- #12 of 31
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Re: I have had similar experiences [paisan]
by tltypek
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Apr 23, 2007 (12:28 pm)
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Replying to: paisan (Apr 23, 2007 3:45 am)
My wheels (on the TL) were almost $500 each (SSR Integral GT1s) and were bent almost immediately. Not a darn bit of help from TR.... and of course the wheels were discontinued by the manufacturer shortly after I bought them, and no other dealer but TR was authorized to sell them...never bent a rim in my life, and I've had 9 performance cars and lived in 5 different states with them, some with some pretty bad roads. My VR4 drives the same roads as the TL, with even lower profile tires (TL has 45, VR4 has 40) and no bent rims on that car.
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- #13 of 31
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Re: I have had similar experiences [paisan]
by kewaydin
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Apr 23, 2007 (5:40 pm)
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Replying to: paisan (Apr 23, 2007 3:45 am)
That's the thing. In the five days and 50 miles the wheels were on, I didn't have the opportunity to hit any potholes. The worst they saw was the transition between new and old pavement on the highway, and that was in rush-hour traffic. Any wheel at any price should be up to that task.
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- #14 of 31
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Re: I have had similar experiences [kewaydin]
by paisan
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Apr 23, 2007 (5:53 pm)
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Replying to: kewaydin (Apr 23, 2007 5:40 pm)
Something is fishy here. I mean how do you get dented rims in 50 miles? I highly doubt they would send em dented. I ordered probably 100s of tires and at least 30 sets of rims from them without issues. Mine always ship from DE.
-Mike
Motorsports and Tuning Host
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- #15 of 31
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Re: I have had similar experiences [paisan]
by kewaydin
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Apr 24, 2007 (5:22 pm)
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Replying to: paisan (Apr 23, 2007 5:53 pm)
Good question. Frankly I agree that it's unlikely that TR would send bent rims, but I find it equally hard to believe that 3 rims were bent in as many days on my regular commute. As I say, the roughest thing they saw was a bump between old and new pavement where they're resurfacing the highway, and that was at low speed due to traffic. I'd accept responsibility if they'd seen any true road hazard, but if that wee bump were enough to bend three, then these wheels weren't fit to begin with.
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- #16 of 31
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Re: I have had similar experiences [kewaydin]
by paisan
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Apr 24, 2007 (6:42 pm)
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Replying to: kewaydin (Apr 24, 2007 5:22 pm)
I'd probably lay the blame on UPS. Those guys really fling stuff around.
-mike
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- #17 of 31
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Problem Resolved?
by stevecebu
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Jun 23, 2007 (7:50 am)
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I have used Tire Rack many times but am wondering if this is really happening if they are worth dealing with on wheels. I know that when you have an unusual problem, no one believes you. Chances are all the rims were defective and if you can find someone who is qualified to test the wheels for structural integrity you might have a lawsuit.
Alloy rims tend to break not bend, it sounds as though these are very soft and aluminum is actually quite soft depending on what grade you buy as raw material. I worked as a Tool & Die Machinist for about 15 years a long time back so I've worked with all this stuff and theer are way to get it tested. Chances are they made a whole defective batch. It's poor customer service to pass the blame on to the customer without checking it out. Maybe buying teh rims locally is a better idea.
I will probably look into that as an option as well. $500 rims should NOT bend or break except under extreme use.
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- #18 of 31
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Re: Problem Resolved? [stevecebu]
by burdawg
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Jun 23, 2007 (12:22 pm)
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Replying to: stevecebu (Jun 23, 2007 7:50 am)
My brother in law is a partner in a company that is a big player in the tooling industry for custom wheels. Actually, they're one of the last independent US based shops that CNC machines molds used for casting wheels. I asked him about your posts the other day and he said that since almost all manufacturing is now done in China quality has become a big problem, much more than when most of it was in Mexico. His info is that porousity in the aluminum is the problem, and US based companies are sending quality engineers to China to try to find the root cause.
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- #19 of 31
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Re: Problem Resolved? [burdawg]
by stevecebu
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Jun 24, 2007 (2:38 am)
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Replying to: burdawg (Jun 23, 2007 12:22 pm)
My brother in law is a partner in a company that is a big player in the tooling industry for custom wheels. Actually, they're one of the last independent US based shops that CNC machines molds used for casting wheels. I asked him about your posts the other day and he said that since almost all manufacturing is now done in China quality has become a big problem, much more than when most of it was in Mexico. His info is that porousity in the aluminum is the problem, and US based companies are sending quality engineers to China to try to find the root cause.
Ever see Chinese gold? They sell it here and it looks nothing like gold more like coppery bronze it's actually reddish.
Too bad custom wheels are such big $$$ and yet use such low grade materials. Aluminum and Magnesium are very light but must be made right.
I haven't been out of Hong Kong when there but can only imagine how many corners they cut during manufacturing. Same way in the Philippines. They use far too much sand when they make concrete and it shows after a few months when it's been completed.
Well I guess I'll have to find wheels that are actually made in Japan or Germany.
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- #20 of 31
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Re: Problem Resolved? [burdawg]
by fiatfan
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Jun 24, 2007 (3:34 pm)
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Replying to: burdawg (Jun 23, 2007 12:22 pm)
Supposedly, the Borbet wheels are made in Germany and TUV approved, but I find it hard to believe. Something is seriously wrong with the wheels and Tire Rack did nothing. I was a big fan of theirs and purchased tires and wheels from them for over 20 years. Now, there is no way I would buy anything. I think they know the wheels are junk, but tell the customer they never have any problems. If I had been buying some crazy 22" wheels and they bent, I would have understood, but 17" wheels are just not very big these days and should hold up. They are still sitting in my basement. $1000 of wheels and tires wasted.
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- #21 of 31
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No resolution ever found or offered
by tltypek
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Jun 26, 2007 (7:18 am)
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I'm getting ready to give up on my SSRs and fork out the cash for some Subaru wheels (the only ones I can find now that fit over my Brembos and in the narrow wheel well of my Acura TL). I won't be buying wheels from Tire Rack ever again.
I do have a good friend who is a mechanical engineer - wonder if he can refer me to a local facility to test the wheels. SSR literally will not answer emails, and phone calls only go straight back to Tire Rack. I even tried calling Japan!! Can't say I'm impressed with this defensive customer service.
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