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Wheel rant

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:04 am
by DLC
So I took my new-to-me wheels and tires in to get them put together. Shop down the street is OK and they're a little expensive, but they're reputable. I'm always nervous, but they use sticky weights and don't manhandle things.

I watch them mount two or three of them, then they call me over.

"all of the other ones balanced perfect but this one..."

Spins up the wheel and tire...no more words are needed.

Guy I got 'em from didn't even get tires for them, and I know who he got them from. Pissed? Yeah. One of these wheels is probably $600 from the dealer and $150+ per on the used market.

I've got a guy who should be able to straighten it. They're a shop that's been fixing, welding and generally bringing wheels back to life for years. I trust them, but I wish I didn't have to spend any more money just to use them.

Argh!

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:17 am
by evolutionmovement
That sucks. Are they visibly damaged other than the warp, like from curbing? How much does it cost to straighten? I've always been curious as to how well that worked.

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:30 am
by DLC
They've been around, so there are nicks and dings and maybe a few curb brushes, but overall they're in respectable shape. No obvious signs that they were bent, as the wobble bend is usually in the spokes.

$60-80 is what I was quoted.

I've a friend who had a gold set repaired, but his were a set that he bought from the shop. One of them had actually been cracked and they welded them. Took them twice to get a deep weld, but that's always tricky.

I'm not thrilled about them putting heat and pressure on something that's forged, but they are just street wheels.

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:58 pm
by n2x4
I bent a rim running over a block of wood on the highway. The inside and outside lips bent out and the wheel didn't hold air.

I heard about a shop that had a machine that could fix rims. I figured I'd give them a shot since I had to be "special" and get JDM wheels with no chance of finding a spare to replace my bad rim.

Long story short, they were able to salvage my alum. rim by setting it on a machine that stretched the wheel back to spec. They said it took 2 hours but they had a flat rate of $60 for wheel repairs. Way cheaper than a new rim.

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:25 pm
by Legacy777
Yeah I had mine repaired/refurbished, and have been happy with the results.

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:38 pm
by Arctic Assassian
So these are the silver BBS'. I'm sorry to hear about the flaw man. I hope it buffs out...

-Adam