Hairline crack in rim

[NyRevenge]

Cleaning my car today and noticed this while cleaving my rims. It's a hairline crack going only half way through. I don't mind it at all but wanted to kno if this is ok to drive on. I do have wheel and tire plan with my dealer. Would this be covered? Front left rim. Stock peelers. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/09/04/evy2y3eq.jpg

[Sipset]

I'm not sure if it will be covered under warranty, but I wouldn't worry about it unless you are losing air from your tire.

[SwankPeRFection]

Damn, WTF?! Electron Microscope view FTW! [:p]

Are you sure it's not just a scratch in the paint? Powder coats can crack or whatnot and look like its deeper because the paint is about as thick as a nail.

[formula1guy]

That sucks! I'm unsure why anyone would not be very concerned about a crack (hairline or not) in a wheel. With all of the stresses a wheel takes over time and one pothole during an aggressive drive resulting in a possible failure? I'd get it fixed right away. Not sure about the tire and wheel plan coverage but I'd bring it in ASAP and have it looked at.

[TTRU]

That is a major problem and should be covered if there is no visible impact damage to the wheel. I would get it checked out.

Please do not dismiss as "don't worry if you're not losing air"...

[saxon]

make sure its actually a crack first, if it is i would take it to the dealer and see what they say

[NyRevenge]

Not sure if its just the paint. And if u look around there are smaller cracks as well. All originating from the inner porting of the rim. I guess I'll have to stop by the dealership.

[shonseb]

Hmmm, if there are more cracks and on only one wheel, then maybe manufacture defect? Wheel and tire protection would cover it but I think it's only one time per wheel, so if it happens agains you'd be SOL. Check your warranty coverage. However, if it's a manufacture defect, that's a different story.

[Doc Masher]

If it is a crack, no matter the coverage issue.... CHANGE IT! cracks in 3900 lb car wheels lead to catastrophic failures which if does not cause you to crash, will do severe damage to your vehicle or others around you. Great job inspecting the wheels though... I believe most people do not pay enough attention to wheel/tire conditions.

[100Daily]

I don't believe aluminum would crack like that. Aluminum is very pliable and bends (unlike steel rims which do crack). I bet you barely bent the underlying aluminum, and that cracked the paint on top. And if you did truly crack your rim it would not be holding air.

If it is somehow actually a crack, fuck no you shouldn't drive on it! I would take that rim off immediately and get it dismounted and looked at, but my guess is that its probably bent (which is usually repairable).

[-Billy]

^^^^ I used to work in a tire shop and have seen more than a handful of aluminum wheels crack, including one of my own some years back.

[100Daily]

A quick google search and I learned that aluminum does indeed crack. My only experience was with bending, but now I know! I would still NOT drive on that wheel.

[drob23]

I don't know sh!t about materials, but looks like aluminum alloy's can see fractures in corrosive environments, such as those created by road salt. Source here (http://www.keytometals.com/Article17.htm) says the method of failure is "stress corrosion cracking (SCC)" covered here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress_corrosion_cracking).

[steve0827]

I think the wheel and tire package will cover that....but don't quote me on that.

[SwankPeRFection]

The more I look at this picture now on a proper screen rather than my phone, the more I think the 3 cracks you see are nothing more than cracks in the finish.