God damn it...another bent FN01R-c. Nismo_Freak, got any advise?

[Dori Dori]

Yeah so, I had one front wheel become completely warped from a drift event (never hit anything) and I bought a replacement from SPL...thought it was a freak occurance b/c nobody else has reported problems with these wheels so I figured I'd write it off as a loss. I don't like to complain. But now, the front passanger side wheel is bent.

Since my rears are OK, I'm beginning to think that my fronts were just part of a bad batch. I want to write 5zigen a letter, but before I do, I figured I ask you (being one of their vendors) for some advise. Should I contact Discount Tire first (I bought the wheels originally from them) or go straight to 5zigen? If it's the latter, do you recommend a contact over there?

[SmithSR]

Explaining that the wheels were used at a motorsport competition usually voids warranty in case you were unsure...

[Dano]

SmithSR, i know your right... but this could possibly be considered a quality control issue even...

-Dan

[SmithSR]

QC yes maybe, but at the same time, no regular casting company will ever warranty their wheels for competition use..

[Dori Dori]

That's not true. Until you've dealt with every wheel manufacturer, you shouldn't make such assumptions. I can name off 2 wheel companies right now that have sent replacements after wheel failures in closed course events...with R rated tires too. Performance wheel manufacturers know that their wheels are going to be driven hard and possibly competitively...if they can't take the heat, they shouldn't be marketed as performance accessories IMO. Visit the 5zigen website and it's very clear how they market their wheels. Anyhoo...

I just wanted to know the best methods of getting through to 5zigen.

I sent a letter this morning to their main support email address...we'll see how that goes. Hopefully they'll do something about this.

[Nismo_Freak]

No offense but since you also drove the car on the street, it's hard to say you never "hit anything" ... something as simple as road debry, potholes, irregularities can bend wheels. You'd have to prove without a doubt that the wheel failed as a result of stress from the event, and not from an impact. Quite honestly the wheel itself would fracture and/or fail before it "warped". It takes alot of heat to warp aluminum, especially aluminum thats about 1" thick and in direct, copious airflow.

I can forward this onto 5Zigen and see what they have to say about it.

[Dori Dori]

No offense taken. Like I said...I can't explain the first failure. I am 100% sure that it happened at the track though and I know for a fact that I hit nothing. The second wheel failure happened on the street, but I have no recolection of hitting anything large enough to cause a bend. I understand how a small bend could occur rather easily on the open road and I wouldn't be so mad about it if I hadn't already replaced one wheel. That and the fact that I've only owned this set since mid August and compared to the rest of the USA, south Florida roads are not bad at all.

Anything you could do though would be greatly appreciated though.

[SmithSR]

That's not true. Until you've dealt with every wheel manufacturer, you shouldn't make such assumptions. I can name off 2 wheel companies right now that have sent replacements after wheel failures in closed course events...with R rated tires too.

name names already

[Dori Dori]

SSR and *quivers*...Rota.

[Nismo_Freak]

SSR and *quivers*...Rota.

Local SCCA doesn't allow Rota Sub-Zeros any more... after one shattered mid turn and caused a Miata to go headfirst into a pole at about 45 mph.

I'd have to say though, wheel stress if often overlooked in all forms of entry level motorsports. Many racing sanctioning bodies have rules and or suggestions that include checking the wheels via X-ray for hairline stress fractures to prevent the wheels from coming apart.

Frankly I can't name 1 person I've known/heard of checking their wheels in such a manner. I've known people to run on one set of cheap cast wheels for 4 seasons on R-compound tires and to be honest... I don't think that was very smart.

BTW, I'm gonna talk to 5Zigen in person for you.

[Dori Dori]

Fo real.

I've been anti-Rota after I watched the same thing happen to my friend on the fastest turn on the infield of Homestead raceway (subzeros too). After the one wheel fell apart, we inspected the others and found hairline fractures throughout almost all of the spokes on two of the other wheels. Scarey b/c I was taking laps in that car just 2 minutes prior.

Thanks for calling 5zigen for me. Even if they do nothing, I really appreciate your efforts.

[cheez80]

i've realized that a lot of evo guys are against tire stretching, because they say during road racing the wheel is more susceptible to bending. maybe if you ran a wider tire? (assuming that you're stretching, of course)

[Dori Dori]

I run a VERY mild stretch...within tire/wheel spec boundaries. Anytime you make your sidewall smaller though (which stretching "does"), your wheel is more susceptible to bending from impacts. I hit nothing at the track though.

Thanks for the imput!

[cheez80]

haha, then good luck, sir

[skydragoness]

Wow, this is a shock to read. I thought that the fno1r-c's were forged alloys. I suppose the C stands for cast. That's somewhat understandable, cast wheels can be susceptible to issues like that. Forged should be better, get yourself some Volks

[BuudWeizErr]

yeah, but then you lose the whole premise for the FN01RC, cheap price. if you go forged, the price like doubles or triples on those bad boys.

[MarkEmark]

Wow, I can't believe those 5zigens bend so easily...I thought bending/breaking wheels was an extremely rare ocurrence...

Now I'm happy that I just bought a set of forged 2-piece welded bogart racing wheels

[aither]

I don't think they do bend that easily. This is the first that I've heard. Overall, 5Zigen seems to make a very solid wheel. I know many who track these wheels with thin, stretched tires, and no noticible damage.

[aither]

haha, I just got my new pair of *A-Tech* wheels in today. 17x9, +17, take a guess on what they look like. Anyways, The metal for the rim area is soooo thin. I picked them up, and like all of the weight is in the cast center section at the outer part of the wheel. I'm just waiting for these wheels to crack or bend. Good for cheap beater wheels, though.

[Dori Dori]

Nismofreak, any updates?

Aither, where did you get those wheels? Cheap 17x9" beater wheels sounds nice.

[veilside180sx]

well technically they make both the FN01-R's and the FN01R-C's. So they carry both the forged and the cast models. All of their professional drifters, etc are all running the forged ones iirc.

[Nismo_Freak]

Nismofreak, any updates?

Aither, where did you get those wheels? Cheap 17x9" beater wheels sounds nice.

I talked to Jon from 5Zigen in person at SEMA and informed him of what happened, he would like for you to contact him about the issue and he will want some pictures of the damage.

Jon is a good guy and they should work with you to get the issue resolved. Tell him Alan from SPL told you to talk to him about the issue and that I had talked to him about it at SEMA.

Keep me updated with the progress!

[BuudWeizErr]

well technically they make both the FN01-R's and the FN01R-C's. So they carry both the forged and the cast models. All of their professional drifters, etc are all running the forged ones iirc.

The problem with the forged FN's is that 5zigen has flooded the market with the cheap cast version of a very nice wheel, and it has cheapened the forged version. no one can tell you have expensive forged wheels when you can get the exact same wheel from the same company, just cast instead of forged for less than 200 a pop.

[Nismo_Freak]

The problem with the forged FN's is that 5zigen has flooded the market with the cheap cast version of a very nice wheel, and it has cheapened the forged version. no one can tell you have expensive forged wheels when you can get the exact same wheel from the same company, just cast instead of forged for less than 200 a pop.

Their forged wheels aren't made to impress people, they are made to give an advantage over their cast wheels.

[Dori Dori]

I talked to Jon from 5Zigen in person at SEMA and informed him of what happened, he would like for you to contact him about the issue and he will want some pictures of the damage.

Jon is a good guy and they should work with you to get the issue resolved. Tell him Alan from SPL told you to talk to him about the issue and that I had talked to him about it at SEMA.

Keep me updated with the progress!

How do I contact Jon? I'll send him the wheel since the damage isn't visible.

[Nismo_Freak]

How do I contact Jon? I'll send him the wheel since the damage isn't visible.

http://www.5zigenusa.com ... call them up and ask for Jon, tell him Alan from SPL sent you and I had talked to him about the issue at SEMA.

[Dori Dori]

Ok, updates as requested.

Nismo_Freak, you're the man. Thank you so much for talking to Jon at Sema. I called him up and he's going to send me a new wheel after he inspects the original damaged one. I'm sending it to him tomorrow. I think I talked to you earlier in the day when I placed an order for RUCA's and Traction rods...I'm Anthony from FL BTW.

I can't thank you enough though. Props to Alan and SPL in general.