Wheel cracking ongoing - inevitable?

Wheel cracking ongoing - inevitable?

Author
Discussion

Billy_Whizzzz

Original Poster:

2,278 posts

155 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2024
quotequote all
Fed up with hassle of wheels cracking (g31, 20
Inch RFs). Is only option to go to 18s and non RFs?

danb79

11,022 posts

84 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2024
quotequote all
Drop down to 19s, fit non RFTs and don't suffer cracked alloys...

Big alloys and RFTs are simply asking for trouble; they cannot cope with UK roads

Aquamarine

27 posts

9 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2024
quotequote all
danb79 said:
Drop down to 19s, fit non RFTs and don't suffer cracked alloys...
Big alloys and RFTs are simply asking for trouble; they cannot cope with UK roads
Agreed, and you'll have much better ride for good measure.

Billy_Whizzzz

Original Poster:

2,278 posts

155 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2024
quotequote all
Thanks all. Going to get some black steel 18s. That should work.

danb79

11,022 posts

84 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2024
quotequote all
Billy_Whizzzz said:
Thanks all. Going to get some black steel 18s. That should work.
Haha; just run non-RFTs, you'll be fine

Exactly what I did with my F01 that came on 20" wheels with RFTs...

Got a set of 18s and fitted non-RFT winters to cover the colder/wetter months:



And then a set of 19s, fitted with non-RFT summer tyres for the warmer months etc:



The car drove superbly on them and was much better on rougher roads and didn't tramline at all, which it did on the 20s everywhere!

MattOz

3,964 posts

276 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2024
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It's the RFT's transferring the shock via stiff sidewalls to the wheel itself that do the damage. Ditch them and you'll be better off. I've been running 20's with 30 profile tyres for 5 years now and have never had a wheel crack. Have had one tyre go in that time, which was an unfortunate narrow lane incident which could/should have been avoided. Either way, no issues with wheels cracking.

Mr Tidy

25,974 posts

139 months

Wednesday 23rd October 2024
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Smaller wheels/non run-flats, ideally both, seem to seriously reduce the risk of cracked rims.

Loads of E89 Z4 owners have had cracked 19s when using run-flats.

Aluminati

2,849 posts

70 months

Thursday 24th October 2024
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BMW wheels are st. I had 6 cracked Cromodora on my E92. Non rf.

Had Alpinas on an E90, they didn’t crack, just bent.

Had 20’s on a Jag XFS, they also bent. Non rf.

Couple that with st UK roads…no win.

BrownBottle

1,391 posts

148 months

Friday 25th October 2024
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It's mainly down to the run flats.

My G30 is an SE with 18 inch wheels and even that had 2 buckled wheels causing a vibration through the car.

Got them repaired changed to non run flats and never had a problem since.

Previously owned an E65 with 20 inch wheels, that model never came with run flats and I never had any problems with the wheels.

rottenegg

944 posts

75 months

Friday 25th October 2024
quotequote all
Billy_Whizzzz said:
Thanks all. Going to get some black steel 18s. That should work.
Nice, I've pondered that for winter wheels. Some nice banded steelies for extra chunk and aesthetics.

Might look a wee bit small on a G31 though without losing some of the arch gap.

I borrowed a 2022 420d last year, which had 20s on it, and it was truly awful. My 8 year old F30 on 18" run-flats with modified suspension rides like a Bentley by comparison.

It's not just the crashiness that does my head in with big run flats, it's more the tramlining and fidgety steering that is intolerable when commuting lots of miles. The super stiff 20s and firm suspension of the 4 series also creates a lot of creaks and rattles in the cabin, which is equally annoying.

It boggles the mind how BMW let cars out of the factory in that state.

Aluminati

2,849 posts

70 months

Friday 25th October 2024
quotequote all
EmailAddress said:
Aluminati said:
BMW wheels are st. I had 6 cracked Cromodora on my E92. Non rf.

Had Alpinas on an E90, they didn’t crack, just bent.

Had 20’s on a Jag XFS, they also bent. Non rf.

Couple that with st UK roads…no win.
What suspension were you running?
330 d was the E92
335d was the E90
Jag was like a boat.

None of them were run flats, which have come a long way since the originals.

Aluminati

2,849 posts

70 months

Saturday 26th October 2024
quotequote all
EmailAddress said:
Aluminati said:
EmailAddress said:
Aluminati said:
BMW wheels are st. I had 6 cracked Cromodora on my E92. Non rf.

Had Alpinas on an E90, they didn’t crack, just bent.

Had 20’s on a Jag XFS, they also bent. Non rf.

Couple that with st UK roads…no win.
What suspension were you running?
330 d was the E92
335d was the E90
Jag was like a boat.

None of them were run flats, which have come a long way since the originals.
Were you running standard spec suspension, and how many miles on the shocks?

(Curious)
Both BMW’s were bought from new, and run up to 160 k.

I put the Alpinas on at 12k 335d was a saloon, did they do m sport suspension ? 330d was an m sport not se.

Jag was bought with 12k on and run up to 25k and got shot of, as it was the worst car I ever bought.

Cromodora on the 330d only had to think about cracking, and they did. All were on their factory suspension.

Billy_Whizzzz

Original Poster:

2,278 posts

155 months

Wednesday 30th October 2024
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Gone down to 18inch non RFs. Looks a bit rubbish but drives SO much better

danb79

11,022 posts

84 months

Wednesday 30th October 2024
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Billy_Whizzzz said:
Gone down to 18inch non RFs. Looks a bit rubbish but drives SO much better
Function over form...

If they give a comfier ride with less anxiety as to whether you'll bend / split another alloy then so be it

Harry you Potter

132 posts

10 months

Wednesday 30th October 2024
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I’ve seen a fair few 18 inch BMW alloys that have had cracks. It’s frustrating.

Its an expensive game