Request c7 Rims, anyone know of class action lawsuits in canada?
- Thread starter thornhill007
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Power User
I didn't know until your post there are 2 related class actions in the States but it looks like they're only for US residents:
gmauthority.com
This topic was brought up in another CCF thread, but it refers to an older article on one of the US class actions:
canadiancorvetteforums.com
My google search didn't find any Canadian class action so at first blush the answer to your question appears to be "no" but I can't be positive about that.
There's a Regina law firm that likes to take on class actions and might be interested in doing so, if there's enough C7's in Canada and you're interested in becoming their "nominal Plaintiff". I suspect that same law firm might know if anyone in Canada has started a class action for the C7 rim problem. PM (personal message) me if you'd like more info about the law firm and wish to contact it.
New Lawsuit Filed Over Cracked Wheels On C7 Corvette Grand Sport, Z06
Owners say the wheels are prone to bending and warping.
gmauthority.com
This topic was brought up in another CCF thread, but it refers to an older article on one of the US class actions:
Class action lawsuit for cracked / bent wheels.
For those of us who have had cracked wheels and no support from GM. https://jalopnik.com/corvette-owner-sues-general-motors-over-allegedly-defec-1834675372
canadiancorvetteforums.com
My google search didn't find any Canadian class action so at first blush the answer to your question appears to be "no" but I can't be positive about that.
There's a Regina law firm that likes to take on class actions and might be interested in doing so, if there's enough C7's in Canada and you're interested in becoming their "nominal Plaintiff". I suspect that same law firm might know if anyone in Canada has started a class action for the C7 rim problem. PM (personal message) me if you'd like more info about the law firm and wish to contact it.
Yes, and thanks Nitsinah...I did research and can't find anyone, or for that matter, anyone in canada who is pissed at being the ATM for gm making this cast in another country(I think thats where they went wrong) , but there is many circumstances where manufacturing things in other countries becomes the responsability the "seller" meaning its GM problem regardless. Sweeping with their big broom under the rug is useless. I woudl be interested in this law firm, but not sure how to PM you...If you want to send email to [email protected]...I would certainly entertain a dialogue to start something. 4 rims later and present ones are comprimed somewhat.
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Power User
Interesting. Which wheels are at issue? Base Stingray or Grand Sport/Z06? Is there a known reason the wheels fail?
If wheels are cracked I assume you can see some small cracks but if wheels are bent what would be the signs and how can you check this ? Or need to take to tire shop ? If bent can they be straightened?
The issue is with GS/Z06/ZR1 rims. If lucky, they just eventually bend and cause vibration, but eventually will crack due to repetitive stress impacts. We are not talking full on pothole/curb hits rather just the everyday cracks and upheavals Canadian roads tend to get. My Z06 rims developed an uneasy vibration at speed that on even a freshly paved highway, it is vibrating like s**t. On inspection, I can "feel" some off deformity in the rim, not enough to visually see, but when touching the inner barrel, it feels like it is out of round. I am having them checked next week. I am fortunate to have forged rims I can use as well.
bad engineering and specifications are under what they need to be for Canadian roads
Is wheel cracking unique to the Corvette GS and Z06 or is it a problem with most very wide wheels? I drove my Stingray Coupe on some very rough roads and hit a few potholes that scared the crap out of me but there was no problem with the wheels. I even drove the Stingray through the winter with replica wheels without any issues. Now that I have a GS, and based on the info in this thread I am becoming very concerned about wheel damage. This leads me to think that I need to dig a bit deeper to determine the probability of wheel damage.
The wide body rims are vulnerable for a multitude of reasons:
-First is overall size. We run 19 x 10 in the front, and 20 x 12 in in the back. There is very little sidewall to absorb an impact. (ZR1 is 19x 10.5 in front)
-Widebody cars are heavy. The lightest widebody is 3500 lbs.
-The cars come with negative camber, puts more emphasis on the inner barrel of the rim
-The suspension is stiffer, running sport or track mode just makes it worse on the rim
-The runflats we use are stiff on the INSIDE portion of the tire
-The rims are rotary forged. Rim is cast, then the barrel is spun and shaped and elongated. Depending on the quality of the initial casting and the heat treatments afterwards and the extreme width of the barrel, the material making it to the inner portion may not be strong enough to absorb a lot of impact force.
When you factor in all these aspects, consider the road conditions (cracks, expansion joints, road upheavals, manhole covers, train tracks etc), the sheer number of wide body cars ( ~80k made from 2015-2019), the odds of bent or cracked rims make sense.
Do other 19+ inch rims bend or crack? Yes. A coworkers Type R has a bent rim from some construction he hit. (no other cars that day bent a rim...) Other makes and models are not immune. Just gotta hit something at the right angle and force and it will happen.
The risk is high for you to experience bent rims, but the chances of not bending a rim are just as high. It all comes down to your driving habits, roads etc.
The damage for most wide body corvettes seem to be what are known as fatigue cracks. Rather than 1 strong impact, weaker impacts to the same area over and over will "bend" the rim. Since the inner barrel is "forged" albeit incorrectly termed, it does fail like a forged rim will over time given similar conditions. This is witnessed as multiple cracks per rim. It just keeps "flexing" until weak areas give.
-First is overall size. We run 19 x 10 in the front, and 20 x 12 in in the back. There is very little sidewall to absorb an impact. (ZR1 is 19x 10.5 in front)
-Widebody cars are heavy. The lightest widebody is 3500 lbs.
-The cars come with negative camber, puts more emphasis on the inner barrel of the rim
-The suspension is stiffer, running sport or track mode just makes it worse on the rim
-The runflats we use are stiff on the INSIDE portion of the tire
-The rims are rotary forged. Rim is cast, then the barrel is spun and shaped and elongated. Depending on the quality of the initial casting and the heat treatments afterwards and the extreme width of the barrel, the material making it to the inner portion may not be strong enough to absorb a lot of impact force.
When you factor in all these aspects, consider the road conditions (cracks, expansion joints, road upheavals, manhole covers, train tracks etc), the sheer number of wide body cars ( ~80k made from 2015-2019), the odds of bent or cracked rims make sense.
Do other 19+ inch rims bend or crack? Yes. A coworkers Type R has a bent rim from some construction he hit. (no other cars that day bent a rim...) Other makes and models are not immune. Just gotta hit something at the right angle and force and it will happen.
The risk is high for you to experience bent rims, but the chances of not bending a rim are just as high. It all comes down to your driving habits, roads etc.
The damage for most wide body corvettes seem to be what are known as fatigue cracks. Rather than 1 strong impact, weaker impacts to the same area over and over will "bend" the rim. Since the inner barrel is "forged" albeit incorrectly termed, it does fail like a forged rim will over time given similar conditions. This is witnessed as multiple cracks per rim. It just keeps "flexing" until weak areas give.
Thanks for the detailed explanation. Looking around the web, your conclusion seems to fit; many very wide rims are susceptible to cracking/bending if the shock impact is sufficient. Considering it is impossible to avoid every severe road defect especially at night, I will just drive the way I enjoy which is mostly in Tour mode and occasionally in Sport on familiar roads. If I am constantly worried about the rims, driving pleasure will decline. As was well stated by Alfred E. Neuman, "What, me worry?"
I wouldn't worry much about it. You're right the pleasure of the drive is lost if you worry about bent rims. I have tire and rim insurance on my car and I got forged rims. I was a bit paranoid I'd bend the rims, and the vibration seems to point to that.
You have tire and rim insurance on your car ! When I asked my agent about that they were not familiar with that coverage . I may have to search out a new insurance company.
My insurance is separate for my tires and rims. It's first Canadian Protection products. I read through the coverage and it will cover any repair that makes the tire/rim unsafe along with labor. I'll see what my tire guy says about the rims and go from there. He's dealt with the tire/rim insurance people and knows what to say to get them to pay out.
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There are three class actions in the US that I know of. I have written to all three law firms but have yet to receive a reply from any of them. I had two bent rims on my 2019 GS, both on the left side. GM claimed it was impact from road hazard. The inner edge of the barrel bent on both, out of round was somewhere around 0.100 on the front and 0.140 on the back. Vibration came on quite suddenly, without hitting anything out of the ordinary on Alberta roads. It's easy to see why they bend - the barrel is very long and supported only by the spokes at the far outer edge; the runflats have stiff sidewalls.
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