D-Force failures?

#1

Had it been posted by anyone other than Michael Skeen I may have been more skeptical, but he’s saying he has personally seen 6 failures. Agree or disagree, but keep your eyes on yours if you have them. There is some debate that the ‘problem’ wheels may be newer castings vs pre-2011.

#2

Strange place for failure considering they are supposed to have most of their mass in the center. When I heard rumors of this last month I was imagining failures where the spokes meet the rim.

#3

Mike is right in that there have been failures of the D-Force wheels reported. Cracking of the wheels, like shown, tends to suggest a metallurgical problem.

#4

Here is one that Mike posted a few months ago. This is a from a car he was in as the passenger IIRC. Rim supposedly had only 2 weekends on it IIRC again.

#5

The failure mechanism is a little fuzzy but there is an obvious common thread here. I have 2 sets of D Force wheels. I just have to be sure keep Skeen away from them.

#6

Had two sets of D-Force; ditched them after less than a year. Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2s - no issues.

#7

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

#8

When I heard and read about those failures I crossed D-Force off the list. I really wanted those sweet low offset wheels they were coming out with too.

#9

The +15 E30 D-Force wheels are being made in a different factory with different tooling.

#10

[attachment=1863]brokenD-Forcewheel.jpg[/attachment]

Miata broadsided me just this past weekend. Bought the wheels in April.

I have 2 thoughts. First is they try to ‘work’ or forge the metal. I would like to see how they do it since I bet they are only rolling the hoops. The spokes and hub are not getting worked. When you forge aluminum you create a grain direction which makes the material more ductile. Forged wheels bend. Cast wheels crack.

Now none of us are going to buy a fully forged wheel, but why aren’t other casted wheels cracking? My thought is to why cracks are forming in the hub is due to the machined pockets between the lugs. Those internal fillets probably are creating stress risers and may be where the crack is forming.

I don’t claim to me a metalergist, but I work in die design for Alcoa forgings. We make forgings for fighter jets to commercial airliners, airplane wheels, semi wheels, and car wheels from Chevy Cruze all the way to Ferrari. I am just speaking from the things I have seen from my 3 years there.

#11

[quote=“barkerdm” post=66378]Miata broadsided me just this past weekend. Bought the wheels in April.

I have 2 thoughts. First is they try to ‘work’ or forge the metal. I would like to see how they do it since I bet they are only rolling the hoops. The spokes and hub are not getting worked. When you forge aluminum you create a grain direction which makes the material more ductile. Forged wheels bend. Cast wheels crack.

Now none of us are going to buy a fully forged wheel, but why aren’t other casted wheels cracking? My thought is to why cracks are forming in the hub is due to the machined pockets between the lugs. Those internal fillets probably are creating stress risers and may be where the crack is forming.

I don’t claim to me a metalergist, but I work in die design for Alcoa forgings. We make forgings for fighter jets to commercial airliners, airplane wheels, semi wheels, and car wheels from Chevy Cruze all the way to Ferrari. I am just speaking from the things I have seen from my 3 years there.[/quote]
I understood what you said, but I didn’t understand the point that you were leading up to. I kept waiting for a “therefore…” Elaborate pls.

#12

I was just trying to come up with an idea why the hoops are bending and the hubs and spokes are cracking.

Looking at hub designs, the back side of my team dynamic wheels are solid. No pockets like the d force. I am wondering why d force did that? Only thought is to get the weight lower, but loosing weight the is not nearly as critical as in the hoop.

More I think about my t d wheels the more I wonder why I didn’t just buy more of those.

#13

Picture of the backside of a d-force wheel? Need a lot more info or a “jump to conclusions mat.”

#14

I am trying to get a picture of the back side of the cracked wheel in the first post. I know the owner of the car that came off of. Hopefully it will help support my idea or I’ll have a lot of people wiping their feet on my mat. :stuck_out_tongue:

#15

[quote=“barkerdm” post=66386]
Looking at hub designs, the back side of my team dynamic wheels are solid. No pockets like the d force.[/quote]

Not anymore, the new ones have pockets. Unless the D-Force pockets are something wild, I’ve never seen the backside of one.

#16

[quote=“ddavidv” post=66354]Had it been posted by anyone other than Michael Skeen I may have been more skeptical, but he’s saying he has personally seen 6 failures. Agree or disagree, but keep your eyes on yours if you have them. There is some debate that the ‘problem’ wheels may be newer castings vs pre-2011.
[/quote]
Anyone know where this debate is occurring, other than the bf.c track forum? I’ve 2 sets of DForce wheels that I need to decide on.

#17

After seeing two more failures this weekend at Charlotte, I think I’m going to bite the bullet and get my tires moved to my Team Dynamics. That sucks because I have 2 or 3 sets of DForce (which I would gladly sell cheap if anyone wants to be a contrarian – or use them for rains).

This was Dan Tiley’s SM when the race was red flagged.
[attachment=1873]DForceTiley.jpg[/attachment]

#18

eric broke two wheels at cms so that’s three failures. naturally i have four sets of d-force in my inventory.

#19

How old are these wheels that are breaking?

#20

I believe Tiley’s were on their second track weekend. Or, should I say “weakened”.:ohmy: