Bent magnesium wheel?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 966
Likes: 9
From: Phoenix AZ
Bent magnesium wheel?
Last year I was in an accident that cracked the passenger-side wheels. The dealership replaced them at that time. Now they are telling me that the otherside is bent? WTF?
I just took my car in to have the wheels balanced on their Hunter RoadForce balancer. The tech said both of my driver's side magnesium wheels were bent and he could not balance them properly. There is no visible damage on either wheel, but he said he could see that the wheels were not spinning true on the balancer.
It was my understanding that magnesium will not bend, but will crack instead. If the wheel is truly bent, wouldn't you see some stress cracks or something?
In any case, I'm taking my car elsewhere for a second opinion.
I just took my car in to have the wheels balanced on their Hunter RoadForce balancer. The tech said both of my driver's side magnesium wheels were bent and he could not balance them properly. There is no visible damage on either wheel, but he said he could see that the wheels were not spinning true on the balancer.
It was my understanding that magnesium will not bend, but will crack instead. If the wheel is truly bent, wouldn't you see some stress cracks or something?
In any case, I'm taking my car elsewhere for a second opinion.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 966
Likes: 9
From: Phoenix AZ
If my wheels are bent, you'll see them up for sale on CF Parts for sale...then I can get those C6 Z06 hyper silver wheels I've been wanting.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 966
Likes: 9
From: Phoenix AZ
Haha, true, but I wouldn't want to sell them to a fellow Corvette owner without disclosing their condition.
In any case, I took them to another shop who confirmed they were ion fact both slightly bent. You can't see it until it's spinning on the machine, and I don't notice it on the freeway. I'll check with a local repair shop, but depending on the cost, I may just hang on to them for a while until I set aside enough cash for some new ones.
In any case, I took them to another shop who confirmed they were ion fact both slightly bent. You can't see it until it's spinning on the machine, and I don't notice it on the freeway. I'll check with a local repair shop, but depending on the cost, I may just hang on to them for a while until I set aside enough cash for some new ones.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,088
Likes: 1,829
From: Metro Detroit Michigan
Maybe he just doesn't know how, or the equipment he has won't give him enough information to do it.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
If the wheel/rim is bent, it induces bounce into the wheel which cant be compensated with weights. There will be runout in the tire and that will produce some really weird tire wear issues.
The wheel shop will tell you if it can be straightened. I just had four forged CCW 505A rime straightened and polished and that cost me eight bills!
They were bent pretty good!
Take it to a wheel shop and see what they say.
Bill
The wheel shop will tell you if it can be straightened. I just had four forged CCW 505A rime straightened and polished and that cost me eight bills!
They were bent pretty good! Take it to a wheel shop and see what they say.Bill
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,088
Likes: 1,829
From: Metro Detroit Michigan
I was assuming it was a lateral (sideways) runout issue, and a minor one because he didn't notice a problem driving, only when watching the wheel spin on the balancing machine.
I was just questioning the tire guy's comment that it can't be balanced. It can (I believe).
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,233
Likes: 21
From: Baltimore suburbs Maryland
Oh yeah the Mag wheels can bend alright. Don't ask me how I would know.. Only certain shops will straighten them due to the material. You might just want to look into replacing the entire rim.
Only certain shops will straighten them due to the material. You might just want to look into replacing the entire rim.
