BenzoDoc

Walked out to my car on Saturday morning to take the E55 to a car show, and my front right tire was flat. I filled it with air to diagnose how quick it was leaking etc, and eventually took it in to Discount Tire yesterday morning.

Turned out that the tire was 100% fine, and there was a crack on the inside lip of my passenger front wheel, right near the bead of the tire.

Now, I'll preface this by saying that the roads are garbage on my part of town and in all likelihood I hit one pothole or another and did this, but I've never heard of a wheel cracking in this fashion without some sort of tire damage [blowout, bubbling, out of round etc].

Anyone else have experience with this?

FWIW, it's going to cost $150 to have it welded by a reputable wheel repair place [SABS], and I found out in the process that my centercap on that wheel is missing some fins, so I can repair it before it takes flight and I lose it.

X2Board

Just source a replacement wheel. I would be afraid to drive with a welded wheel.

BenzoBoi

It happen to me before too on my stock wheels. I started lookin around for another wheel but found a killer deal on another whole set so I ended up buyin it.

Boughtittwice

This issue is somewhat common with MB wheels. Do not get the wheel welded, I would look for another wheel.

BenzoDoc

Now is there something different about our wheels from every other OEM manufacturer? I hadn't thought twice about repairing the wheel because alloy wheels are stronger after being repaired. I know that people in the Cobra community have the barrels of their OEM rears cut and rewelded to widen them.

But I'm glad it's common. I just thought it was pretty paradoxical that there was no tire damage from an acute injury to the wheel.

Just in case I have misrepresented what actually happened, the crack is about 1-1.5", a small fissure, that leaks air to the tune of about 12 hours to go from 35psi to too flat to drive on. There's no gross defect.

Thanks for the replies.

Crescendo

This happened to me last September. A really slow leak coming from the right rear tire. Took it to a tire place and they showed us that I had a hairline crack on the inner lip.

I figured it was a good time to get a new set of wheels then. Local to me is OEwheels, they carry all sorts of OEM style wheels and happened to have a few sets that would be perfect for the e55. They said the wheels probably wouldn't clear our big brakes, so we test fitted 1 of them at their warehouse and they cleared perfectly. I think I paid 100 bucks per wheel for their amg63 replicas. Has been great ever since and saved 1.5lb per wheel over the stock wheels.
These are what I got: http://www.oewheelsllc.com/Wheels-fo...53719-2-1.html

and they also have them in gunmetal
http://www.oewheelsllc.com/Wheels-fo...39692-2-1.html

I have 7 stock oem wheels though if you want to buy one of my oem rears. pm me if so

BenzoDoc

Thanks!

Crescendo

Oh and heads up if you get one of those sets, call oewheels to get new lugnuts. The lugs used on these sit wheels differently then our stock w211 lugs.

Hazy1

Not sure if there would be any significant structural difference between welding a hole in the middle of the wheel vs. a fracture at the edge, but my wife ran over a large allen wrech several years ago, leaving a 1/2" hole in the tire and wheel. Had it welded and have probably put 50k plus miles on the wheel with no issues.

badblackbenz550

i am on my 2nd set of 18 AMG wheels they keep cracking!

jpohl402

I sure have bent a factory wheel, doesn't always have to blowout tire my friend.

Nstar

This is my third AMG, no bent rims yet but I had an Audi where I bent one the first week of owning it. Worrying to hear other people's OEM AMG wheels are not holding up, especially when 18s allow for a fair bit of padding for potholes and the like.

Anyway, just signed up to this my first online forum due sunroof creaking and so I could research the other models a little better. You can't use the search feature unless you're a member but sure seems like a site with a lot of good info.

teolax

I've cracked at least 3 of my oe 19" cls wheels. I have a wheel and tire warranty so no biggie but not sure why my oe's seem to crack so easy when I do not recall hitting potholes. I'm running 40 psi to see if that helps.

infantry

My front right AMG chrome 18 wheel cracked on me too about a month or so ago. Thats the reason i bought my forgestar's.

I had the same issue, thinking it was my tire, for it going flat all the time. Took off the wheel and noticed a hairline crack on the rim and it had reached the flat part of the rim, which is a bit difficult i was told to weld. Just gave me an excuse to buy forgestars.

The guy who threw on my tires said it was very common with the AMG wheels and cracks.

I'm going to make a frame or something for my wall of the cracked rim, because I'm so dissappointed and it's too heavy of a rim to be put on an AMG. It deserves to be hung.

GHAZAN

I cracked front driver's side rim, maybe others but the tires aren't leaking so who knows...btw I had it welded for past 6 months and will eventually get another one.

btw infantry that's a good idea i was probably going to sell it off cheap but maybe a glass coffee table...

MB_Forever

I've read of a few posts on here about OEM wheels cracking as well. It can definitely happen and is not uncommon at all. As others have mentioned, I would look for a replacement wheel on e-bay or weld this one and wait until you are ready to get a brand new set of wheels

badblackbenz550

My insurance keeps denying me to get anything but OEM, i am on my 2nd set replaced them 5 months ago and they all bent pretty bad with in 2 months. Last set all 4 ware cracked beyond repair and i drive in NJ i can only imagine what would happen in NYC.

MJ50

factory 55 rim cracks often and we are not the only ones...
use stockies for spare and get new shoes!

Yuille36

I had a front wheels crack on my 07 E63, I was running 245/35-19. It cracked from the inner lip inward. I had it profesionally welded and it refractured. I'm telling you this story because after a wheel is cracked, its best just to replace it. The repair of the wheel cost me $150, half the price of a replacement wheel. Think of it this way, say that your running down the highway at 75 mph, on that repaired wheel, and you hit another bump or pothole. It refractures, but this time, it's a major blowout. And you have a terrible accident. Now ask yourseflf this, was it worth the cost of a wrecked AMG, compared to replacing it with a new wheel. A wheel that is re-welding has lost its integrity, the welding spot will always be the weak point.

badblackbenz550

Ican't belive AMG makes such weak wheels for our roads in my G35 19 inch wheel did not have a single crack/bent in 2.5 years.

infantry

This seems like a common problem then with AMG wheels?

Mine were chrome by the way.

izzyz28

I had a crack develop in the lip of my right rear wheel about a year ago. Never ever hit a pothole, wheel was not bent in any way, just a spontaneous crack. It's nice to see that FACTORY wheels spontaneously crack, and then people go off and talk shiz about reasonably priced overseas wheels being supposed junk. I bought a set of E63 replicas for less than 1 genuine replacement and have been very happy.

OK55

Had a similar experience on my front left wheel. Tyre survived with no visible damage but the rim developed a hairline crack and slow leak. Had the rim repaired by experienced specialists. Thinking of replacing the entire set soon...

BlownV8

Yes, 19" rim right rear. No signs of impact. Cracked across a spoke.

Rastus

I've got an '04 CLK55.
I've had me three rims repaired in the last 4 months @ $170.00 each. I've never run over anything significant enough to crack a rim.

I'm a stock kind of guy but if I get get another crack I'm buying 4 new aftermarket rims.