To Straighten a Wheel?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,200
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2004 CLK320
To Straighten a Wheel?
I feel vibrations on my steering wheel when I am going 110-120 KMH. The tires are supposed to be balanced properly. I suspect the wheels are bent, not surprising because of the potholes.
I am going to a tire store next week to check if the one or both the front wheels are bent. If so, they will send it out for repair.
The cost is about $100 per wheel. Does anyone know how do they straighten a wheel?
I am going to a tire store next week to check if the one or both the front wheels are bent. If so, they will send it out for repair.
The cost is about $100 per wheel. Does anyone know how do they straighten a wheel?
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Damage to wheels
Wheel straightening is done by heating the wheel up in a spinner. The entire wheels needs to be repainted etc.. Mercedes stock wheel colors are not available to anyone nor can you buy the paint, which means no one can match the paint 100%. $100 sounds pretty cheap.... May be there is some new technique out there that doesn't require heating?
Do this test. Find a flat surface and go really slow, walking speed... Get your hands off the steering wheel and observe any steering wheel motion to left of right. If you see any movement that repeats itself approximately in same distance every time you most likely have tire wall damage. My car has 19" 35 series on front and I have this problem.
Here is another problem that happens quite often. Tires slip on the wheels. When you get your tires balanced, take a paint marker and mark the tire / wheel location on the in side. Sometimes when you get brand new tires mounted they use excessive amount of lubricant to get the tires on. When you brake hard tires can slip on the wheels causing them to be off balance. Take it easy for several days and let the lube completely dry out.
Hope that helps,
Juha
Do this test. Find a flat surface and go really slow, walking speed... Get your hands off the steering wheel and observe any steering wheel motion to left of right. If you see any movement that repeats itself approximately in same distance every time you most likely have tire wall damage. My car has 19" 35 series on front and I have this problem.
Here is another problem that happens quite often. Tires slip on the wheels. When you get your tires balanced, take a paint marker and mark the tire / wheel location on the in side. Sometimes when you get brand new tires mounted they use excessive amount of lubricant to get the tires on. When you brake hard tires can slip on the wheels causing them to be off balance. Take it easy for several days and let the lube completely dry out.
Hope that helps,
Juha
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 452
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2006 CLK350
mercedes paint is available, or at least it was until it was re-called because of aerosol can issues. The brand is WURTH. google it, and you'll find some sellers. YOu can repair your own curb rashes, but you cant fix a bent rim.....
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 223
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From: Orlando, Florida, USA
09CLK550Cab 61k miles
http://www.rimpro.com
Wheel straightening works great. I've had 3 wheels done there. The wheels come out incredibly true, and there are no noticeable marks on the wheels, so you can't tell where they worked on the wheels.
There is no heating, or if there is, it's at least not enough to destroy the existing paint. They won't repaint it unless you pay them too, but I did have them refinish one of them, and while the wheel looked fantastic, it was shinier than the other 3, and did not match.
This place, and others like it, do wheel straightening all day long. It is no big deal.
Wheel straightening works great. I've had 3 wheels done there. The wheels come out incredibly true, and there are no noticeable marks on the wheels, so you can't tell where they worked on the wheels.
There is no heating, or if there is, it's at least not enough to destroy the existing paint. They won't repaint it unless you pay them too, but I did have them refinish one of them, and while the wheel looked fantastic, it was shinier than the other 3, and did not match.
This place, and others like it, do wheel straightening all day long. It is no big deal.
Last edited by trikoid; May 5, 2008 at 10:56 PM.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
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2004 CLK320
The $100 per wheel probably does not include repainting. Repainting alone will cost another $100.
I checked www.rimpro.com and it said it was a proprietary process, so, no detail there. If they heat it up, it may damage the finish. If they hammer it, it will definitely noticeable. If you said it is not noticeable, how do they do it?
I checked www.rimpro.com and it said it was a proprietary process, so, no detail there. If they heat it up, it may damage the finish. If they hammer it, it will definitely noticeable. If you said it is not noticeable, how do they do it?
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 223
Likes: 3
From: Orlando, Florida, USA
09CLK550Cab 61k miles
http://rimandwheelworks.com/straighten.html
These guys give lots of detail on their process. It uses mild heating to solften the metal, but that's it.
I'm not an expert on the process...
These guys give lots of detail on their process. It uses mild heating to solften the metal, but that's it.
I'm not an expert on the process...
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Joined: Apr 2007
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From: BOSTON.."d Drinking Town Wit a Baseball Problem......"
'04 C230K,'08 C300, 08 yamaha R1
did mine at the above same shop in waltham...quick n decent pricing too..i dint hv to repaint it....not sure..why..???
neways they did a nice job...!!!
neways they did a nice job...!!!
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From: Jacksonville Florida
209/W210 Estate /W211 modded by MBENZNL
I feel vibrations on my steering wheel when I am going 110-120 KMH. The tires are supposed to be balanced properly. I suspect the wheels are bent, not surprising because of the potholes.
I am going to a tire store next week to check if the one or both the front wheels are bent. If so, they will send it out for repair.
The cost is about $100 per wheel. Does anyone know how do they straighten a wheel?
I am going to a tire store next week to check if the one or both the front wheels are bent. If so, they will send it out for repair.
The cost is about $100 per wheel. Does anyone know how do they straighten a wheel?
as it will show up when they spin it on the machine
Several other items to look at..out of round tire..worn suspension/shocks
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 223
Likes: 3
From: Orlando, Florida, USA
09CLK550Cab 61k miles
Being a casting does not mean it is is brittle. If all alloy wheels were brittle they would be shattering all over the place.
There are compositions that are not typically brittle (pure aluminum plus vanadium I believe), and processes such as annealing you can do to cast metals like aluminum not brittle.
There are compositions that are not typically brittle (pure aluminum plus vanadium I believe), and processes such as annealing you can do to cast metals like aluminum not brittle.
