sorry to say, but those wheels look like a cheap brand. Most likely they're cast instead of forged which means they are weak and low quality. That is a very important contributing factor as to why ALL 4 bent. remember, not all wheels are created equal. I've been over the hugest bumps with my 18" SSR wheels and none have sustained a bend yet.

 

also i'm willing to bet those are not real 3 piece rims

 

Ok, so I lied.... that wasn't my last post. CoralDoc, thanks for that link. I think my circumstance is a bit different, since the DOT actually CAUSED the road hazard in this case. Additionally, the lack of warning signs made the bump virtually undetectable at night. RandyP, thanks for your input. Yes, the tires were fine. Remember, I purchased them a week prior, and they were installed by the wheel retailer. Also, I was driving 5-10 mph BELOW the speed limit (remember there were no SLOW or WARNING or CONSTRUCTION signs up) - so I don't see how you can say I'm responsible for the damage due to my velocity.

Another thing.... maybe you lawyers can help me out on this one.

When I was sold these wheels, I was told they were "Forged Aircraft Aluminum", and I was charged a premium for them. When I took them back this morning, they told me they would not honor the damage done to them, because it was obviously due to negligence, yadda yadda yadda. The same guy told me again, "These are FORGED aircraft aluminum rims. They don't bend that easily." I said, "They're FORGED?" He quickly corrected himself, "Oh, no, not FORGED. But they're aircraft aluminum." Also, I was told at the time of sale that these were 3-piece wheels, only to find out today that they're 2-piece wheels.

So basically, I was sold crap, which is really frustrating, because when I purchased them, I ASKED for 3-piece forged wheels. I tried researching the wheels online before I purchased them, but couldn't find anything. The salesman told me that's because they're such a new brand, yadda yadda yadda. Is this just cause to stop payment on the wheels if the DOT won't pay up?

Thanks again for all the feedback, everyone.

 

obviously it is the DOT's fault for having such a dangerous area without warnings in the open; and if the world were a perfect place, they'd pay for it... I would at least try to get them to pay. As for your rims I'd definitely get some HREs instead.

 

Do you have it in writing somewhere that these were 3-piece forged wheels? If so, I'd expect you to be fully justified in stopping payment for a product that was not as advertised. If not, the seller would surely haul you into court for stopping payment, it would be your word against theirs, and you could well lose. (Note -- I'm NOT a lawyer, just a sensible person who does his damndest to avoid the legal system.)

If it were me, I'd get the wheels fixed, then use them only for S2K meets, car shows, or other show-off type events. Or just sell them. If you keep using them on the road, it's just a matter of time until it happens again. For the real world I'd use the stockers or get real honest-to-god forged wheels.

I'm sympathetic to what you're feeling (I've felt it myself, believe me), and without meaning to sound cruel I'd suggest you write off the experience as a harsh lesson in why it's important to do your homework.

 

I agree with all of the posts on this thread. There are many variables such as air pressure in the tires, etc. However, we all know that all rims are not created equal. For one rim to bend is an odd enough occurrence, but for all four...I'd have to conclude that (from the described circumstances around the incident) the rims are simply of poor quality. Not to say that this is unusual, there are plenty of poor quality wheels out there. This is just one of the many reasons why I dumped my whole bank account into a set of HREs for my own car.

If they told you that they were a forged 3-piece wheel, you may have a case. However, know that far too many people consider any rim with faux bolts around the edges to be a 3 piece. Three piece style, yes, three piece rim, not even close. There are actually very few true three piece wheels out there on the market.

I think you might have a better case trying to collect money from the city for not posting a sign, but it'll obviously be a pain to do so.

A very unfortunate situation, I wish you the best...

 

I'm not even seeing how this is a 2-piece rim. There is no piece that covers the lugs, and when you look at the pic of the back of the rim, it shows the circumference bolts are fake, too. Wouldn't this be considered a 1-piece rim? Maybe you can get the supplier just for stating it's a 2-piece rim?

 

I'm sorry, man, but you got screwed and the fault is in... whose hands?

You were riding on 19s. There are bumps and holes everywhere on today's heavily used roads. It was BOUND to happen.

That's all I gotta say. Sorry, dude. Don't buy ghetto-ass rims, again!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DJ Qube
[B]I'm not even seeing how this is a 2-piece rim.

 

Hmm, so saying it's a 3-piece doesn't necessarily mean the pieces can be separated. It's actually the way the rims are manufactured? Interesting...