my wheel exploded - got pictures
Feb 21, 2005, 08:59 AM
#32
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Originally Posted by KevinD
nah, an aluminum wheel will not fatigue from daily driving use causing catastrophic failure. if the wheel did have a defect then it is possible under a higher then normal stress force.
but after a very quick inspection, his wheel did not have a catastrophic failure due to fatigue. if you look at the rim, you can see there is an enormous break on the rim which was due to an impact directly on the side at higher speeds more then likely. this also impacted at the base of one of the spokes causing it to fail, and then the remainder of the spokes failed as the forces acting on the rim were no longer symetric and the loading due to impact was much greater then the strength of the remaining spokes.
my inspection is by no means a professionals opinion (although i did take solid mechanics classes, and i am a mechical engineer), but yeah i doubt he would stand any chance in court if he is using the wheel falling apart while driving causing his to loose control and go into the ditch.
but after a very quick inspection, his wheel did not have a catastrophic failure due to fatigue. if you look at the rim, you can see there is an enormous break on the rim which was due to an impact directly on the side at higher speeds more then likely. this also impacted at the base of one of the spokes causing it to fail, and then the remainder of the spokes failed as the forces acting on the rim were no longer symetric and the loading due to impact was much greater then the strength of the remaining spokes.
my inspection is by no means a professionals opinion (although i did take solid mechanics classes, and i am a mechical engineer), but yeah i doubt he would stand any chance in court if he is using the wheel falling apart while driving causing his to loose control and go into the ditch.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:01 AM
#33
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I seen my boys 97 camarro do the same thing. He lost it on the highway then smacked the curb, the rim took the hit and looked just like yours, but the suspension was totally fine. Look like yours grabed a huge rock or something.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:11 AM
#35
I think it was a lateral hit also. Somthing froze on the right rear caused the jackknife and going off sideways, somthing caught the rim. Think , in your mind, a moment as to what would have happend if the rim shattered on the highway. Its highly possible the rim would have rolled off yet the car could have maintained controll with a rotor on the pavement. Hitting the brakes would have caused the car to vear to the left. There just isnt enough force to cause that on a Aluminum rim rolling down the road, unless a huge pot hole or somthing was hit. Just not probable. Glad everyone is o.k. but this is intriging....
Feb 21, 2005, 09:11 AM
#36
Most likely cause apart from prior damage is obviously a manufacturing defect, eg. an inclusion of air/shrinkhole from which hairline cracks developed that eventually resulted in failure.
That's why high end wheel manufacturers will x-ray each wheel. That or some other non-destructive from of testing is usually recommended on a regular basis for wheels used in racing.
That's why high end wheel manufacturers will x-ray each wheel. That or some other non-destructive from of testing is usually recommended on a regular basis for wheels used in racing.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:15 AM
#37
defect is doubtful. Ime sure this person has probably played a little in his Evo like we all do and it would have given out much earlier in some high g turn or somthing if it were a factory defect. Rolling straight down the freeway is unlikely to have innitiated it. I would check my rear dif and cv's and bearings on that side for somthing that may have locked up.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:16 AM
#38
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Originally Posted by alleggerita
Most likely cause apart from prior damage is obviously a manufacturing defect, eg. an inclusion of air/shrinkhole from which hairline cracks developed that eventually resulted in failure.
That's why high end wheel manufacturers will x-ray each wheel. That or some other non-destructive from of testing is usually recommended on a regular basis for wheels used in racing.
That's why high end wheel manufacturers will x-ray each wheel. That or some other non-destructive from of testing is usually recommended on a regular basis for wheels used in racing.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:18 AM
#39
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Originally Posted by soule77
Would hitting a curb hard or something of that sort have the potential to cause this later on under normal conditions?
bike spokes are a loose example of this. i can break a spoke in a race or something and the wheel still spins and doesn't really fail. however it is bent quite severly with one broken spoke, and if you leave it unfixed for a while, then more break directly around the original broken spoke.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:25 AM
#40
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I agree with you KevinD. I also think that the wheel breaking was probably a good thing! Sounds bad...but without the break, no telling what could have happened. Hitting something that hard that fast could have caused a roll over or break the whole rear assembly ect.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:34 AM
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i had something similar happen to me i was racing in my 1st gen eclipse and i hit a wet spot in the road and i hydroplaned i lost control and my rear right rim hit the curb it looked exactly the same the impact was so hard because i was goin so fast that that i did a 180 and was looking at oncoming traffic as i kept sliding across the grass and hit a building 
the point is you hit something pretty hard
oh yeah whats jackknife
Last edited by si_eater; Feb 21, 2005 at 09:37 AM.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:40 AM
#43
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if you look at the picture you can see that the bottom of the lip is completely smashed, it looks like a very high speed lateral hit. There is no way it would shatter like that on it's own. You must of spun out and hit a curb and then it shattered.
Feb 21, 2005, 09:51 AM
#44
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Originally Posted by Evolution23
Those pics are amazing. I've never seen anything like that. Glad to know your ok man.
