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Bent Wheel

It was a dark and stormy night. I hit a pothole, HARD, but everything seemed OK. About a mile later there were strange sounds from the rear. Left rear tire flat. Put on the spare.

When I got home, I looked at the flat tire. Sure enough, the wheel is bent, just a bit, on the inside edge. Photos at

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2003 Golf GLS, alloy wheels.

Can this wheels be straightened? If so, is a dealer likely to be the best choice, or a local generalist who did a nice job on a steel wheel a few years ago?

Thanks, Chris Beall

Reply to
Chris Beall
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It is very unlikely the dealer works on the wheels, they will send them off to someone else. So save a few $$$ and deal direct. Check with the local body or frame shops for a recommendation.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

BTW That is why I don't like those fancy wheels.

I might add that many people have reported poor luck with having them worked on, but some has reported success.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

I don't think you even need to fix it... I have 2 on my Cabriolet that are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay worse than that and I've been driving on them for 3 years! Get a tire on there and if it holds air and balances, you're all set! I wouldn't even worry about it.

TOE

Reply to
TOE

Where are you? There's a shop just up the street from my office that is doing a pair of '80s vintage BBS rims for me right now, if they work out I'll be happy to pass along a recommendation. This shop is in Elkridge, MD.

That said, I have a bigger ding than that on the inside of one of my

15" Borbet C's and was driving on them up until I got a flat on a different tire. Switched to 14" only because 195/50s were just too little sidewall for the roads around here. I imagine you'll be fine so long as the wheel isn't cracked.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Alloy wheels can sometimes be straightened. I'd take it to the wheel shop that fixed the last one and ask him. He might have a recommendation for someone to go to if he can't do it.

Is that line @ about 4 o'clock a crack, or just dirt? What concerns me more than anything is the tire slowly loosing air. That would mean a cracked wheel. (you didn't mention any tire damage) Maybe even that can be fixed, but I'd think long and hard before doing it.

Mark '95 Jetta GLS

Reply to
Mark Randol

Reply to
Darryl

Took the wheel to my reliable local tire & alignment shop. They admitted having mixed results with alloy wheels (sometimes they crack), but they did a nice job. You can still see a slight, um, anomaly, but it is much improved and, they say, holds air.

The tire was DOA, but they had an identical match, so I'll swap wheels tomorrow and road test it.

I reported the pothole to my state DOT (it was a state highway) and they are sending small claims forms, so I may recover all or part of the cost.

Thanks for all the responses.

Chris Beall

Reply to
Chris Beall

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