Cracked Wheel?

[SkurdalenFox]

I noticed this while washing my car today.

How can I determine if this is a crack or just a deep scratch?

I can catch the edge with my fingernail, but it could just be a deep scratch.

I filled the scratch/crack with ink so it would show up in a picture.

[coupe]

Get a little more focus. Looks like a crack thus far.

[475HP '03 cobra]

are the painted rims? may just be a crack in the paint....

[SkurdalenFox]

Well, I pulled the wheel off to see if it went around to the back of the spoke. It does!

So, I scratched off the paint on the back of the wheel to get a look at the aluminum. The metal doesn't appear cracked. Maybe the crack is just compressed?

Is there some test that can be done to be sure? Are there places that do this sort of thing?

Realized I posted this in the wrong forum, sorry.

[DSkeet]

If it is cracked my friend just used a place in Huntsville that did a good job called "Wheel fix it". They did a rim for his BMW and turned out good. Don't know their number though...

[Italian LX]

If it is cracked my friend just used a place in Huntsville that did a good job called "Wheel fix it". They did a rim for his BMW and turned out good. Don't know their number though...
I used them once before, and they did an excellent job. However, I remember them not being cheap -- I believe it was somewhere around $140 to fix one wheel. Mine was done under an insurance claim and they were only used because the body shop couldn't find any wheels to match the other three that were on my truck.

[slvrbullit]

I can check it for you but that would require you shipping the wheel to me. We spray a dye on it then wipe it off after a few minutes and the spray a powder base spray to wick out the dye if it is cracked.

There should be some places up in Mich that can do the same thing. Look in the yellow pages for testing labs and look for Non Destructive Testing.

[jwillburn119]

its called NDI non destructive inspection... and any BIG shop will either have one, or know where to get one... its required... also any aviation related people will have one, or know where to get one... we use it in army aviation, thats how i know... by the way... real NDI isnt cheap, and only liscensed people are supposed to do it

[rtusnake]

We use "wheel fix it" pretty often and they always do great work and stand behind it if they mess up. I recommend them.