Safety alert. Heads Up, Classic and Vintage owners, or anyone who has installed wire wheels

8102 Views 48 Replies 27 Participants Last post by Kitulu, May 18, 2017

WhizzbangK.C.

Discussion Starter · Apr 2, 2016

4

I was replacing my front tire today and found this

and this

Deep pitting inside the rim, right at the bead area. Some of these pits are visibly half way through the metal. The larges area is as big as then end of my finger. I took the wheel to the dealer, they are submitting a warranty claim and ordering a new one. When the service manager saw it he replied "that's not even safe to mount a tire on". It looks like they got a bad batch of metal when this rim was made. The entire rim is effectively perforated, and ready to come apart. Not bashing, it can happen to anyone, just make sure that when you have your tires replaced to inspect this area thoroughly to make sure you don't have a similar issue.

Bike is a 2014, bought new July 14. 38000 miles. Just as a point of reference, I have H-D and Honda wheels on my Shovel and in the shed that are well over 20 years old and do not have this type of rust issue. A little surface rust, but no real pitting.

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MattChiefClassic

· #2 · Apr 2, 2016

wow thats crazy

runsonbeer

· #3 · Apr 2, 2016

I used to work I'm the metal industry. normally that much rust takes several years to get half that bad. methinks it came out of the factory in that condition and should have never passed inspection before shipping

Reactions: 4

WhizzbangK.C.

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 2, 2016

runsonbeer said:
I used to work I'm the metal industry. normally that much rust takes several years to get half that bad. methinks it came out of the factory in that condition and should have never passed inspection before shipping

This is the second time the tire has been changed. The first time there was just very small areas that I assumed were just surface rust. Didn't think much of that and just replaced the tire. These pits came as quite a shock actually. To me they look like the result of the rim being made from a very poor batch of metal with a lot of impurities in it that have corroded quickly.

Kriss

· #5 · Apr 2, 2016

WOW. Please keep us informed has to the outcome.

runsonbeer

· #6 · Apr 2, 2016

WhizzbangK.C. said:
This is the second time the tire has been changed. The first time there was just very small areas that I assumed were just surface rust. Didn't think much of that and just replaced the tire. These pits came as quite a shock actually. To me they look like the result of the rim being made from a very poor batch of metal with a lot of impurities in it that have corroded quickly.

also a possibility, I have heard of that but never saw it happen that fast. Is it possible that water might have gotten in there and not have ben allowed to escape?

.3578

· #7 · Apr 2, 2016

Chrome rims are like cavities in teeth. The hard enamel is like the chrome and you see a small perforation on the surface. But underneath the softer dentine or steel will decay or corrode much more. Not good. Poor quality control on the bare rims before chroming and or poor chrome plating.

ndncowboy

· #8 · Apr 3, 2016

Yikes. Didn't realize we are now getting our raw metal imported from China. Be interesting to see how Polaris gets out of this one. Do we have to see a death before a recall is ordered? Probably yes, unfortunately. But that won't happen for years from now if ever.

rbrooks1226

· #9 · Apr 3, 2016

Have you looked at your rear rim? Is it in the same condition?

Randall

· #10 · Apr 3, 2016

injuncowboy said:
Yikes. Didn't realize we are now getting our raw metal imported from China...

reinie said:
I didn't see anywhere in this post that the steel in this rim was imported from China...

I can't speak for Indian wire-spoke wheels, but the cast wheels on Chieftain #873 had "MADE IN CHINA" stickers inside both rims when I broke them down... kind of disappointing.
--- Randall

.3578

· #11 · Apr 3, 2016

The fact of the matter is the us labor force is not yet ready to adopt the Chinese labor model. We would have to go back to the late 1800s and early 1900s to even come close to competing with them. Lower wages, longer hours, little or no employer benefits, little if zero workplace and environmental protection, and other concessions. We are getting closer in some respects, but still nowhere near. I wonder what PI pays for each wheel...I bet we would be blown away at the per unit cost.

Big Daddy

· #12 · Apr 3, 2016

3littleindians said:
The fact of the matter is the us labor force is not yet ready to adopt the Chinese labor model. We would have to go back to the late 1800s and early 1900s to even come close to competing with them. Lower wages, longer hours, little or no employer benefits, little if zero workplace and environmental protection, and other concessions. We are getting closer in some respects, but still nowhere near. I wonder what PI pays for each wheel...I bet we would be blown away at the per unit cost.

The United States labor force is the best in the world...bar none.
"Not yet ready to adapt the Chinese labor model" makes my blood boil.
I can't EVEN go there.

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.3578

· #13 · Apr 3, 2016

I agree whole heartedly with both of you. Big bussines and industry still views us as too expensive. They are more than willing to compromise quality for cheaper product price. We actually are in a very delicate balancing act with being the lead consumer in the world. The ability to maintain income on a household basis enables us to purchase goods. But offering decent wage and benefit packages for assembly line work, or piece work, is too cost prohibitive and hurts their profit goals. It also drives up finished unit cost that is passed on to the consumer. If income is insufficient then purchasing stops and product collapses.

Again, I agree we are the premier labor force in the world, and blood was spilled to achieve decent wages and working conditions, but big business along with enabling politicians have made it where foreign goods are accepted into our country ... And we as consumers gobble them up as fast as they come off the boat.

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Shuje Sunge

· #14 · Apr 3, 2016

Getting back to the topic....

Damn, thanks for the heads up on the rims Whiz!!

.

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Big Daddy

· #15 · Apr 3, 2016

Shuje Sunge said:
Getting back to the topic....

Damn, thanks for the heads up on the rims Whiz!!

.

Based strictly on what I'm seeing on the outer surface of my chrome rims?
There is not a doubt in my mind that this is a very major REAL concern.

Granted, I'm not doing a state of the art job on keeping my wheels clean but there is a big difference from wiping off road grit and polishing out surface rust and corrosion pitting...which is what I find myself doing now.

WhizzbangK.C.

Discussion Starter · #16 · Apr 3, 2016

3

rbrooks1226 said:
Have you looked at your rear rim? Is it in the same condition?

Rear has some surface rust inside, but I didn't notice any deep pits. I took pics of it also, thinking maybe I would add them to the thread on sealing spoke rims for tubeless tires.

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.3578

· #17 · Apr 3, 2016

I hate to be an alarmist, but take a dental pick and probe some of those small holes in the chrome and see what's the condition of the steel underneath.

NorthernProducer

· #18 · Apr 3, 2016

Hey Whizzbang...if the wheels look so bad, how do your hubs and bearings look? I suspect the hubs/bearings might be at the same "quality" level as the rims.

To each his own, but when looking at your pic's, I would probably be replacing the wheel assemblies and bearings with some known high quality pieces. I would especially be concerned about the metalology in the OEM assemblies and not just the plating...As your thread title says...Safety Alert!

BTW...a general question about seeing more overall citations on this forum reflecting on Polaris using parts that are not holding up or just don't measure up? Seeing more posts here (and another forum) with bad batteries, cables, electrical issues in addition to batteries, paint, plating, Scout tires and suspension components and factory assembly issues. These bikes have now been around long enough to start showing issues and trends...bar hopping bikes notwithstanding.

Kriss

· #19 · Apr 3, 2016

Big Daddy said:
Based strictly on what I'm seeing on the outer surface of my chrome rims?
There is not a doubt in my mind that this is a very major REAL concern.

Granted, I'm not doing a state of the art job on keeping my wheels clean but there is a big difference from wiping off road grit and polishing out surface rust and corrosion pitting...which is what I find myself doing now.

Putting in a warranty claime in for my front and back rims due to rust bubbling through around the spokes and outter rim.

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Material man

· #20 · Apr 4, 2016

injuncowboy said:
Yikes. Didn't realize we are now getting our raw metal imported from China. Be interesting to see how Polaris gets out of this one. Do we have to see a death before a recall is ordered? Probably yes, unfortunately. But that won't happen for years from now if ever.

Polaris better get out front of this before somebody gets killed.

Reactions: 1

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