Dinged wheels?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 253
Likes: 31
Dinged wheels?
I've read through quite a number of threads pertaining to cracked wheels, but they don't seem to pertain to what I'm experiencing so apologies for another wheel problem thread. I've got a 2019 on stock spectra grey wheels, OEM Super Sports. About 8k miles. No earlier problems. Ever since I drove straight over a harsh bridge joint at highway speed, I've been getting a good bit of vibration starting at low speed and continuing similarly to highway speeds. Not experiencing any air loss. The wheels look round, with no sign of being bent, a crack or damage that I can tell - but there is definitely something going on.
I'm going to put the car up in the air soon. Does anyone have a suggested approach to evaluating them (or other components) myself so that I know where to take them? I ask this because I suppose I could have knocked off some wheel weight (so I'd just take them to my tire shop), and also I'd rather not pay for a specialty shop to assess them if it just turns out that I need to buy a new one(s). Lastly, this car see's some track duty on different wheels and I guess I'm worried that something else could be up.
Thoughts appreciated.
I'm going to put the car up in the air soon. Does anyone have a suggested approach to evaluating them (or other components) myself so that I know where to take them? I ask this because I suppose I could have knocked off some wheel weight (so I'd just take them to my tire shop), and also I'd rather not pay for a specialty shop to assess them if it just turns out that I need to buy a new one(s). Lastly, this car see's some track duty on different wheels and I guess I'm worried that something else could be up.
Thoughts appreciated.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 309
From: Murrells Inlet, SC (formally New Windsor, NY)
More than likely, You have a bent wheel(s). These wheels don't like bridge joints or other abrupt road imperfections. You won't see the bend until you have the wheel up of the ground and you watch it spin. Even then, you may not see the bend. Road force balance will reveal if the wheel is bent, and how bad the bend is. I'm hopeful for you that it's not a bent wheel but more than likely it will be.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 650
More than likely, You have a bent wheel(s). These wheels don't like bridge joints or other abrupt road imperfections. You won't see the bend until you have the wheel up of the ground and you watch it spin. Even then, you may not see the bend. Road force balance will reveal if the wheel is bent, and how bad the bend is. I'm hopeful for you that it's not a bent wheel but more than likely it will be.
You've got a bent wheel and it's slightly out of round. The more you drive it, the added stress on that high point will eventually lead to a crack and then when it works its way into the air chamber of the wheel barrel, it will start the slow leak.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 253
Likes: 31
Thank you for all of the good comments and suggestions. Found a couple of local wheel repair shops that are well rated and charge about $150/wheel to supposedly fix them up good as new. Way better than buying new ones!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 650
Unfortunately, it probably won't last. All they can do is hopefully return it to the original shape but it will just bend again. Also, if you're going to give this a try make absolutely sure that whoever dismounts and re-mounts the tire has a touch-less machine, otherwise they will likely butcher your wheel. I had my ZO6 OEM wheels straightened by Discount Tire who does have the right machine but they took the wheels off the car and sent them to the "repair" shop with the tires on them. The repair shop promptly gouged and wrecked the wheel rim edges. DT made good on it with a $500 refund and gave me a new set of Continentals, mounted on my new Signature forged wheels, with a full extended warranty completely free of charge. It ended up as a great deal but the hassle was way too much.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 320
Likes: 66
If it’s bent, my experience is not to have it repaired, time for replacement. Metal once bent is weaker at that location. If you just had curb rash then it definitely can be repaired.
If you live in an area with a lot of huge pot holes etc. I recommend the tire & wheel insurance. It’s paid for itself 5xs over on mine. Nail new tire, bent new rim, curb rash they will have it repaired.
If you live in an area with a lot of huge pot holes etc. I recommend the tire & wheel insurance. It’s paid for itself 5xs over on mine. Nail new tire, bent new rim, curb rash they will have it repaired.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 2,247
Likes: 181
I've read through quite a number of threads pertaining to cracked wheels, but they don't seem to pertain to what I'm experiencing so apologies for another wheel problem thread. I've got a 2019 on stock spectra grey wheels, OEM Super Sports. About 8k miles. No earlier problems. Ever since I drove straight over a harsh bridge joint at highway speed, I've been getting a good bit of vibration starting at low speed and continuing similarly to highway speeds. Not experiencing any air loss. The wheels look round, with no sign of being bent, a crack or damage that I can tell - but there is definitely something going on.
I'm going to put the car up in the air soon. Does anyone have a suggested approach to evaluating them (or other components) myself so that I know where to take them? I ask this because I suppose I could have knocked off some wheel weight (so I'd just take them to my tire shop), and also I'd rather not pay for a specialty shop to assess them if it just turns out that I need to buy a new one(s). Lastly, this car see's some track duty on different wheels and I guess I'm worried that something else could be up.
Thoughts appreciated.
I'm going to put the car up in the air soon. Does anyone have a suggested approach to evaluating them (or other components) myself so that I know where to take them? I ask this because I suppose I could have knocked off some wheel weight (so I'd just take them to my tire shop), and also I'd rather not pay for a specialty shop to assess them if it just turns out that I need to buy a new one(s). Lastly, this car see's some track duty on different wheels and I guess I'm worried that something else could be up.
Thoughts appreciated.
Last edited by SpeedyVette; Sep 18, 2019 at 02:55 AM.
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