Fatigued Rays...big big cracks
 

Was pumping up my tyres after dirt khanacross (a sort of mini rally type event), when I noticed what I thought was a deep scratch on a CE28 wheel...

Closer inspection scared the heck out of me...a huge crack. Then found three more on the same wheel (one was just beginning and very fine)! Thats 4 spokes out of ten...

Somewhat freaked out to find another 5 cracked spokes on two more wheels. (only one wheel was crack free).

All the fractures were in almost exactly the same position on each spoke.

I'm guessing the fractures had occured over a short time frame, but I dont know how long they were there before I discovered them

But, I'm not blaming Rays, these wheels have had a very very hard life, much of it going sideways on dirt, and are well over 8 years old.

I have three other sets of CE28 rims, and those all appear ok.

I'm pretty anal about maintenance, but I missed these cracks forming even though the wheels are often taken off the car, and the dirt tyres are changed very regularly.

Moral of the story is that if your wheels are worked hard, it might be worth having a close look at them.
(and there is a reason rally wheels are big and heavy:D)

Oh wow good catch. Big one looks like a straight up break/fracture. Other cracks weren't far behind.

Of the 9 fractures I could shine a bright torch completely through 6 of them!

It was a very very gentle drive home...

Just for sh*ts and giggles, contact Rays and see if they might offer a discount on a new set of wheels.

Spot on. Lightweight wheels are well and good for street and track, but if you do any sort of off-roading I'd opt for strength over weight.

Stop being humble. We know it’s from all that power you are putting to the ground. Now we know who taught Buggati about including wheel replacements in the service schedule.

Wheels do fatigue out. Glad you caught it before they failed!

Keeping heat out of the wheels will help the wheels last longer.

Good catch! Might want to try those 15 inch wheels next ;)

I know I keep saying that...you could also try BRAID wheels in 16 inch sizing since they're pretty beefy.

- Andrew

You're so right, 15's would be perfect (better dirt tyre options available too), but I just can't get them over the brakes.

Braid do look the business!

Very lucky not to have had a failure during use with multiple spokes not just with cracks but fully fractured/broken! Dayum...

Too right! In the previous couple of weeks I had been doing some high speed sideways stuff at a hard and compacted dirt track day...I'm not sure the result would have been pretty.
Like many of the nasty possibilities in driving world...I try to bury the thoughts deep in the back of my mind.:bonk:

Definitely time for some real gravel wheels for the driving you do. Braid's are pretty much it if you're stuck on 16 inch size, though I'd consider the ol' Subaru FHI 4 pot front calipers which clear a lot of 15 inch wheels.

- Andrew