Any one else loose one out of the blue like this???
I have a 1800 lb CRX with a B16 in it not exactly a heavy car.
its a dedicated auto x car it does not get street driven just auto x.
I have a set of Konig Helium rims on it with 710 race tires.
two weeks ago there was a divisional and i pulled all the rims off and cleaned them by hand to get all of the brake dust off and what not. No cracks were seen or felt at this time.
Two weeks and two auto x's later i have one spoke broken all the way across and a second one starting? There are not chips like the wheel hit the ground or impact spots just a huge crack? What the hell ?
How weak are these things?? The only thing these could possible hit is a damn plastic cone?
I am thinking about pulling them all off if i can not trust them!
Any one else had any problems?


Modified by Rene M at 3:21 PM 6/23/2005


Modified by Rene M at 3:25 PM 6/23/2005

 

I believe Yack broke one or two of them also...

 

and i was sure RJ was going to say something about "wheels are a wear item"

 

Come on its an auto x car that weighs less than 2k how in the hell can it crack a spoke unless there was a problem in the material before?
I does not know curbs,i do not go door to door ( with the rest of you paint traders), the spoke is broken in the middle with no other marks on the wheel.




Modified by Rene M at 3:23 PM 6/23/2005

 

well the advise that goes around here is something to the effect that.... if you buy "cheaper" track wheels... rota, konig, etc... you go for the ones with the beefiest spokes... the fatter ones. Thats why you will see so many guys with slips on.

I dont know what suspension you run, but 710s are sticky and i'm sure they help generate ALOT of force, even in a autox course.

 

GREAT! I in the middle of purchasing these rims for my track days!

 

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MMsportsRexSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dont know what suspension you run, but 710s are sticky and i'm sure they help generate ALOT of force, even in a autox course.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Maybe Rene just needs to take the faster corners a little slower. His rims would last longer.

 

Cracks like that don't always result from a single overload condition - although they can. Repeated loading and unloading work to create stress cracks propegating from even microscopic casting imperfections.

Lighter pretty much always means "less material," and less material means greater stresses. Thinner cross-sections allow stress cracks to reach the surface sooner. Did we mention that "wheels are a consummable?" I have some 19# stock VW alloys that will fit that CRX that I'm really sure won't crack.

Seriously though, it can't hurt to contact your retailer (first) and Konig (second) to see if they will replace it. You haven't put a huge amount of time on them, it doesn't sound like. Undestand though that they really don't have any obligation to replace a wheel used on a racing car, even if it is implied that they are "racing wheels."

K

 

Thanks... I will try to go slower or get cheeper tires..

 

If the rims have a manufacturing serial # then compare them. It might be a bad batch of rims.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rene M &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks... I will try to go slower or get cheeper tires.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I hear Michelin has a few extras left over (used for only one lap!) from this past weekend... you could try them.

 

Koing killer???







Modified by Rene M at 2:38 PM 6/24/2005

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rene M &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Koing killer???



</TD></TR></TABLE>

That car is teh hotness!!!

 

you dont need cheaper tires, you just need rims that can handle that kind of tire... sacrifise that 2 or 3 pounds for consistant use of that good tire.

and you do need to contact konig to see what they ahve to say, since they were pushing a deal to NASA track people... they need to know... sure wheels are consumable, but i would hope not like that...

 

I broke a Helium that *exact* way on my Integra. Konig replaced it, then I promptly sold the wheels and bought some Rota SlipStreams.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MMsportsRexSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you dont need cheaper tires, you just need rims that can handle that kind of tire... sacrifise that 2 or 3 pounds for consistant use of that good tire.

and you do need to contact konig to see what they ahve to say, since they were pushing a deal to NASA track people... they need to know... sure wheels are consumable, but i would hope not like that... </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have to say that i do worry about some of you out there on a big track
If i can brake one on an auto x with a sub 2k car than you guys can shread them...
Check your wheels all of you!!!!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94accordsedan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That car is teh hotness!!! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks, I think what is Teh?

Some of you know but most do not, this is the yellow Grassroots car that i built two years ago. It pops up in the mag once in a while..
27th the first year -04
6th last year - 05
1st next year ????

 

i dont have to worry about "rimz" i still roll stock 90-91 CRX Si wheels with bald falkens

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rene M &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Thanks, I think what is Teh?

Some of you know but most do not, this is the yellow Grassroots car that i built two years ago. It pops up in the mag once in a while..
27th the first year -04
6th last year - 05
1st next year ???? </TD></TR></TABLE>

The car looked familiar... now I know why.

Teh = the when you type too fast.

OT: how is the rally stuff coming along?

 

I've heard of this happening for that rim before.

It may only be internet innuendo/rumor/hysteria, but afterward the 'rule of thumb' was they were decent street rims, but couldn't with stand the loads that R-compounds and road racing placed on them.

*shrug* I'm surprised to see one fail in AX, with a tiny car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rene M &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Konig Helium rims on it with 710 race tires</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'd venture to guess that the higher side loads placed on the wheels because of the extra grip of race tires caused this crack. I'd be interested in seeing a closeup of the crack (after you break it in 2). This would probably show you that it started with a very small crack and the cyclic loads increasingly caused the crack to grow.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nonsense &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I'd venture to guess that the higher side loads placed on the wheels because of the extra grip of race tires caused this crack. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i'd have to agree and am not so surprised.

just be glad you caught it before it caused catastrophic failure.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
just be glad you caught it before it caused catastrophic failure.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep, consider yourself lucky. Some folks discover their wheel cracks when the broken wheel leaves the car in mid-corner! Happened to me once. I check them regularly now.

 

A few years ago, we were looking into obtaining a wheel manufacturer for cast wheels. As you may know, cheaper cast wheels can have less consistent quality control, with the worst defect being tiny air pockets in the casting. I think you found one.