Airflite40

I bought a set of wheels to use for my winter wheels.

Today I was going to take them to the tire shop to get the snows mounted and I found that one of the wheels is pretty badly bent in the inside lip.

Do you guys think I can run this wheel without issue, its a replica Cup wheel.

ritzblitz

I'd get it fixed.

V2Rocket

prolly get it fixed, depending where u send the wheel the shops are generally quick with turnaround too. i had all four of my bbs wheels repaired, straightened, stripped, painted and machined and clearcoated and got them back in about 5 days. granted the shop is about an hours drive from me but im sure there are plenty such shops in the chicago area.

Van

I'd leave it... those replica wheels are pretty poorly made. If you get it fixed, there will be more bends in it by spring time - so your money would have been wasted.

Airflite40

I don't really care if its bent or not, as these are for winter only and they are curbed badly and painted even worse, I just don't want to take them to the tire shop and they won't be able to balance it out.

Funn944

It's probably ok, won't change your balance. Just be sure the tire bead seals in that spot.

mavfan

have them throw a bunch of bead sealer in on that spot, should take care of it. it really isn't bent THAT bad

Stephencs601

Wheelcollision.com They can fix it. They are in NJ Look them up on the webb

FRporscheman

My boss fixes bends like that with a brass hammer... At first I thought he was insane and he'd crack people's wheels, but I've seen him do a few already and it comes out well. Still, I wish he'd at least preheat them first but w/e. It might be fine to just run it like that, I don't know.

khooper

The bearing will get real hot and noisy then it will freeze and the wheel will stop turning if its bent right?
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Relaxed90

Over half of cars on the road have a bend in their wheels or are not even 90% round.

You may cause pre-mature wear on the bearings, maybe knock a couple of thousand miles off of them and possibly have to change them at 90,000miles rather than 100,000 (wooptee), but it isn't going to seize the bearing. The bearing will sieze if it isn't lubricated properly.


What I would do is watch them balance the wheel. If it's just a bent lip, then you've got no worries there, but if it's bent on the hub, then you've got some problems and should get it fixed. Depends how much it wobbles, .

A bend like that can be easily fixed with a hammer. You don't want to heat the wheel because you'll change its properties that way and whatever ductility, hardness, strength, etc. it had before will be altered, more likely make it softer and more likely to bend again. I'm not really sure how wheels are made whether they're tempered or what, but I'd rather work harden the wheel with the hammer instead of heat it.

DDP

Run what you brung. I wouldn't worry about it.

FRporscheman

Relaxed90, good to know, thanks!

ilikepinkcrayons

+1.

I couldn't tell you whether or not it is safe to leave alone, but I can tell you how to fix it. Definately don't heat it, it could loose all its heat treat, especially if aluminum, and will be a huge safety hazard. The bend doesn't look too bad, so you can probably knock it back with a brass/hard plastic mallet, or a block of wood if you don't want to buy one. Be very careful not too push it too far, because then you will have to bend again back, and yielding too much will make it brittle/weak/short cycle fatigue, again, especially for aluminum.