I have the Proline 40 series with 23mm hexes, I have never had the kind of failure you describe, but then again, the other parts seem to have failed before the wheels have. I've bent stock tie rods (I now use Lungsford titanium tie rods), I've also bent a couple of 96mm Traxxas tie rods, I split the upper a-arm, bent shock arms, popped countless stock shcock caps, but fortunately, I have never trashed my Proline wheels or hexes.