Late model Cragar S/S wheels

Posted By: MarkZ

Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 03:03 AM

Anyone notice quality issues on late model S/S rims? My Dad bought a used set that were in great shape and they're rusting after only being on the car for a year. They never see winter, not much rain, and are stored indoors. The rims were manufactured only a couple of years ago. The S/S wheels on my Fifth on the other hand were made in the 80s and have seen an assortment of weather over the years and still look great.

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 03:15 AM

The chrome on those are done in mexico now...years ago they did the chrome work here (In Paramount/Long Beach area actually)

Might have something to do with it.

Attached picture 7721731-2012-06-1112.56.01.jpg

Posted By: DaveRS23

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 02:28 PM

Yep, rust popping up from under the chrome. Been a lot of talk here and other places about this. I have a set doing the same thing.

Posted By: mopars4ever

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 04:20 PM

I`m glad you guys are bringing this up as I was thinking of buying some new Cragars S/S wheels for my car. I guess I`ll stay with what I have.

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 04:24 PM

And the customer service at Carlise (who make Cragar) is some of the worst I have ever come across in the wheel business. So can't imagine they would even care about the issues much at all.

(they sure don't seem to care about issues I have brought up to them on my orders)

Posted By: moparx

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 04:28 PM

a good friend of mine bought a set from summitt a couple of years ago for his 64 pontiac and they are doing the same thing. car never sees rain and is stored inside all the time. maybe sees the outside 3 or 4 days a year. junk plating and prep for sure.

Posted By: 52savoy

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 04:40 PM

Glad you brought this up... I was considering buying a set. NOT now.

What about the KEYSTONE Classic wheels?

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 04:47 PM

Keystones are made by Carlise/Cragar still so will have the same components basically..so take that as you can imagine.

Posted By: 6PKRTSE

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 05:12 PM

During the winter month's. I put a coat of wax on them & leave it on them all winter. They are still starting to show their age though.

Posted By: syleng1

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 06:33 PM

Moparts People,

That's called "patina" and right now that look is in! Good for you!

I bought a set dated from 69' from Dave LeTournue (sorry Dave, I don't mean to butcher your last name) Used but they were not rusty just worn. If it bothers you that much send them out and have them Chromed again. I know you spent a lot of pesso's on Mexican wheels. Sadly unless we do something about it, cheap parts will be the norm.

They are laughing all the way to the bank.

Sorry, I am actually on your side. I just want stuff to last.

Joe

Posted By: 340SHORTY

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 06:49 PM

So their quality control isnt any better than 40 years ago..

Back then my bro in law bought a new set of 15x10 SS Cragers.

After 2 weeks the chrome plating started pealing off in sheets.

They said it was his fault and wouldnt do anything about it.

No Crager junk for me..

Posted By: pinkduster

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 09:54 PM

This is really troubling to hear as I really wanted to get a set of new sbp Cragars for my pink Duster for that day two look.

Oz, do you deal with these people that make the Cragars? If so, how do you go about getting a custom set made... like 15 x 4s?

Posted By: Tom Fox

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 11:08 PM

I Recently Used A Set Of Their Aluminum Version S/S Wheels On A Customers Build To Avoid The Rust Situation. Wheels Still Look Great A Year Later.

Posted By: MarkZ

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/28/13 11:26 PM

Well, that is certainly a bummer. How in the world can a company justify this? All it'll take is a couple of years for the entire customer base to get wind of this and sales will stop.

Posted By: DaveRS23

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/29/13 01:14 AM

Well, this has been going on for years and years. Nothing new here. People just seem to keep buying 'em.

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/29/13 04:47 AM

Quote:

Well, that is certainly a bummer. How in the world can a company justify this? All it'll take is a couple of years for the entire customer base to get wind of this and sales will stop.

They just don't care.

I've asked that myself from them many times...and they just don't seem to be bothered or care from unhappy customers.

I am in the middle of trying to get an order filled for steel wheel outers from them (about 250 raw steel, plus some chrome), and it is like fighting city hall. And all I want to do is give them money basically.

I go there in person to pick up my orders even (well, depending on the order size, I get between 6 and 20 pallets of them at a time) and they will be so-so in person, then as soon as you walk out the door it is

again.

And...not that people here would ever have to deal with it, but the guy in charge of shipping/recieving there you have to deal with is a

I have had about 4 pallets of chrome outers on order for 3 1/2 weeks now, and for the past week and a bit, I have been trying to get onto the salesman about what is happening with my order. No answer to about 4 emails, and his voice mail is full (and no calls returned before that)

The problem is....partially at least, is that they probably know they are one of the few games in town for steel outers and just don't care. I order a certain size they do not make from another manufacturer, but they are across the country and I need to order 20 pallets of that size at a time. (they do a run of them just for my order basically)
I could get more common sizes from them too, but transport costs and timing of it all make it not really practical.

I have even paid for orders from Carlise and had them pull some of my order to use or sell to other customers.

Just part of having to deal with it all... I even had a salesman I got stuck dealing with once tell me that he was doing me a "favor" by dealing with me and selling to us.

I hung up and called the corporate office until I got to someone that would vaguely listen to me.
The guy eventually got let go, but the person who replaced him basically acted the same way without saying anything about it. Corporate any more just doesn't care.

I had another order and I buy wheel centers from them too, and they were missing when the outers got delivered (it was a big enough order that I had them trucked, wasn't worth my time with a trailer back and forth) anyways....they kept saying the centers where there..and I said there are no boxes on a pallet, only the outers.
Turned out, someone in shipping decided all of a sudden to drop the centers down inside of the outers and not tell anyone.

So I had to unpack about 12 pallets of wheels to try and find them, then restack and shrink wrap it all.
Again, they just don't care...

Sorry for the rant, but just as an eye opener to anyone wondering why the wheels might rust or have issues and the company doesn't seem to want to do anything about it.

Posted By: 6PKRTSE

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/29/13 06:03 PM

It's a shame. They are undoubtly the most suitable wheel for an old hot rod or musclecar. My golf cart even has Cragar's on it. LOL

Posted By: RoadRunnerLuva

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/30/13 12:50 AM

You know the world is going to sh*t when
the Cragar people just don't care....
are you listening Cragar??

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/30/13 01:01 AM

Quote:

are you listening Cragar??

No they are not ,that is the problem.

Posted By: 340SHORTY

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/30/13 07:33 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Well, that is certainly a bummer. How in the world can a company justify this? All it'll take is a couple of years for the entire customer base to get wind of this and sales will stop.

They just don't care.

I've asked that myself from them many times...and they just don't seem to be bothered or care from unhappy customers.

I am in the middle of trying to get an order filled for steel wheel outers from them (about 250 raw steel, plus some chrome), and it is like fighting city hall. And all I want to do is give them money basically.

I go there in person to pick up my orders even (well, depending on the order size, I get between 6 and 20 pallets of them at a time) and they will be so-so in person, then as soon as you walk out the door it is again.

And...not that people here would ever have to deal with it, but the guy in charge of shipping/recieving there you have to deal with is a

I have had about 4 pallets of chrome outers on order for 3 1/2 weeks now, and for the past week and a bit, I have been trying to get onto the salesman about what is happening with my order. No answer to about 4 emails, and his voice mail is full (and no calls returned before that)

The problem is....partially at least, is that they probably know they are one of the few games in town for steel outers and just don't care. I order a certain size they do not make from another manufacturer, but they are across the country and I need to order 20 pallets of that size at a time. (they do a run of them just for my order basically)
I could get more common sizes from them too, but transport costs and timing of it all make it not really practical.

I have even paid for orders from Carlise and had them pull some of my order to use or sell to other customers.

Just part of having to deal with it all... I even had a salesman I got stuck dealing with once tell me that he was doing me a "favor" by dealing with me and selling to us. I hung up and called the corporate office until I got to someone that would vaguely listen to me.
The guy eventually got let go, but the person who replaced him basically acted the same way without saying anything about it. Corporate any more just doesn't care.

I had another order and I buy wheel centers from them too, and they were missing when the outers got delivered (it was a big enough order that I had them trucked, wasn't worth my time with a trailer back and forth) anyways....they kept saying the centers where there..and I said there are no boxes on a pallet, only the outers.
Turned out, someone in shipping decided all of a sudden to drop the centers down inside of the outers and not tell anyone. So I had to unpack about 12 pallets of wheels to try and find them, then restack and shrink wrap it all.
Again, they just don't care...

Sorry for the rant, but just as an eye opener to anyone wondering why the wheels might rust or have issues and the company doesn't seem to want to do anything about it.

Id be giving www.speedwaymotors.com a call..

Posted By: 52savoy

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/30/13 09:32 AM

These wheels held up pretty good on my chicken

Posted By: MarkZ

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/30/13 05:51 PM

OzHemi, I don't think I'm ever going to complain about customer service again after a story like that. You must have the patients of a saint.

On a slightly unrelated note, do the lugs they sell have the same issues? Mine are completely hit and need to be replaced.

Posted By: screamindriver

Re: Late model Cragar S/S wheels - 05/30/13 06:48 PM

Quote:

This is really troubling to hear as I really wanted to get a set of new sbp Cragars for my pink Duster for that day two look.

Oz, do you deal with these people that make the Cragars? If so, how do you go about getting a custom set made... like 15 x 4s?

I've gone through Summit Racing on the last 2 custom BS sets of cragars I ordered...And reason being if there was an issue they'd take them back without the

involved with dealing with Carlisle wheel &tire.....Not only does the chrome durability seem to be suffering but the actual prep/finish of the deep dish components leave something to be desired so mabe that is the real reason behind the plating not having a chance...
I'm not talking about the old peeling issues around the alloy cast lugnut areas they've always done that over time...The last set went back because of what appears to be lathe turns on the rim...Front to back like it was chucked up, spun and not properly finished off...Take a good look at the new ones and you see what I'm talking about its on all of them to some degree...