12 replies to this topic

[Randy Thieme]

Hit just behind the passenger door in a contact incident last weekend. Impact also tagged the rear wheel slightly. The wheel has some road-rash right along the edge. At home I fastened a piece of coat hanger to a camera tripod and set the tripod next to the wheel so the tip of the wire would just brush against the wheel. Using that technique the wobble was about 0.045" max. Put an unaffected wheel on the same hub and found no appreciable wobble, which tells me the hub probably survived. Did not feel any unpleasant vibration when I had resumed the race. Is the wheel safe to use?

[Kyle Burkhardt]

Hit just behind the passenger door in a contact incident last weekend. Impact also tagged the rear wheel slightly. The wheel has some road-rash right along the edge. At home I fastened a piece of coat hanger to a camera tripod and set the tripod next to the wheel so the tip of the wire would just brush against the wheel. Using that technique the wobble was about 0.045" max. Put an unaffected wheel on the same hub and found no appreciable wobble, which tells me the hub probably survived. Did not feel any unpleasant vibration when I had resumed the race. Is the wheel safe to use?

When it won't balance with a reasonable amount of weights or hold air, whichever comes first.

[Randy Thieme]

Thanks Kyle. Was informed about someone who straightens wheels. So off to the wheel meister it goes and problem solved.

[Cy Peake]

Is a $100 wheel really worth your life? Just replace the wheel.

[philstireservice]

Is a $100 wheel really worth your life? Just replace the wheel.

Ditto

[Tom Hampton]

Some days I wouldn't pay that much for it. :-P

[Keith Novak]

.05 off 5" from the bolt circle (1%) wouldn't raise huge alarm bells in my eyes. Curb rash itself probably constitutes that much and makes it difficult to measure using a coathook and camera tripod. Many aluminum parts are made by forming (bending) the metal rather than casting. Bending it back could actually cause more harm than good.

[Randy Thieme]

.05 off 5" from the bolt circle (1%) wouldn't raise huge alarm bells in my eyes....Bending it back could actually cause more harm than good.

45 mil was measured near the rim so it's very slight. Measured just short of the outer edge so the road rash was not be a factor. I know what you're saying about bending aluminum - unlike steel it loses strength fast. Will S. has a machine that will determine if the wheel is acceptable. If it does need straightening I'll wait to hear what the wheel straighting expert says about loss of strength. If replaced it will make a nice emergency spare. I almost hit the notorius wheel eating hole in T12 a couple times.

[Jim Boemler]

45 thou is really pretty minimal damage. I've hit the NWEH many times, and came away with one wheel that was 250 thou out -- it was the only bent one I ever tossed. I used several that were 50 thou out, without issue. I saw brand-new wheels that were out 20 thou. I'd say if it's not bothering the car, just use it -- but then I'm a cheap SOB, with a life that's not worth much.

[Keith Novak]

Ahaaa...now I see why Jim sold me those wheels for so cheap.

[Jim Boemler]

"Never buy parts from someone who will race against you."

[dmathias]

I took a bent TD Pro2 to a local rim repair shop once. They quoted $100 to straighten it - I could buy a new one for about another $20.

[HoneyBadger - BrianW]

The reason I run the TRMotorsports wheels at $89 each is so I don't have to make decisions like this. If there is ANY issue with the wheel it gets trashed and I buy another one.