Cracked wheels

kr3678 · 10-01-2019, 07:19 PM

I have been driving for 40 years; never once encountered a cracked wheel. This past weekend, I found another cracked wheel (that makes 2) on the 2010 135i convertible I bought last year. Am I just having a run of bad luck or is this not all that unusual?

Ric in RVA · 10-01-2019, 07:32 PM

Had my share of BMW cracked wheels. At least they don't fail catastrophically.

Edrift · 10-02-2019, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinR

I have been driving for 40 years; never once encountered a cracked wheel. This past weekend, I found another cracked wheel (that makes 2) on the 2010 135i convertible I bought last year. Am I just having a run of bad luck or is this not all that unusual?

Were you running run flat tyres on them?
How did you discover they were cracked?

ShocknAwe · 10-02-2019, 07:42 AM

Cracked a few wheels on this car. Bad roads here. Prompted my decision to put Apex wheels on the car. We'll see how those do.

Converted1 · 10-02-2019, 04:47 PM

Stress cracks or impacts? I also have a Cabrio and cracked up a few wheels in the NYC area. I’ve since changed to the 225 profile front from the 3 series, keep a close eye on my pressures and the road ahead of me. Things have been going better. I once got a blowout and as I was merging to get off the road, got another one. This was in June in Long Island and the potholes were huge.

ShocknAwe · 10-02-2019, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Converted1

Stress cracks or impacts? I also have a Cabrio and cracked up a few wheels in the NYC area. I’ve since changed to the 225 profile front from the 3 series, keep a close eye on my pressures and the road ahead of me. Things have been going better. I once got a blowout and as I was merging to get off the road, got another one. This was in June in Long Island and the potholes were huge.

225 is the width not the profile/sidewall ratio.

kr3678 · 10-02-2019, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edrift

Were you running run flat tyres on them?
How did you discover they were cracked?

Run flats in factory sizes. Bridgestones when the first one was found; Pirellis when the second one was found.

I found the first one (rear) when I took it to a tire store to figure out why the tire kept losing air pressure.

I found the second one (front) when I switched out a wheel with curb marks with one that had been freshly refinished. It had not been losing air pressure.

kr3678 · 10-02-2019, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Converted1

Stress cracks or impacts? I also have a Cabrio and cracked up a few wheels in the NYC area. I’ve since changed to the 225 profile front from the 3 series, keep a close eye on my pressures and the road ahead of me. Things have been going better. I once got a blowout and as I was merging to get off the road, got another one. This was in June in Long Island and the potholes were huge.

I honestly don't know whether it was stress cracks or impacts. We have not had any major impacts in the year we've owned the car. They could have been cracked when I bought the car.

Converted1 · 10-02-2019, 08:44 PM

Understood, but if the ratio is the same the sidewall is bigger as well. I feel the wider tire helps fare better too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

225 is the width not the profile/sidewall ratio.

ShocknAwe · 10-03-2019, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Converted1

Understood, but if the ratio is the same the sidewall is bigger as well. I feel the wider tire helps fare better too.

Fair. But 215/40 vs 225/40 is pretty negligible difference and will be less than even the tread depth on partly worn tires.

jlc45 · 10-03-2019, 02:43 PM

I have two sets of wheels with cracks.
My 18" wheels have a small crack in one wheel which does not leak.
I blame the run flat tires.
I bought a set of 17" wheels used, which look good but I discovered a tiny crack in one of them also. Again, it does not leak. I don't know the history of the used wheels, but I suspect they had run flats on them in the past.
This run flat idea is the dumbest thing ever.
The problem of BMW wheels cracking is widespread and well known.

kr3678 · 10-03-2019, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlc45

The problem of BMW wheels cracking is widespread and well known.

It must only be well known about recent models. Over the years I have owned E12, E28, E34, E36, Z3 (x2), E90, E46 and now E88. The E90 started out with 17" wheels and run-flats that were replaced with 18" wheels with run-flats. This car is the only one that has had a cracked wheel problem.

Dackelone · 10-03-2019, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinR

It must only be well known about recent models. Over the years I have owned E12, E28, E34, E36, Z3 (x2), E90, E46 and now E88. The E90 started out with 17" wheels and run-flats that were replaced with 18" wheels with run-flats. This car is the only one that has had a cracked wheel problem.

Yep, mostly on BMW's built in the last ten years. More so a problem with the three series but a few one series as well. Check your wells guys.

I would also recommend to replace your wheel bolts. Especially if your track or autocross your car.

Dack

10-01-2019, 07:19 PM	#1
kr3678 Private 16 Rep 93 Posts Drives: '10 135i convertible Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Georgia iTrader: (3)	Cracked wheels I have been driving for 40 years; never once encountered a cracked wheel. This past weekend, I found another cracked wheel (that makes 2) on the 2010 135i convertible I bought last year. Am I just having a run of bad luck or is this not all that unusual? __________________ '18 VW Passat GT '12 Volvo C70 T5 Inscription '05 MINI Cooper S '87 VW Cabriolet
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10-01-2019, 07:32 PM	#2
Ric in RVA Bergspyder 1488 Rep 1,217 Posts Drives: '11 BMW 128i Sport 6mt Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Richmond VA iTrader: (1)	Had my share of BMW cracked wheels. At least they don't fail catastrophically. __________________ Ric in RVA 2011 128i 6 MT Sport, 2009 Cayman 987.2, 2011 528i N52, 2018 F150 Platinum
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10-02-2019, 07:42 AM	#4
ShocknAwe 1Addict 3243 Rep 7,910 Posts Drives: E82 Mutt, M57 Truck Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Charleston iTrader: (22)	Cracked a few wheels on this car. Bad roads here. Prompted my decision to put Apex wheels on the car. We'll see how those do. __________________ 2010 135i 6MT Jet Black N54/3 FE82 Mutt \| BUILD THREAD \| GARAGE SALE
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10-02-2019, 04:47 PM	#5
Converted1 Wolfsburg to Munich 76 Rep 294 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Convertible M-Sport Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Westchester Co. NY iTrader: (1)	Stress cracks or impacts? I also have a Cabrio and cracked up a few wheels in the NYC area. I’ve since changed to the 225 profile front from the 3 series, keep a close eye on my pressures and the road ahead of me. Things have been going better. I once got a blowout and as I was merging to get off the road, got another one. This was in June in Long Island and the potholes were huge.
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10-03-2019, 02:43 PM	#11
jlc45 Private First Class 48 Rep 154 Posts Drives: 2012 BMW 135i 6MT Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Ancaster ON iTrader: (0)	I have two sets of wheels with cracks. My 18" wheels have a small crack in one wheel which does not leak. I blame the run flat tires. I bought a set of 17" wheels used, which look good but I discovered a tiny crack in one of them also. Again, it does not leak. I don't know the history of the used wheels, but I suspect they had run flats on them in the past. This run flat idea is the dumbest thing ever. The problem of BMW wheels cracking is widespread and well known.
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