SS/TC 18" rims durability question
02-10-2011, 08:31 AM
#27
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So, I've narrowed it down to the powder coating that most likely caused my rims to warp. From what I've researched so far, if the people who powder coat your rims don't do it exactly like they're suppose to, they can weaken the rims integrity, therefore, causing the rim to warp. Interesting thing though is that I paid $100 a rim for powder coat and it look liked they did a good job. But like I said previously, ZERO signs of curb rash or pot hole collisions. Er, can you really tell if someone has hit a pot hole though if the tire didn't get punctured?
02-14-2011, 04:39 PM
#28
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Well, originally the two front rims were found to be warped and were placed put on the back of the vehicle and the two good ones were placed on the front. Well, seems like the front ones are now warped 
More than likely, I've come to this conclusion: During the powder coating process, the rims were heated too long or too high and the integrity of the rims were degraded. When going WOT, the rims would start to warp. Hence why when they were taken in to make sure they were probably balanced, the shop could find no signs of me hitting a pot hole or curb.
More than likely, I've come to this conclusion: During the powder coating process, the rims were heated too long or too high and the integrity of the rims were degraded. When going WOT, the rims would start to warp. Hence why when they were taken in to make sure they were probably balanced, the shop could find no signs of me hitting a pot hole or curb.
02-14-2011, 10:54 PM
#30
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Last week, I got my rims powder coated and mounted them back on my car on Tuesday evening. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, I did minimal driving. Just drove to work, school, and my girlfriend's house. They are all within 10 miles of each other. Saturday morning, I was going to my parent's restaurant and I noticed the car vibrating really bad. So, after I got back from my parent's restaurant, I didn't drive the car again until Monday. Yesterday I just went to work and then I went back to the wheel shop and told them the car vibrates and to check to make sure all the wheels were balanced. Well, 15 minutes goes by and one of the workers comes out into the lobby and asks if I could follow him back into the shop. Of course by now, I know this can't be good. Go figure, by some Act of God, my rim is freaking bent! Keep in mind, I have literally put ~100 miles on the wheels since I got them powder coated. I do not recall hitting a pot hole or curb. And when I go over speed bumps, I do so gently. Anyone have any idea how this could have happened? Could mounting the rim improperly cause this? I made sure to criss cross the nuts when mounting the tire back on, and then tighten them up as good as I could while the car was still jacked up. Once the car was lowered back down, I went back and checked to make sure all the nuts were tighten. The guy says it could have bent when they powder coat it, but then again, he would have noticed it last week when he put the tire back onto the rim. He even showed me what his machine said when he was trying to balance the tire and he assured me it did NOT say that last week when he mounted the tires onto the rim.
So, has anyone had any issues with their SS/TC rims? I've bent a rim before and that was right when I got my car. I know, total /facepalm moment. After that, I've been extremely careful of curbs and pot holes.
So, has anyone had any issues with their SS/TC rims? I've bent a rim before and that was right when I got my car. I know, total /facepalm moment. After that, I've been extremely careful of curbs and pot holes.
Forged Aluminum Wheels - OFN Forums
Billet Aluminum is 6061-T6
More:
Metal and Metallurgy engineering - Aluminum wheel failure after powder coating?
My ASM reference book gives the T6 aging temp for 6061 as:350F. So again the treatment at 400F+/-??? could cause overaging and weakening of the material.
Last edited by ronn; 02-14-2011 at 10:59 PM.
02-15-2011, 09:24 AM
#31
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That's what I'm aiming for. I'm trying to gather up as much information as I can so that they can't say it's my fault since there's literally no signs of me hitting anything.
Thanks ronn! I hope you don't mind me adding that here: https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/whee...mation-241365/
Thanks ronn! I hope you don't mind me adding that here: https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/whee...mation-241365/
02-15-2011, 10:05 AM
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I hit a pothole the 3rd day I had the car. Cracked two wheels and ripped a hole in the sidewall of two tires. Let me tell you. OEM replacement wheels are not cheap...but the people at OnStar are very nice 
02-15-2011, 01:11 PM
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Nope. I took it to a paint place and paid $100 a rim to get powder coated glossy black.
I got you beat... sort of. Within 24 hours of owning the vehicle, I clipped a curb at 45 mph because I wasn't use to the tight steering and bent the front rim, scuffed the rear rim, and bent the rear hub. $650 ($600 if you send them the old rim back) for a rim honestly made me cry. Luckily, the tires were fine as well as the body, brakes, and suspension of the vehicle. The rim and hub absorbed the impact.
I got you beat... sort of. Within 24 hours of owning the vehicle, I clipped a curb at 45 mph because I wasn't use to the tight steering and bent the front rim, scuffed the rear rim, and bent the rear hub. $650 ($600 if you send them the old rim back) for a rim honestly made me cry. Luckily, the tires were fine as well as the body, brakes, and suspension of the vehicle. The rim and hub absorbed the impact.
02-15-2011, 01:43 PM
#35
Bought he car friday evening, then monday morning on the way to work, I skipped some traffic, and in doing so, needed to pull a 180;
unlike my other FWD cars, these are hesitant kick out the ass-end, but once they start, they want to keep following through...
I dented/scuffed one rear rim;
but the balance ect. wasn't affected... and most don't notice it.
02-16-2011, 04:07 PM
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I would get them to compensate you in some way. Threaten to take em to small claims court...I would.
02-16-2011, 07:28 PM
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Didnt really read any of this thread... But I bounced off of the curb with my ss/tc wheels taking the full brunt of the hit (enough to bend the suspension) and they only got a bit rashed. had them checked out by a wheel company here and they are still perfectly straight and it would only take a 75 dollar resurfacing fee to bring them back. That was a 15mph impact headon into the wheel on ice.....
Didnt let the wheel company repair them just threw them back on with some black paint and they even still track straight with zero vibrations!
So id say they are plenty strong!
Didnt let the wheel company repair them just threw them back on with some black paint and they even still track straight with zero vibrations!
So id say they are plenty strong!
02-16-2011, 11:00 PM
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I got you beat... sort of. Within 24 hours of owning the vehicle, I clipped a curb at 45 mph because I wasn't use to the tight steering and bent the front rim, scuffed the rear rim, and bent the rear hub. $650 ($600 if you send them the old rim back) for a rim honestly made me cry. Luckily, the tires were fine as well as the body, brakes, and suspension of the vehicle. The rim and hub absorbed the impact.
02-16-2011, 11:31 PM
#39
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I'm going to do my best to get them to buy me 4 new rims, not refurbs or anything like that because these rims were brand new before they powder coated them as well as refund me the $400 I paid to get them powder coated. I'm going by there Friday afternoon. I'll keep you guys updated.
02-17-2011, 01:24 AM
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I worked in the aerospace industry, specifically machining, heat treated all sorts of alloys and your powder coat shop definitely used the wrong heat treat solution for those wheels. My guess too hot too fast/ combined with too high of temp.
02-17-2011, 04:51 PM
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Alright fellas, I just got off the phone with the paint place. They're saying the rims were not warped until after they were mounted on the car. The tire place confirmed that all 4 wheels were balanced before be mounting on the car. 3 days later, the front rims were warped (FWD vehicle). The powder coating place says that they heat the wheels up between 300F-400F between 15-30 minutes. The wheels would have shown signs of warp then or during the tire mounting and balance, but it did not. The guys I talked to does not understand that the wheel being balanced before being mounted on the car means nothing. Once the wheels are mounted on the vehicle, it holds the weight of the vehicle and over time, if the rims integrity were weaken, could cause the rims to warp. Is this not correct? The rims were fine the entire time until the powder coating process. Everything changed AFTER the powder coating process.
I need some help fellas (facts, sources, etc.)
I need some help fellas (facts, sources, etc.)
02-17-2011, 05:08 PM
#43
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I agree with this, ive hit some big ass pot holes (ones that would of broken my 5zigen rims I have on my honda). But did nothing to my cobalt.. so itid take a REALLY big pothole to do damage. Or maybe juuuuusst the right angle.
02-17-2011, 09:07 PM
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It has nothing to do with them warping immediatly the strength/integrity was comprimised by the process they did something wrong. Just because that is there target temperature doesn't mean that was the acutual temp. and how fast they were heated cooled matters too.
DUH!!! they didnt warp immediatly that would have been a savere mistake in temp lol
DUH!!! they didnt warp immediatly that would have been a savere mistake in temp lol
02-18-2011, 12:19 AM
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Alright fellas, I just got off the phone with the paint place. They're saying the rims were not warped until after they were mounted on the car. The tire place confirmed that all 4 wheels were balanced before be mounting on the car. 3 days later, the front rims were warped (FWD vehicle). The powder coating place says that they heat the wheels up between 300F-400F between 15-30 minutes. The wheels would have shown signs of warp then or during the tire mounting and balance, but it did not. The guys I talked to does not understand that the wheel being balanced before being mounted on the car means nothing. Once the wheels are mounted on the vehicle, it holds the weight of the vehicle and over time, if the rims integrity were weaken, could cause the rims to warp. Is this not correct? The rims were fine the entire time until the powder coating process. Everything changed AFTER the powder coating process.
I need some help fellas (facts, sources, etc.)
I need some help fellas (facts, sources, etc.)
Print the info I provided here (and any other info you gleaned from the internet)....tell them you're gonna take em to small claims court unless they provide compensation. At the very least..100% refund...but that's really peanuts. You should be compensated for the wheels. You definitely have a legitimate case.
02-18-2011, 08:48 AM
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Correct. They can't substantiate how they heat treated them and it's obvious the treatment weakened the wheels and they became distorted under the weight of the car.
Print the info I provided here (and any other info you gleaned from the internet)....tell them you're gonna take em to small claims court unless they provide compensation. At the very least..100% refund...but that's really peanuts. You should be compensated for the wheels. You definitely have a legitimate case.
Print the info I provided here (and any other info you gleaned from the internet)....tell them you're gonna take em to small claims court unless they provide compensation. At the very least..100% refund...but that's really peanuts. You should be compensated for the wheels. You definitely have a legitimate case.
Options:
1. They agree their at fault and refund my money and pay for the damages.
2. If option 1 falls through, than on to the BBB.
3. If that doesn't bother them, then on to a small claims court.
02-18-2011, 08:50 AM
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It has nothing to do with them warping immediatly the strength/integrity was comprimised by the process they did something wrong. Just because that is there target temperature doesn't mean that was the acutual temp. and how fast they were heated cooled matters too.
DUH!!! they didnt warp immediatly that would have been a savere mistake in temp lol
DUH!!! they didnt warp immediatly that would have been a savere mistake in temp lol
02-19-2011, 09:58 AM
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Well, I talked to the manager of the powder coating place and now he's telling me that from his research, that the factory SS/TC rims have been known to come from the factory warped. Uh, yea, 15,000 miles and my rims decide to NOW warp. Unlikely! He said that GM has a recall for the factory rims or some crap 
02-19-2011, 10:12 PM
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Well, I went to the dealership and told them I have 4 warped rims. They asked if they were stock and I told him yes. He didn't even ask if I had painted them or anything He said to bring it Monday and they'll check to see if the rims are warped. However, he said to truly test to see if they are warped, he'll have to remove the tires from the rims. If the rims are not warp, I'll have to pay the labor fee. I assured him they were warped though. Monday, I'm going to see if anyone says anything about them being painted. If they end up finding they were powder coated, then I'll ask them to write me a letter saying that these rims were NOT warped from the factory because if they were, they would have shown signs within the first week of driving. He has never seen rims warp after 15,000 miles on them. We'll see how this go. If they don't replace them (I'm not counting on it), then I'll go back to the paint place and tell them if they don't give me what I want, I'll take it to the BBB and a small claims court. This is getting ridiculous. I really hate driving my car, especially now that I have new tires on the car.
He said to bring it Monday and they'll check to see if the rims are warped. However, he said to truly test to see if they are warped, he'll have to remove the tires from the rims. If the rims are not warp, I'll have to pay the labor fee. I assured him they were warped though. Monday, I'm going to see if anyone says anything about them being painted. If they end up finding they were powder coated, then I'll ask them to write me a letter saying that these rims were NOT warped from the factory because if they were, they would have shown signs within the first week of driving. He has never seen rims warp after 15,000 miles on them. We'll see how this go. If they don't replace them (I'm not counting on it), then I'll go back to the paint place and tell them if they don't give me what I want, I'll take it to the BBB and a small claims court. This is getting ridiculous. I really hate driving my car, especially now that I have new tires on the car.