Weld wheels: problems with mounting holes-- deformed/out of round?

[GN SBS]

Hi Folks,

Have a problem with my Weld Draglites that I wanted to get input on.

In the course of putting axles with longer wheelstuds in yesterday, I found that the weld lugs were very difficult to remove from the holes in the wheel. Actually had to use an impact wrench to wiggle them free.

Once free, a friend and I could not get the new open ended lugs in the holes that I'd used before without coercing them with a rubber mallet. As a test, these new lugs slipped perfectly into the holes not used for our bolt pattern and are the same size as the old lugs (tested with dial calipers).

Ideas of what may be going on? We couldn't fit a feeler gauge into the holes to check to see if they are out of round, but I am suspicious about this. The lugs have always been a little tight, but I've never tried to pull them all the way out before and didn't notice how tight.

Anyone else have this problem? Opinions on the safety of these wheels? Causes (I'm guessing under or over torquing at some point)?

thanks!
Scott

 

[Vendor Defendor]

ah i have had this problem with my weld pro stars.. they were the ones up front. they are 15x6 and they crack over time...

i noticed that they were making a creaking noise especially around corners, then when i took the wheel off with the impact i noticed after the lug was off the treads that it didnt want to come out the whole in the wheel

i have never had problems with the wheels out back, but they are also 15x10's

well heres a link to a thread i started a while ago with picture of what happened to my wheels...

all i can say is call and complain to them...

Thread 1

-neil

 

[Louie L.]

Ahh...They all do that but if you use a torque wrench on them since new they will last a long time and keep the hole issue to a minimum. I had a set on my car which i sold and were always torqued correctly. I then had a set of Rodlites which werent and one front cracked....bad! Still have it here gonna make a hose reel out of it..

 

[GN SBS]

I always use a torque wrench on them, but have had the car in circumstances where it might have been hit by an impact wrench (tire mounting, inspection, etc...).

I will check for cracks-- didn't think to inspect the back side of the wheel when I had them off (doh!).

Others please chime in!

Get this: I called weld and talked to one of their "techs" who said it was no big deal and that I should torque them up as usual-- to 120ft-lbs!!! I told him that their own literature suggested 70-80ft-lbs and he didn't believe me until I told him to look it up. He did, saw I was right, and then continued to recommend 100+ ft-lbs! When I asked him why he would recommend exceeding their own torque recommendations he couldn't give a reason. I'm going to call back later to try to get someone who knows something about their products, but thought this was unbelievable.

Scott

 

[Louie L.]

Those guys are idiots, hence why I still own just one cracked Weld Wheel. Good luck. Im glad u have been using a torque wrench on them.

 

[J Banning]

With that particular wheel it appears to be a two piece design of some sort, with a moveable inner piece sandwiched between and outer shell. Both outer shells should have the same diameter holes, correct?

Could over tightening the lug nuts distort the holes like that?

I've never heard of, or seen something like this happen. I think that this is completely uncalled for seeing as these wheels are supposed to be for street use.

-Banning.

 

[Louie L.]

The problem has been around forever. I remember as a little boy watching my uncle curse at his Cragars of the same design having to file the holes. They were on his big block 68 camaro.

 

[J Banning]

So it's over tightening that causes this?

I know this might not sound like the smartest thing, but if Weld won't replace the wheels (I doubt it), could you take a die grinder and some fine grit sanding rolls to just barely open up the holes? I'm talking just a little... no major grinding.

-Banning.

 

[GN SBS]

I talked to a 2nd guy at Weld who was a bit more in touch with things than the first.

He had no idea on how the tightness may have occurred-- he thought both over- and under-torquing would tend to produce *larger* than normal holes.

He also suggested filing off a very small amount on each of the holes but said to take it very slowly.

Scott

 

[Louie L.]

When the torque gets applie to the washer , it digs into the aluminum thats what starts to mess the holes up. The more on and off u take them the worse it gets.

 

[J Banning]

Originally posted by GN SBS
I talked to a 2nd guy at Weld who was a bit more in touch with things than the first.

He had no idea on how the tightness may have occurred-- he thought both over- and under-torquing would tend to produce *larger* than normal holes.

He also suggested filing off a very small amount on each of the holes but said to take it very slowly.

Scott

I'm glad they were able to tell you what the problem was

WTF??