I've been using these 15X10" Weld ProStars for nearly three years now on the street and discovered last week that one of my rear wheels is bent...so much so that it takes 10.75 oz. to balance the thing!! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/eek.gif

The tire shop first asked if I had ever struck anything with the rear wheels, like a curb of something. Absolutely not. Obviously they're in perfect cosmetic shape so they tried re-balancing it four times and still came up with the same results. They even tried using some state-of-the-art, super expensive balancing machine and had the same results. Finally, they had me watch the inside wheel lip - sure enough it was definitely wobbling and out of balance. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif It appears as though the entire wheel was twisted.

With all 10.75 oz. of weight strategically placed, I don't detect any vibrations so far, and didn't before for that matter. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/confused.gif But I'm sure that the problem will get worse over time sooooo I'm the market for a new set of wheels. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Has this ever happened to anyone else using this wheel? I was mentioning to Rich earlier that someone here at TC had once warned me that these ProStars can bend on a street thrasher car...live and learn I suppose.

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502 Rat Infested 1970 Malibu - Gold Member #39
Keep America Beautiful - Drive A Brute Force Chevelle!
http://bruteforcechevelle.freeservers.com/

Wes, while i have no personal experience with bent wheels on my car, I know exactly what you are talking about. Working at Discount Tire, I see this stuff over and over. 80% of the time though, it is a front wheel. Its pretty hard to do serious damage to a back wheel like that. Have you hit any big potholes lately? I can't really think of any other way to mess up a rear wheel, without driving pretty fast in reverse into curbs http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif.

The only real solution to this is to get a new wheel, or have it repaired, which usually will run you about $120.
Which ever you choose, don't wait too long. A bent wheel will cause the tire to wear unevenly. It will wear much quicker, and if/when you put it on your new/repaired wheel, you will have vibrations from it.

Good luck
-Matt

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TC Member #1434
1971 Malibu 350/TH350 (383/200-4R/12bolt in the works)
"It's not how much blood and sweat it took to get there, it's whether or not you have what it takes to finish it."
CAR (http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1268573&a=9389287&p=32040958)
ENGINE (in car) (http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1268573&a=9389287&p=32040790)
NEW 383(soon to be in car) (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/mattleuckmotor.jpg)

Wes,
Sorry I can't help with your problem, but is it possible to do that kind of damage if your car has too much power?

What I'm really curious about is the comment you made about someone warning you about this before hand??!! Is that something that is common to these wheels? Is it all Weld wheels, so just the Prostars?? I was thinking of getting a set of either the Prostars or Rodlites for my 71 SS, now I have to re-think that? Have you tried calling Weld? Maybe it is something defective in the wheel? I'd probably send it to them and have them chack it out, maybe they'll send you a new one? Can't hurt and I doubt if they would charge you a whole lot to fix it if they went that route.

Let me know what you find,
Bill C.


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Bill C.
'71 SS (now with 467BBC)
'70 Nova 350/700r4
ACES #2780
Colo Spgs, CO

Yea Bill, that's kind of what I'm beginning to think as well. When I had the 275-60's on there a week or so ago, myself and a buddy were doing some video shots of my car on a VERY LONELY back road a few miles from my house.

And I was hammering the poop out of the car. Because the Drag Radials were basically slicks, looooong smokey burnouts were in order and I do remember the car getting rather sideways on one particular 'pass'. When it grabbed, it jolted the car fairly hard and I'm just wondering if that event was the culprit. With that much weight and torque concentrated on the rear corner, it kind of makes me wonder.

I really don't know if it is common to these wheels. The TC'er who posted it also stated (in the same post) that he thought Weld had since strengthened their ProStar line because of previous problems some time ago...I dunno for sure. Maybe others will chime in too.

I may find out how expensive it would be to have it straightened out - that's a good idea. However, Rich has me now thinking of the Monocoque Racing Wheels as an alternative. He and others have convinced me that the 17" Torque Thrust II's are not the way to go.

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502 Rat Infested 1970 Malibu - Gold Member #39
Keep America Beautiful - Drive A Brute Force Chevelle!
http://bruteforcechevelle.freeservers.com/