Concerns about Western Wheel Magnesium Cyclones?

[Minnesota]

Durability on ~35"s, more specifically. Truck will be on 3/4 tons and used as general DD and adventure/trail vehicle in the Rockies.

Have a line on a set local. Have pics showing mfg and wheel size stampings: Western, and "16x8" (not "16.5x8"). The guy sounds knowledgeable and confident when he says they are "the true magnesium".

I love the look of the rim, and 16.0 diameter. Just concerned about magnesium strength. Will obviously check them out closely for cracks.

 

[Minnesota]

UPDATE:

So after hitting the Google-box hard, I never got a definitive answer whether Western made these in magnesium. Looks like they did make some wheels, in general, in mag.

I have a decent bit of cast magnesium experience from some old mountain bike products I was involved in, so tend to think I have a pretty good "nose" for the material. I went to check them out, and can pretty confidently say that they are not magnesium. Weight and appearance of the rim between the beads = clearly aluminum.

Feel free to burst my bubble, but that there, is aluminum. And redeeming a one-time mega-pic size coupon towards proving my point.

The main cool thing is that they indeed are 16.0" diameter, and not 16.5".

Did I bring them home...?

Yup. They certainly have some rash from over the years, but nothing unreasonable. Stoked to really move forward with the 3/4 ton swap, and roll a wheel style I've always loved.

 

[rampage]

According to AKH wheels it's listed as an aluminum wheel.
http://www.akhwheels.com/pages/showWheel.php?pk=408

You can try this vinegar test to verify:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7920829_tell-magnesium-rims.html#page=0

 

[Bill72]

Western wheels

Minnesota- I've been looking for a set of these in 16". If you decide not to use them or find a set of magnesiums that you'd rather use, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[sweetk30]

i have been running my 2 sets of western wheel on my 1ton plow / play / dd truck for YEARS now . no problems.

i have that style posted in your pics and also the D window like m/t challengers.

 

[Minnesota]

i have been running my 2 sets of western wheel on my 1ton plow / play / dd truck for YEARS now . no problems.

I think these things are going to pull through nicely. Just gotta source me some proper lug nuts...

 

[sweetk30]

dorman products lug nut line has them with washers .

if you search my name and turbine rims and or dorman you should find the part #'s

i am sure i have posted pics and #'s before.

 

[Blue85]

Is it just a vintage thing to want the wheels in Magnesium? From what I've read, they crack and pit more easily and can't be repaired. They should be lighter, but is this really a big thing in 8-lug?

Also, why don't these 16's have the safety lip?

 

[wazzabie]

I thought they only came in 16.5

 

[bailey9r]

those are aluminum for sure, they never made cyclones in magnesium.

 

[Minnesota]

Thanks for the responses.

Ya, for sure aluminum...