I think it's going to be tuff to prove your case also. 
thrown wheel weight causes damage
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
thrown wheel weight causes damage
Hey, folks. have any of you ever had a wheel weight fly off and cause damage to your car? I was driving on the interstate the other day and heard a loud CRACK. I pulled off to the side of the road only to discover a sizable dent on my right front fender caused by an impact underneath. At first I thought it might have been a rock or some other road debris until I realized that my newly installed wheel weight was missing. I even have a picture from earlier in the day that shows the wheel weight in place. Apparently It flew off and hit my fender so hard that it cracked the fiberglass and created a 1/4 inch dent to protrude from what was a beautifully contoured fender. Any advice on getting Firestone to take responsibility for this since they installed it less that a month ago? Is this a common issue? thanks!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
there are about 8 different styles of wheel weights and if the wrong style was used it will not stay tight on the wheel. You may want to check the rest of your wheels and try to determine if they may have used the wrong style weights. If they did you will have more ammo to argue with.
Either way I would go back and see if you can get them to use their insurance to repair the damage.
Either way I would go back and see if you can get them to use their insurance to repair the damage.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,948
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From: NYC NY
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Northern CO
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Racer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 329
Likes: 55
From: Winfield West Virginia
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
Another good reason NOT to use wheel weights! I always use Dyna-Beads inside the tire. No ugly weights on the rim, dynamically balances each time the wheel rolls and no problem with lost weights. I just finished restoring my rally wheels and put 4 ounces of Dyna-Beads in each of the new Goodyear Speedway bias plys per the specs for F70-15 tires.
Jim
Jim
Racer
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 417
Likes: 11
From: Brigham City Utah
I was at a friends shop the other day and one of the company trucks had a wheel weight impelled about 1 inch deep in the radiator. Past right through the grill without hitting it and straight into the radiator.
Scary to think if it would have hit the windshield and what would have happened at freeway speed.
Karsten
Scary to think if it would have hit the windshield and what would have happened at freeway speed.
Karsten
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
thanks
Thanks, guys. I did take it back and spoke to the manager (who was very kind and understanding). You're right, even though all signs point to the wheel weight, there wasn't enough substantial evidence to prove that it was indeed the culprit. They did, however, replace all of the remaining wheel weights with the stick-on style which are installed on the inside portion of the wheel. thanks again for your thoughts.