Fuchs are getting old- Check them for cracks.....
 

I was bolting this a 15x8 Fuch up on my race car and look what I found.....
These wheels have only been on the track maybe 4 weekends (I have two sets). These were not even my curb hopping set. Be safe and check regularly.





http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1333155070.jpg

Wow, good catch. Out of curiosity, have these been refinished in anyway?

When I recieved them, they were just old- I bead-blasted them for the correct RSR texture then just painted them. (RSR Economy Finish). The other 3 I have are fine- I'm just going to check them everytime I touch them.

Are those real "forged" Fuchs"? They look cast.....

Yep- real Fuchs. I would not race on fakes.
Bead blasting them gives them the RSR texture you see.

Its weird that the crack starts from the center bore and moves inward. Intuitively, i'd think it would start at the lug hole and move outward?

I picked up some used fikse centers, and found similar cracks in the spokes of one.

Can that be repaired?

I see. I've not seen such a close-up of the RSR finish. And wow...good eye for catching that!

Looking at this with 20+ years experience in tire and wheels service (prior career), to me it looks like stress from the hold-down cone of an old Coats tire changer. Probably not recent stress, either. More likely from back in the '70s & '80s.

I've heard and seen cracks like these but I can't recall ever hearing about a Fuchs actually failing? Anyone have pics / info?

Only if your going to use them for peaceful Sunday cruises.

I've heard and seen cracks like these but I can't recall ever hearing about a Fuchs actually failing? Anyone have pics / info?

There was the case of Matteo's Lindsays that came close to failure on a track day outing in England. He was cornering and heard noises...turned out the rim center was so badly cracked, the entire center was flexing and the rim was rubbing on the calipers. He was really lucky it didn't fail at that moment.

It started some discussion on the prior life/load cycles that the donor 6x16 wheels had before being cut out and welded up by Lindsay racing. I have a set for my IROC clone & check them often but would like to get a modern set to use on the track like the Zuffenhaus ones.

I'd include a link and/or pics he posted but any search for Matteo's thread came up empty. Don't know why. I remember he posted pics of them...pretty badly cracked. Lucky, he was through enough with that car!

is it possible that was caused by trying to hammer in a cap crooked, or wrong caps?

Unlikely, plus We don't run with caps.

I will not try and repair it. The wheel will now become a Wall Clock, some type of Art, or a cool hose reel.

cstreit had some crack like this a number of years ago.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/76027-fuchs-wheels-cracking.html

Now that I think about it, it makes sense to start at the center. The wheels are hub-centric and the center bore is what secures/supports the wheel to the axle. The lugs of course hold it tight. So the lugs are like secondary support?

A Fuchs wheel has a finite lifespan, and that lifespan is measured in the amount it has been forced to flex more than chronology.

Every time the metal is stressed adds to the cumulative effect.

Chad, during the POC Spring Mountain event in 2010 a time trialer had a catastrophic Fuch failure in Turn 2 (high 3rd gear turn). The wheel broke completely off at the spokes. The left over star made a nasty cut in the track. That event touched off some controversy with the tech shop and a closer exam of the Fuchs on POC cars. I believe at least one other cracked Fuch was found.

I like this thought on the root cause, something to the watch when getting tires changed, e.g. no reason to hammer the wing nut pushing the cone, a firm push by hand should hold it.