3dm Avila 75mm/73a wheels / clear red

Seismic / 3dm Skateboard Wheels

Moderator: Daniel Gesmer

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Scotty Day
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:47 am

3dm Avila 75mm/73a wheels / clear red

Post by Scotty Day » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:01 am

Daniel-

at $27.50 a pair, i'm kinda disappointed in the durability (or lack thereof) of these wheels.

my setup:

Rayne Pug 42"
Randal 180 RIIs
Rockin Ron's bearings (not the ceramics, the other ones)

i can count on one hand how many times i've skated with the Avilas (bombed Tunnel Rd. in the Oakland Hills once, Alpine Valley Rd. in Portola Valley once, and Kobbe Ave. in the Presidio [SF] once before this weekend) and was real pleased with them until i noticed a huge chunk/tear on one of them (probably about 2 inches long and a 1/2 inch deep right at the inside edge, it's basically hanging by a thread and one sesh away from chunking off completely).

i expect normal wear and tear after a few sessions and i'm not on here to slam anyone or any company but this is kinda weak, being that i didn't skate on any jagged terrain.. a bad batch perhaps?

anyone else rock these wheels and experience similar results?

i don't expect a free replacement as the wheels have been used a few times.
but any suggestions as far as replacements/alternates go? Is there a type of glue that can be used to salvage it?

unless my local skate shop (Purple Skunk) sells them individually, i'm going to be out another $27.50 for a pair, but at this point i'm reluctant to re-up on these particular wheels.

was hoping Daniel or one of you longboard afficionados could please tell me the score...

thanks so much...

-sd

Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:48 am

Soft Avila

Post by Eric Brammer » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:07 pm

Scotty, did you 'bevel trim' the outer lip (like the difference between an Avalon Vs. Hotspot)? That simple modification keeps lip-overflex (esp. w/ Softer Durometers) from occurring. I use a bench grinder with the wheel still on a truck axle, and just lightly work the wheel lip against the side of the grindwheel. I've also done this by chucking the wheel into a powerdrill, and using a flat bastard file, Not as pretty, but the lip shape is a squared (or rounded if you want) off nicely and won't deform as greatly under high-pressure turns.
I'm not going to comment on wheel replacement from the vendor(but, hey, contact them..), and of course, can't say whether you can trim yours to still be useful to you. But, the 3-DM/Turner shaped wheels were directly inspired by such old-school wheels as Kryptonic's CR Slalom wheels, OJ's, Tunnel, etc. Few of those ever got poured in durometers softer than 80A (or harder than 92A), boards from the 70's (Ick + Turner exceptions here) didn't contain much Power, axles that were true 8mm were extremely rare, often that way from not being U.S. made. So, you're looking at the result of what JG calls 'the sharpei effect', something that wheel companies are now figuring out just how to fine-tune their shapes to avoid. Also, there's this from my personal experiences with big/soft wheels; they'll actually Absorb bits of bottle glass, sharp pebbles, beer-can tabs, which work into the wheel, then when you turn aggressively, can split the wheel open from Inside. Not a fun thing to have occur at 40 mph! Consider yourself to be fortunate that you Checked your wheels. ;-)
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

Daniel Gesmer
Seismic Skate Sys.
Seismic Skate Sys.
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Post by Daniel Gesmer » Tue Jun 12, 2007 5:05 pm

What's your bodyweight, and what is the duro of the wheel that tore?

Seismic and 3dm wheels are poured by the world's leading producer of grip-oriented urethane, using the world's finest goop. Given the quality of our urethane, chunking is usually caused by sharp surface protrusions tearing into the wheel.

Hard wheels, and wheels with rounded edges, don't catch very easily on sharp surface protrusions. But soft wheels with relatively sharp-edged lips, such as the Avilas and others in the Seismic/3dm line, are more vulnerable to suffering tears when rolling over rough surfaces - especially in aggressive, high-speed situations. It's (usually) not a product defect, just a fact of life.

A sharp surface protrusion doesn't need to be very tall to do damage, either, and the skater doesn't need to be doing a slide. So even relatively new and smooth roads can do damage to a soft wheel with a sharp lip.

Eric also made an excellent point about big soft wheels absorbing glass, pebbles etc which can then split the wheel open from inside.
Last edited by Daniel Gesmer on Tue Jun 12, 2007 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dan Gesmer
Head of Seismic Skate Systems
Email : dan@seismicskate.com
Tel : +1 720-937-8948

Scotty Day
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:47 am

Post by Scotty Day » Tue Jun 12, 2007 5:09 pm

thanks for the heads up... i didn't trim the outer lip; the tear actually occurred on the inner side of the wheel... it's a tear about the size of my bottom lip.. and i can't take credit for checking the wheel, a friend had spotted it.

i actually really like the feel of these wheels but may need to go up in duro if earlier-than-usual chunking is occurring.

Scotty Day
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:47 am

Post by Scotty Day » Tue Jun 12, 2007 5:12 pm

thanks for checking in, Daniel, i was just replying to the first response before you posted.

my body weight is 185 lbs.; duro on these Avilas are 74 unless i'm mistaken.
i think the fastest i'd gone on them is around 35mph, possibly closer to 40 on the steeper grade leading into the Tunnel Rd. runout [Oakland Hills].


Daniel Gesmer wrote:Seismic and 3dm wheels are poured by the world's leading producer of grip-oriented urethane, using the world's finest goop. Given the quality of our urethane, chunking is usually caused by sharp surface protrusions tearing into the wheel.

Hard wheels, and wheels with rounded edges, don't catch very easily on sharp surface protrusions. But soft wheels with relatively sharp-edged lips, such as the Avilas and others in the Seismic/3dm line, are more vulnerable to suffering tears when rolling over rough surfaces - especially in aggressive, high-speed situations. It's (usually) not a product defect, just a fact of life.

A sharp surface protrusion doesn't need to be very tall to do damage, either, and the skater doesn't need to be doing a slide. So even relatively new and smooth roads can do damage to a soft wheel with a sharp lip.

What's your bodyweight, and what is the duro of the wheel that tore?

Daniel Gesmer
Seismic Skate Sys.
Seismic Skate Sys.
Posts: 227
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Seismic Skate Systems, Inc.
Contact:

Post by Daniel Gesmer » Tue Jun 12, 2007 5:15 pm

Scotty, at your bodyweight and at those speeds, I think you'd be better off on the white 77A or bright blue 81A Avilas... if not the white or blue 77mm Speed Vents.
Dan Gesmer
Head of Seismic Skate Systems
Email : dan@seismicskate.com
Tel : +1 720-937-8948

Scotty Day
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:47 am

Post by Scotty Day » Tue Jun 12, 2007 5:17 pm

right on... thanks Daniel.

Justin Readings
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:36 am

Post by Justin Readings » Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:13 pm

I found my green speedvents work great! they haven't sucked up and glass or split riding on rough roads and sliding them. I also just got avilas and trimmed them today.

But when i bought mine they came with a huge split, i figured it could be cut away fine but after about 3mm gone theres still about a 5mm gash before these wheels have ever been mounted! these are the 80a green avilas. anything you can do?

Scotty Day
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:47 am

Post by Scotty Day » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:24 am

footage from Tunnel Rd. using the clear reds / no sliding but some fun carving...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyc7y4P_53o

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