when the company was sold, the original formula for the urethane wasnt. so they cant make them like they used to. plus, the wheels are made in china now... which means shittier wheels, but alot more of them.
they're not defective anymore, they just suck now.
there was like one massive batch where the urethane didnt melt right, and the wheels were like hollow with shreds of not melted urethane in them. those were the defective ones. they're all gone.