault, why would they not take back all the tires? Can the shop not remount your old tires on the 3 rims and you limp home on spare or a borrowed wheel.
Once home you can then go after OZ, maybe them offering you a new set at a reduced price or getting yourself a set of new (used) OEM wheels?

Benton

Two things I think:

1) Be glad it didn't explode on the road!

2) There are people who make rim halves; I spoke to a rennlister a while back about getting some new halves for my kinesis wheels since kinesis blows now. If you want his name, shoot me a PM and I will look it up.

FLYT993

I don't think you're over reacting. Not everyone is as ethical as VB. We suffer no shortage of scoundrels. Stopping payment on the CC gives you what little leverage you have. First and foremost though, you need to know where the failure is...with OZ or the installer.