Alloys and bad roads dont mix

Can you even get steel rims anymore??? I was wondering what I would do if I needed to replace the rims on my lw300. Oppie

From the description of the mishap I don't know that steel wheels would have survived any better...

Yep, stock steel wheels are available fer sure. I do feel better after discussing the accident to my tech, he sez that if I would have had the same impact with ION.2 steel rims, my tires would have likely blown, both of them, instead the alloys bent, absorbing the impact and unfortunately sacrificing themselves. I guess that averted what could have turned into loss of control and an inevietable crash into a tree or mailbox or worse.

Glad that you are safe in any event. What type of tires were you running? I have seen so many vehicles lately with these big wheels and tiny sidewalls that look like mere rubber bands. They look very cool and supposedly have great handling but are prone to damage from hitting anything larger/deeper than 1/2". My son, at night, hit a ledge left from road work and bent the front rims. Successfully got replacement cost from the contractor that had not properly marked the construction area. Oppie

They were 16" stock Hankook tires, not low profile, but they are slightly thinner than your basic tire. I'm supposed to get the rims in today, wish me luck, I'm hoping that the tires are still good though and wont need replacing.

Well 16 inches is not very stock on a Saturn because it does not leave much room for rubber. As someone else said, the trend today is that you need to have big diameter wheels with rubber band tires on them that offer little or no impact protection. If bad roads are a issue, use a 14 or 15 inch rim and run tires at or near max pressure as this will decrease their delfelction on impact. Also while a steel rim may have been damaged too, they are a lot more forgiving and usaully can be straightened too. I think rim makers have a class act going on. They have convinced some that they have to have them and then they are damaged easier so that generates more sales and tire companies like them too because they can charge top dollar for some of the tires to fit them.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

And I thought my ride with my '03 Ion was crappy!,of course i was told the alloys ride well,then why did Saturn/GM switch them to Steelies in '05?.My last check up @ Saturn they ''pounded '' a rim back,there was a bend on one of them.Maybe when that asshole bounced off of me because I was going too slow in the passing lane on I-480 in streets boro ,ohio 2 years ago in June.Maybe.The way the talk on these steel rims doesnt make them any better.

Unfortunately, with a choice of an ION.3, 16" alloys are the only choice. Teem is right in remembering that '05 ION.3's came with a 16"steel reinforced wheel. Why did Saturn make that only 1 year? Must have been cost. Now I wish that I had choosen a level 2 for the steel wheels, but I would have had to immediately replace the tires to be more compatable with the harsh road conditions here. The funny thing is according to Saturn, the GVW is almost identical between level 2 and 3 (30 lbs difference), so the alloys would have really not made much difference.

I 1st started noticing rims on saturns a few years ago,that is,they LOOKED like alloys,but had a black backing w/holes w/the lighter''alloy'' out front,after aking an ass of myself asking questions on this to saturn techs,it dawned on me---Steel Rims!--just a crappy plastic wheel cover,how crafty!.

Steel rims and plastic cover was the standard on the Vue 4cyl. You had to upgrade to get alloy rims...

That said, I have the steel rims and plastic covers and I'll tell you the following:

Positives: You never get the black front rims from brake dust, so the car (yes, despite what they call it - to me, it's still a car or SUV - The dealers insist on calling it a "truck") The wife chews it up or scratches it against a curb - Cheap easy replace vs. expensive rims

Negatives: PITA (pain in the ass) added extra work changing a tire or rotating... Plastic lug nuts screw onto real lugs and can strip or break easily if not careful (esp. by lunk head in service department whose not used to them) Biggest complaint however, I noticed when it got warm outside and had my windows opened...When you hit a descent bump you may hear them rattle. (Was driving me nuts trying to figure that one out for days, and fixed this with a thin strip of adhesive foam on the inside of the covers)

Just FYI

PS: If you do have these and have your vehicle serviced, check the plastic lugs on all 4 wheels before leaving. I found one snapped the last service. I would have livid if I had gotten a flat at night or in the rain and I couldn't get the cover off because of a plastic lug. (actually, you would just rip and break the thing off as a last resort, but you'd still be pissed)

IYM

That's a low speed country road ;)

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

GM has used this concept for many years on many vehicles and they are not that fragile. If you over torque them the simple jump thread. It would that a impact wrench spining them fast too far to eat threads out of them.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

Well, jump the thread to many times the plastic threads wear down. I can tell you from my experience with them that if I take and over torque one, it jumps. Then, try to torque it back up to where it was and it doesn't make it before it jumps again. It will get progressively worse until it just spins or barely holds, as I have on 3 of these plastic lugs. Sorry, to me that's too fragile. And of course, if you can't torque them up as tight as they should be, then you get a rattle from the cover as well as overstressing the remaining plastic lugs. As far as any idiot who would stick a impact wrench on them........well, that's why I check them all after a service. I've had them broken.....

IYM

Well, the bill came out to $560. (after my discount) for 2 rims. Maybe it's me, but the ride doesnt feel as solid as before. Maybe because I am paying more attention to the ride now (especially watching for holes in the road). I've had the wheel balance and alignment checked twice and the car rides a pretty straight line when you let go of the wheel (as straight as can be expected for these roads).