Wheel experts needed!!! Please help, I'm at a loss...

npb · 03-26-2008, 04:12 PM

Soooo... if anyone followed my BBS LM Rep project thread [http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124366], a lot has happened recently and I need everyones expertise here. Most didn't like the look, I was fine with it, but regardless of the aesthetics, the wheels encountered some serious issues.

Wheels were purchased from Bob at EurowheelsUSA. Picked the wheels up locally with Roy at the ALT Wheels warehouse.
The wheels were then professionally stripped and powdercoated matte black.

Tires were then put on the wheels and mounted using stock bolts at Grand Prix Performance in Costa Mesa, CA. (Sidenote: Local car dealers, specifically Sterling BMW have been known to refer their customers to Grand Prix for wheels, tires, etc.)

After 2 days of having the wheels on the car, a friend of mine was inspecting my new wheels when he noticed that one of the front wheels was cracking. We inspected the other front wheel and it was cracking as well. I decided for safety's sake to have the wheels removed and have stock wheels and tires put back on.

I went to another shop to have the stock wheels and tires switched over. I have used this shop many times before and trust them much more than Grand Prix. They informed me that the wheels (obviously) were indeed cracking and that the bolt holes were oblong and they even had to use a different length socket to remove one or two bolts.

On Monday (3/24) I loaded the cracked wheels in my car and headed to the ALT warehouse to see if Roy could warranty the wheels. After getting on the freeway and getting up to speed, I noticed the car began to shudder, shake, and feel generally uneasy at speeds 80 mph+. I felt unsafe driving the car and traded cars with my brother, and again went to the ALT warehouse.

Roy was kind enough to warranty the wheels even though I altered the finish of the wheel. I took the damaged wheels around to the rear of the warehouse and he showed the wheels to his warehouse workers. They pointed out the oblong holes in the front of the wheel. Roy inspected them further and informed me that this was the cause of improper mounting of the wheels, that the hubs on my car might be stripped because the bolts were installed at an angle, and he could no longer offer me a warranty on the wheels. grrrreat.

I took the car to Sterling BMW and spoke with my SA about the issues I was encountering (shuddering at freeway speeds). I informed him that I had wheels on the car, installed by Grand Prix, but because they were cracking I had them removed and put the stock setup back on the car. He suggested that we go on a drive to show him how it felt. We got on the freeway and I got up to around 80+mph and the car began to shudder again. He confirmed that it did not feel normal. Sterling kept the car all of Tuesday (3/25) and I just received it back this morning (3/26).

Sterling test drove the car 8 miles on the freeway at speeds between 65-80mph and could not replicate the shuddering and noticed nothing abnormal with the car. perfect. I was going to give the quality control manager a ride, but I was already late for class and informed my SA that if I still noticed the shuddering, that I would bring the car back in after class.

So on my way to class, on the freeway, at speeds between 65-85mph the shuddering and general uneasiness return. I will be taking the car back to Sterling at 4pm and hopefully can arrange a drive with the QC manager again.

What the hell do I do? Front wheels are useless and I'm basically out a grand for this crap, not including if the hubs have been damaged.

Pics:
Please note, only the front wheels cracked.

Rear: (is fine)

Oblong holes (every hole on the front wheels looks like this):

brokemywallet · 03-26-2008, 04:42 PM

so, originally when the wheels were first put on the car, was there any shimmy in it?? possibly, the wheels had a tight centerbore and when the installer put them on he had to use the impact gun too much to drive in the lugnut, causing the hole to be oblonged (sorry if that's not a word)......

if that is the case, i'd think that impacting it too much might have caused too much stress on the wheel. it proably fatigued the hub......

EastCoast335i · 03-26-2008, 05:16 PM

might be fruitless but at this point you have nothing to lose...
try going back to gran prix and see if they can do anything...

I hate when i see shops using impact guns...

thats why i bought a jack and torque wrench.. I would rather mount wheels myself by hand.

03-26-2008, 04:12 PM	#1
npb First Lieutenant 13 Rep 309 Posts Drives: 08 BS 335i Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: socal iTrader: (0)	Wheel experts needed!!! Please help, I'm at a loss... Soooo... if anyone followed my BBS LM Rep project thread [http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124366], a lot has happened recently and I need everyones expertise here. Most didn't like the look, I was fine with it, but regardless of the aesthetics, the wheels encountered some serious issues. Wheels were purchased from Bob at EurowheelsUSA. Picked the wheels up locally with Roy at the ALT Wheels warehouse. The wheels were then professionally stripped and powdercoated matte black. Tires were then put on the wheels and mounted using stock bolts at Grand Prix Performance in Costa Mesa, CA. (Sidenote: Local car dealers, specifically Sterling BMW have been known to refer their customers to Grand Prix for wheels, tires, etc.) After 2 days of having the wheels on the car, a friend of mine was inspecting my new wheels when he noticed that one of the front wheels was cracking. We inspected the other front wheel and it was cracking as well. I decided for safety's sake to have the wheels removed and have stock wheels and tires put back on. I went to another shop to have the stock wheels and tires switched over. I have used this shop many times before and trust them much more than Grand Prix. They informed me that the wheels (obviously) were indeed cracking and that the bolt holes were oblong and they even had to use a different length socket to remove one or two bolts. On Monday (3/24) I loaded the cracked wheels in my car and headed to the ALT warehouse to see if Roy could warranty the wheels. After getting on the freeway and getting up to speed, I noticed the car began to shudder, shake, and feel generally uneasy at speeds 80 mph+. I felt unsafe driving the car and traded cars with my brother, and again went to the ALT warehouse. Roy was kind enough to warranty the wheels even though I altered the finish of the wheel. I took the damaged wheels around to the rear of the warehouse and he showed the wheels to his warehouse workers. They pointed out the oblong holes in the front of the wheel. Roy inspected them further and informed me that this was the cause of improper mounting of the wheels, that the hubs on my car might be stripped because the bolts were installed at an angle, and he could no longer offer me a warranty on the wheels. grrrreat. I took the car to Sterling BMW and spoke with my SA about the issues I was encountering (shuddering at freeway speeds). I informed him that I had wheels on the car, installed by Grand Prix, but because they were cracking I had them removed and put the stock setup back on the car. He suggested that we go on a drive to show him how it felt. We got on the freeway and I got up to around 80+mph and the car began to shudder again. He confirmed that it did not feel normal. Sterling kept the car all of Tuesday (3/25) and I just received it back this morning (3/26). Sterling test drove the car 8 miles on the freeway at speeds between 65-80mph and could not replicate the shuddering and noticed nothing abnormal with the car. perfect. I was going to give the quality control manager a ride, but I was already late for class and informed my SA that if I still noticed the shuddering, that I would bring the car back in after class. So on my way to class, on the freeway, at speeds between 65-85mph the shuddering and general uneasiness return. I will be taking the car back to Sterling at 4pm and hopefully can arrange a drive with the QC manager again. What the hell do I do? Front wheels are useless and I'm basically out a grand for this crap, not including if the hubs have been damaged. Pics: Please note, only the front wheels cracked. Rear: (is fine) Oblong holes (every hole on the front wheels looks like this): __________________ back to black
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03-26-2008, 04:42 PM	#2
brokemywallet Slaveaholic 17 Rep 707 Posts Drives: 2006 330I Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: So. Cal iTrader: (6)	so, originally when the wheels were first put on the car, was there any shimmy in it?? possibly, the wheels had a tight centerbore and when the installer put them on he had to use the impact gun too much to drive in the lugnut, causing the hole to be oblonged (sorry if that's not a word)...... if that is the case, i'd think that impacting it too much might have caused too much stress on the wheel. it proably fatigued the hub......
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03-26-2008, 05:16 PM	#3
EastCoast335i Colonel 95 Rep 2,160 Posts Drives: 2015 X5 \| 2008 335i Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: NJ iTrader: (4)	might be fruitless but at this point you have nothing to lose... try going back to gran prix and see if they can do anything... I hate when i see shops using impact guns... thats why i bought a jack and torque wrench.. I would rather mount wheels myself by hand.
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