Members BEWARE. If you are evaluating purchasing 3 piece wheels, DON'T. If so, pull over immediately if it RAINS. I just dropped 7K on some wicked three piece wheels. At the get go, three piece wheels are a B**** to balance. Secondly, the wife and I were traveling and low and behold it started to rain. Within seconds, the steering began wobbling vigorously to a point I almost lost control and hit the median. Luckily, I saved my ride and immediately called my dealer for my money back. He claims,due to the design of ALL three piece wheels the inner hub has a swell in order to be able to put the tires from the back side. Well, this F***** swell when raining, HOLDS WATER resulting in an off balance that to say the least is a safety hazard.
The manufacturer wanted to try some "water evacuators" inside the hub. I said please fix your design flaw with another sucker.

 

what brand of wheels so we know to avoid them for now- That's scary stuff.

 

Sorry to hear your bad experience.
There is poor quality wheels out there.....I'm not sure, however why you think that's synonymous with "3 piece wheels"....poor quality can be found anywhere you might look (often right next to low price )

I have 3 piece wheels on several Porsches and an AMG......been buying them for years. Mainly from reputable sources, Fikse, HRE, and others. A quality 3 piece alloy often costs more but I like the flexibility.....of ordering exacly the offset I want, of easily seperating centers for custom painting, and most of all....repairing just an inner or outer barrel....rather than a whole wheel.
Roads still suck after last winter and it's like driving an autocross just to get to work .
I'm not sure what the 'swell' is that you mention.
Reverse drop rims (flat lips) do have to go on the mounting machine differently and there is no doubt getting low-profile 19" rubber on-off can be a real b#tch......while traditional lips are a piece of cake.

Hope you get you issues resolved.

 

I have had HRE 3 Piece wheels and it rains all the time in Vancouver. Never an issue with the wheels.

Sorry to hear your luck.

Ed

 

I have Never had an issue with 3-piece wheels and have never heard of anyone that has. That just seems weird...

 

^ +1

Never heard of a rim that can't be driven in the rain

 

Sounds to me like they probably used the wrong lugs. Not sure if you have cone or ball seat but if they did not use the right ones specified by that wheel. The feeling that you got is exactly what it feels like when lugs start to come loose. It is a very scary and a dangerous experience.
I would try and get more info from them. Where did they come up with the 3-piece wheel being able to hold water in the barrell? Wheels are sealed on multi-piece and this should in no way be able to happen. I think they are feeding you a bunch of BS.
Don't let this sway you from 3-piece wheels in the future as good multi-piece wheels are some of the strongest and lightest.

 

Manufacture flaw. Name the company please and i can confirm if problems exist

 

I would certainly want to know who this Chinese company is!

I know tons of folks with 3-piece wheels and never heard of this issue.

That's a prime products liablity issue waiting for a lawsuit!

Spill your beans and fess up to prevent others experiencing the same fate.

 

I did extensive reading on vibration and rain testing before I bought any wheels . After all I live in a hurricane zone .
The step lip competition wheels which I have do not vibrate in the least . In fact my car drives perfect even when in a downpour . I love these wheels .

Some reverse lip wheels pose a different case according to some of the posts I have read .
Of course not all wheels are alike and installation , mounting , balancing , even suspension all can have some type of effect on a car's handling .
My suggestion would be to contact the wheel manufacturer .

 

Any names yet??????????

 

Sorry for the stupid question, but what are reverse lip wheels? These are my wheels below (3 piece SSR GT3s). Are these reverse lip? FWIW, I have driven my car with these wheels in downpours with no issues at all, and they don't vibrate in the dry or wet. They also track straight and true in wet or dry. I'm wondering what wheel brand the original poster had bought.

 

They are Reverse Drop........ie flat lip.........not traditional step rim.

 

Ah, thanks. I think I get it. So for example, the Champion RG5s are flat lip while the Fikse Profil 10s are step lipped? Which style is stronger/better then? Sorry for the diversion.

 

this is feeling like one of those "urban legends" - no manufacturer or brand info provided by OP? odd.