I have Fuchs 2.0 wheels on my '76. I'd like to autocross and DE using these wheels, but am concerned about wheel failure because the wheels are about 33 years old and may have microcracks.

I'm thinking of getting the wheels magnafluxed and heat-treated. Would this be sufficient? Would these processes work on these wheels?


~ Rog

Magnafluxing will see if they have any cracks, but if you have Factory Fuchs, they are Forged and very, very hard to break. Replicas are a different story.

I don't know about Heat-treating. Aluminum gets weird if heated beyond a certain tempature.

T.C.

I've never personally seen a broken 4 lug Fuchs wheel.

Can't magnaflux aluminum. Wheels are forged so they are heat treated from manufacturing in a way. Dye test would show some, but I would just do a visual and run them. If they were cracked and you tried to get them heat treated, you'd only make it worse.

.................... I agree completely. A dye check is something you can do yourself., but unless a wheel is BENT, you should have no cause for alarm. I have never seen a forged wheel , explode or fail . The cast wheels are a different story, and if painted can be impossable to throughly check.

Thanks for the info! I'll do the dye test.

While I've never seen a cracked 4 bolt Fuchs, there have been threads on this subject in the past, and several people have said it happens. BTW, the correct procedure for inspection is called Zyglo.

The Cap'n

Cracked two last year...
They crack at the lug bolt area.
Not only have I seen them...I have touched them..
Rich

there is a cracked 5 bolt fuch fs on pelican...the guy wants a hundred bucks

Many thanks for the replies.

The wheels are genuine 2.0's. If cracks are discovered, I'd like to get the wheels repaired and refinished. I think Harvey Weidman and Al Reed do this kind of work..

If cracks are discovered, use the wheel as a garden hose reel and get another wheel.

T.C.

But a air hose reel !

Or a nice end table with glass over it

Or weld it up for a garage stool.

Actually, Zyglo is just the name for the Magnaflux brand of ultraviolet fluorescent dye penetrant inspection compound. It's still just a run of the mill penetrant inspection. . .

Ya know it allmost makes you wonder if the ones that are cracking at the lug bolts weren't overtightened at some point.

Say with 240 foot pounds of torque delivered by the tire store gorilla boy and his magic air driver......

Yeppers, had a steel wheel or two that suffered that abuse. Bent the wheel rims, and I broke a big ass Snapon socket trying to get the lug nuts off....

Any abuse that can break two VW tire wrenches and a Snapon socket CAN break a FUCHS.