Straightening an Aluminum wheel

On the way to school this morning, I got into an understeer situation in the snow. Fortunately I was only doing about 20mph, but nonetheless it resulted in a pretty righteous curb shot. I'm pretty sure my alignment is hosed, but I know that's (probably) going to be an easy/inexpensive fix. Of course the wheel took a hit too. They are aluminum American Racing AR23s. The lip has a nice bend to it, but I can't tell if the inner landing (where the bead of the tire goes) is bent or not. It's still holding air, so far.

Can tire shops straighten bent wheels? What does it cost, typically? I could buy another wheel out of the summit catalog for just over $100, but if I can salvage what's on it for less, maybe that's a better choice.

Thanks for any suggestions. This ruined my day.

-J

Reply to
phaeton
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Buy a new one. 150-200 to repair the current one.

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Reply to
Steve W.

I have had aluminum wheels repaired, but your average tire shop won't do it, and it'll still cost you about $100-ish a wheel (at least around here.) Only one place in my area that will even attempt it (likely for good reason - you better know what you're doing so the aluminum doesn't fracture at high speed, the liability on such a repair has to be fairly substantial.) I once had some BBSes given to me for free because two were bent, so in my case it made financial sense to have those two repaired. In your case I would say that it is not - you might as well order a new one if the pattern/size you have is still available.

nate

Reply to
N8N

phaeton wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@r31g2000vbs.googlegroups.com:

Buy snow tires. 70% of winter accidents are due to cars not using snow tires. Radials are only good to about 7 above zero celcius (40ish F).

Reply to
fred

fred wrote in news:Xns9CDB89126B583fred@127.0.0.1:

@r31g2000vbs.googlegroups.com:

and 90 percent of all staticits are made up on the spot. besides where do you find non radial snow tires these days??? KB

Reply to
Kevin

Kevin wrote in news:Xns9CDD90D81B420kevyNOSPAMnetinsnet@167.142.225.136:

Where there's snow and the temperature goes below zero perhaps? That number comes directly from the companies that do the towing. Accident was perhaps the wrong word - called for a tow truck would be completely accurate.

Reply to
fred

fred wrote in news:Xns9CDDA6FA613Ffred@127.0.0.1:

127.0.0.1:

completely

now that sounds more likely KB

Reply to
Kevin

Kevin wrote in news:Xns9CDDA086ED25EkevyNOSPAMnetinsnet@167.142.225.136:

And a virtually trivial difference. Now where's your proof that you can't get snowtires where *you* are?

Reply to
fred

How old are these statistics? Did these people call for a tow truck on their CB radio?

Reply to
Steve Austin

nsnet@167.142.225.136:

Got mine from the Tire Rack... of course they are radials...

Also got a set of all terrain tires for my pickemup truck from the same source... also radials...

nate

Reply to
N8N

Check the auto junkyards, cash for clunkers wheels. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

Steve Austin wrote in news:4b223f17$0$26141$ snipped-for-privacy@news.westelcom.com:

No, heard it this week on the CBC news as a matter of fact.

Reply to
fred

N8N wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@v25g2000yqk.googlegroups.com:

Then they're all season radials, *not* snowtires. They're only good for rain in cool weather at best.

Reply to
fred

fred wrote in news:Xns9CDE73A20E7D4fred@127.0.0.1:

Tire Rack sells winter tires. All are radials.

Reply to
Tegger

snipped-for-privacy@v25g2000yqk.googlegroups.com:

Nope. Dunlop Winter Sport 195/65R15. Apparently sadly now discontinued in that size.

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ort+M3&mrktarea=Winter They work great, BTW, although I do not live in a heavy snow area so I can't comment on deep loose snow traction. They work fine on slush and packed snow.

nate

Reply to
N8N

Tegger wrote in news:Xns9CDE822D53043tegger@208.90.168.18:

Ok. Fair enough - as I found after looking at their FAQ. Specifically the first two questions. There *is* some ambiguity between the terms winter tires, all season radials and winter radials.

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Reply to
fred

I wouldn't doubt you can buy winter tires in Miami. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

I'm not sure how you'd really quantify that, but they do make quite a difference. (So does having good remaining tread depth.)

Umm. There *is* a common recommendation that in snow country, at a time in the fall when you start seeing temperatures in the low single figures C, you should change to your winter tires, but the reasoning is that you don't want to get pantsed by the season's first big storm. (You don't want to change too early, or keep them on after the risk has passed in the spring, because those tread compounds wear very fast on warm dry roads.) I don't think that's meant as a statement that a decent all-season radial is no longer doing a good job at ambient temperatures of 7 /40 F.

A Tire Rack article in their "winter" series even states that (other factors being more or less apples-to-apples) the early radials were quickly noted for their superiority in winter. Anyway, the point is, if not truly moot, at least close to it in the US and probably other industrialized nations. Bias and bias belted tires are still made

-- users include heavy trucks/buses, severe off-roading, certain kinds of racing, and correct-looking restoration of antique cars -- but radials have made great inroads in most of those areas and only the last one is really ironclad.

As for the original question, I'd do a web search and ask some of the places that specialize in repairing bent or broken alloy rims. It can be done (depending on the nature and severity of the damage) but it isn't a job for just anyone. You need a place that has skill and can look for hidden damage and true it up right.

--Joe

Reply to
Ad absurdum per aspera

I can recommend one (Ye Olde Wheel Shop in Elkridge) but as I posted long ago, if the wheel is still available new for less than $150 or so it'd probably be best to just buy a whole new wheel. Only reason to repair an alloy wheel is if it's a discontinued or very expensive wheel. You won't save any money by repairing an alloy wheel that is still available for a reasonable price, and you can't repair a wheel *better* than new.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

fred wrote in news:Xns9CDE8FE2CF16fred@127.0.0.1:

You do know what "radial" means and refers to, yes?

Reply to
Tegger

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