Wheel machining/warranty question.

[mckeddie]

So my excursions wheel apparently have decided they don't like the idea of being a complete wheel. They are developing cracks in the spokes. Wheels are a few years old, but only have maybe 3000-4000 miles on them. I talked to the manufacturer and they said that there is a lifetime structural warranty on the wheels. I only have pics of the worst wheel, but found 2 more wheels with the same cracks starting on them in the same identical place. Problem is, is that the wheel is discontinued, so not sure how they are going to warranty them.

Does this look like a design or machining problem to anyone else? I'm thinking with the hole milled there, that there just isn't enough material there, or that the edge from machining the hole is a stressed.

Front of wheel






Back of wheel



Basically I just need a second oponion that this isn't my fault. If you look at the rear view, you can see on the spoke above the broken one, that it is starting to crack in the same place, that combined with the fact that 2 more wheels are doing the same thing tells me it's a design or manufacturing problem.