Wilsons Sandbox

This happened to me on my A17's rear wheel at about 6K miles. I had been having problems with spokes loosening on me over a period of several hundred miles.. including a trip from baja back to Burbank in pouring rain. I finally took the wheel to Buchannon Spoke to have new heavy duty spokes installed. When I went to pick up the wheel the first time, the owner brought the wheel out and apologized that they did not catch it sooner but they descoved the same defect in my rim that you described. They offered to replace my rim with a new excel rim for the price of the rim (plus the orginal spoke charges) which I agreed to. have not had a problem with the wheel since this work was completed. HTH Randy from Burbank ----- Original Message ---- From: Tengai Mark Van Horn To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2007 2:57:46 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Small Cracks in Rear Wheel Today, I was changing my rear tire. When I cleaned it up, I noticed a small crack radiating from almost every spoke hole in the wheel on the outside of the rim. The cracks range in length from 5-15mm, and each hole with a crack has only one crack. The weird thing is that they don't propagate all the way through to the inside of the rim. All the spokes are still tight, and the wheel is still round. Could a competent person with a TIG welder zip up these cracks in-situ, or is the wheel shot? Thanks, Mark List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 Yahoo! Groups Links ____________________________________________________________________________________ Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us. http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:57:46 -0400 Tengai Mark Van Horn writes:

> Today, I was changing my rear tire. When I cleaned it up, I noticed a > > small crack radiating from almost every spoke hole in the wheel on > the outside of the rim. The cracks range in length from 5-15mm, and > > each hole with a crack has only one crack. The weird thing is that > they don't propagate all the way through to the inside of the rim. > All the spokes are still tight, and the wheel is still round. > Could a competent person with a TIG welder zip up these cracks > in-situ, or is the wheel shot? > > Thanks, > Mark

<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> Mark, That's a pretty good question. I like how you asked if a competent person with a TIG welder... I laughed as I have a TIG welder and I wouldn't attempt to try something that important. I think it wouldn't be worth the effort or risk. Since it's aluminum it will have to be spotlessly clean. I don't think you can probably get it as clean as it needs to be with the spoke nipples in the holes. Once the job is started you'll have some bucks invested even if it doesn't work. I think you may be better off getting a new rim like Randy mentioned and lacing it straight and true. One other possibility is to just ride it like it is and watch the cracks. If they don't get worse don't worry about them and if they do get worse then do something about them. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

Mark is it possible the cracks are only in the finish coat? I have seen the weld crack where the wheel is joined. I would scrape, grind or otherwise remove the chrome around a spoke or two and see if the cracks are in the base metal. If they are I would replace the rim and spokes. The hub should be good. Ken --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Tengai Mark Van Horn wrote:

> > Today, I was changing my rear tire. When I cleaned it up, I

noticed a

> small crack radiating from almost every spoke hole in the wheel on > the outside of the rim. The cracks range in length from 5-15mm,

and

> each hole with a crack has only one crack. The weird thing is that > they don't propagate all the way through to the inside of the rim. > All the spokes are still tight, and the wheel is still round. > Could a competent person with a TIG welder zip up these cracks > in-situ, or is the wheel shot? > > Thanks, > Mark >

Chrome? KLR? Does not compute! __Arden --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "kennethhenton" wrote:

> > Mark is it possible the cracks are only in the finish coat? > I have seen the weld crack where the wheel is joined. I would > scrape, grind or otherwise remove the chrome around a spoke or two > and see if the cracks are in the base metal. If they are I would > replace the rim and spokes. The hub should be good. Ken > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Tengai Mark Van Horn > wrote: > > > > Today, I was changing my rear tire. When I cleaned it up, I > noticed a > > small crack radiating from almost every spoke hole in the wheel

on

> > the outside of the rim. The cracks range in length from 5-15mm, > and > > each hole with a crack has only one crack. The weird thing is

that

> > they don't propagate all the way through to the inside of the

rim.

> > All the spokes are still tight, and the wheel is still round. > > Could a competent person with a TIG welder zip up these cracks > > in-situ, or is the wheel shot? > > > > Thanks, > > Mark > > >

At 03:58 PM 8/16/2007, Jeff Saline wrote:

>On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:57:46 -0400 Tengai Mark Van Horn > > > Today, I was changing my rear tire. When I cleaned it up, I noticed a > > > > small crack radiating from almost every spoke hole in the wheel on > > the outside of the rim.

Probably work-hardening, like what brought down the DeHavilland Comet jetliners.

>One other possibility is to just ride it like it is and watch the cracks. >If they don't get worse don't worry about them and if they do get worse >then do something about them.

I agree. It's not like completely broken wheels are a common KLR complaint, and if the cracks don't go all the way through, well, it's not a jetliner, you know? I've seen similar cracks on mine, but until a spoke threatens to pull through, I'm not about to spend time and money on it. I wouldn't worry about it overmuch. - Dave Svoboda, Sandy Eggo

cracks are a propagating type of defect. I guarantee you they will grow. I would be concerned about hitting a pot hole or large bump and breaking the rim, sorta like when you cut glass you score it then break it. These cracks may do the same thing if allowed to progress,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Dave Svoboda Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 1:59 PM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Small Cracks in Rear Wheel At 03:58 PM 8/16/2007, Jeff Saline wrote:

>On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:57:46 -0400 Tengai Mark Van Horn > > > Today, I was changing my rear tire. When I cleaned it up, I noticed a > > > > small crack radiating from almost every spoke hole in the wheel on > > the outside of the rim.

Probably work-hardening, like what brought down the DeHavilland Comet jetliners.

>One other possibility is to just ride it like it is and watch the cracks. >If they don't get worse don't worry about them and if they do get worse >then do something about them.

I agree. It's not like completely broken wheels are a common KLR complaint, and if the cracks don't go all the way through, well, it's not a jetliner, you know? I've seen similar cracks on mine, but until a spoke threatens to pull through, I'm not about to spend time and money on it. I wouldn't worry about it overmuch. - Dave Svoboda, Sandy Eggo [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Agreed. These are stress cracks. If they are surface cracks they will probably not grow but I doubt that they are. Aluminum fatigues at a stress point and the spoke nipple cutout can be a focusing point for stress. Keep an eye on it. I wouldn't panic, but if I were off- roading a lot this wheel would go. Hell, now I've got to go out and check MY wheel! --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Lassman, Mike" wrote:

> > cracks are a propagating type of defect. I guarantee you they will

grow. I would be concerned about hitting a pot hole or large bump and breaking the rim, sorta like when you cut glass you score it then break it. These cracks may do the same thing if allowed to progress,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

> > -----Original Message----- > From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com]

On Behalf Of Dave Svoboda

> Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 1:59 PM > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Small Cracks in Rear Wheel > > > > At 03:58 PM 8/16/2007, Jeff Saline wrote: > > >On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:57:46 -0400 Tengai Mark Van Horn > > > > > Today, I was changing my rear tire. When I cleaned it up, I

noticed a

> > > > > > small crack radiating from almost every spoke hole in the wheel

on

> > > the outside of the rim. > > Probably work-hardening, like what brought down the DeHavilland

Comet

> jetliners. > > >One other possibility is to just ride it like it is and watch the

cracks.

> >If they don't get worse don't worry about them and if they do get

worse

> >then do something about them. > > I agree. It's not like completely broken wheels are a common KLR > complaint, and if the cracks > don't go all the way through, well, it's not a jetliner, you > know? I've seen similar cracks on > mine, but until a spoke threatens to pull through, I'm not about to > spend time and money on it. > > I wouldn't worry about it overmuch. > > - Dave Svoboda, Sandy Eggo > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "mikeypep" wrote:

> > Agreed. These are stress cracks. If they are surface cracks they

will

> probably not grow but I doubt that they are. Aluminum fatigues at a > stress point and the spoke nipple cutout can be a focusing point

for

> stress. Keep an eye on it. I wouldn't panic, but if I were off- > roading a lot this wheel would go. > Hell, now I've got to go out and check MY wheel! > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Lassman, Mike" > wrote: > > > > cracks are a propagating type of defect. I guarantee you they

will

> grow. I would be concerned about hitting a pot hole or large bump

and

> breaking the rim, sorta like when you cut glass you score it then > break it. These cracks may do the same thing if allowed to > progress,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com

[mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com]

> On Behalf Of Dave Svoboda > > Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 1:59 PM > > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Small Cracks in Rear Wheel > > > > > > > > At 03:58 PM 8/16/2007, Jeff Saline wrote: > > > > >On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:57:46 -0400 Tengai Mark Van Horn > > > > > > > Today, I was changing my rear tire. When I cleaned it up, I > noticed a > > > > > > > > small crack radiating from almost every spoke hole in the

wheel

> on > > > > the outside of the rim. > > > > Probably work-hardening, like what brought down the DeHavilland > Comet > > jetliners. > > > > >One other possibility is to just ride it like it is and watch

the

> cracks. > > >If they don't get worse don't worry about them and if they do

get

> worse > > >then do something about them. > > > > I agree. It's not like completely broken wheels are a common KLR > > complaint, and if the cracks > > don't go all the way through, well, it's not a jetliner, you > > know? I've seen similar cracks on > > mine, but until a spoke threatens to pull through, I'm not about

to

> > spend time and money on it. > > > > I wouldn't worry about it overmuch. > > > > - Dave Svoboda, Sandy Eggo

I would be watching that very carefully. BMW had a similar problem in years past, they replaced the wheels. Shane

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > >