BAMMM! Got a pothole...now have a question about my bent wheel.
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Puerto Rico
2005 E55 AMG
BAMMM! Got a pothole...now have a question about my bent wheel.
Tonight I got the largest pot hole I've gotten in the history of my life. Large enough to bend the first wheels I've ever bent.
Here are some pics:
So...what should I do? I can feel a very light shake so my options are:
1) Fix it and balance it. But I'm afraid it'll weaken the wheel further.
2) Just balance it. Would be the cheapest obviously, but will it balance?
3) Buy a new wheel. Obviously it's the best choice, but is it worth it ( About $300 or so )?
Aesthetically it's in perfect shape on the outside. It also holds air just fine.
Here are some pics:
So...what should I do? I can feel a very light shake so my options are:
1) Fix it and balance it. But I'm afraid it'll weaken the wheel further.
2) Just balance it. Would be the cheapest obviously, but will it balance?
3) Buy a new wheel. Obviously it's the best choice, but is it worth it ( About $300 or so )?
Aesthetically it's in perfect shape on the outside. It also holds air just fine.
Last edited by GT-ER; Jun 5, 2011 at 12:34 AM.
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From: Houston/ Austin /Toronto / UAE / Minneapolis / Orlando /Cincinnati
Eurocharged Performance ML63 and TT lambo
definitely get it fixed or replace it. Around us, there are companies that will fixz the bend, and recondition the wheel for around $100 usd.
Nothing honestly to screw with, don't leave it as it, at speed dangerous things could happen.
Ebay had a few replacment oem rims for cheap, and you can check the sale forum. I picked up a replacement oem rim for my winters when I bent one of mine.
Nothing honestly to screw with, don't leave it as it, at speed dangerous things could happen.
Ebay had a few replacment oem rims for cheap, and you can check the sale forum. I picked up a replacement oem rim for my winters when I bent one of mine.
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Houston/ Austin /Toronto / UAE / Minneapolis / Orlando /Cincinnati
Eurocharged Performance ML63 and TT lambo
If worried about it replace it.
I still am partial after seeing the vette flip in front of me due to a blown tire at the mile, so I tend to replace from now on.
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From: Southern California
E55 w/ goods, Z32 Project underway
No wheel shop required, that is an easy fix with a lead hammer. Trust me, it will be as good as new with no chips, etc. Even on the lip, done it dozens of times. If it were worse then a wheel shop with a hydraulic arm would be in order, but yours is a simple fix. Must be a lead hammer. Anything else will chip, dent, etc the wheel. Lead hammer will not do any of those things if used properly.
Last edited by pearlpower; Jun 5, 2011 at 11:09 AM.
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From: South Florida
2014 E63, Cobra replica, 68 Camaro, 66 Chevy II SS, Z4 BMW, Honda Element, Birel 125cc Shifter Kart.
You MUST either get it repaired or replaced.
Just went through this with a very slightly bent front wheel. Balanced perfect with no wiggles or vibrations and no pull to either side, but it wore the tire to the cords in one spot due to being slightly out of round. Could not feel a thing in the steering wheel and assumed everything was OK until an SA pointed out the problem.
Cost me $125 to have it brought back to true. Well worth the money.
Just went through this with a very slightly bent front wheel. Balanced perfect with no wiggles or vibrations and no pull to either side, but it wore the tire to the cords in one spot due to being slightly out of round. Could not feel a thing in the steering wheel and assumed everything was OK until an SA pointed out the problem.
Cost me $125 to have it brought back to true. Well worth the money.
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From: Jacksonville, FL
05 White Pano E55, Cadillac CTS-V
I would just get it fixed by a wheel repair place. They will heat up the wheel and then use a tru gauge to find all the areas of where it is out of round and use specialty tools to get it perfectly back in round. It is extremely common. There are tons of videos you can watch on YouTube also to show the different processes to fix the wheel.
I actually have my 19" wheels off my Audi right now since the fronts are both bent from pot holes or hitting something and caused a vibration. I checked in to getting them repaired by a place in my area and it is going to be roughly $150 a piece.
I actually have my 19" wheels off my Audi right now since the fronts are both bent from pot holes or hitting something and caused a vibration. I checked in to getting them repaired by a place in my area and it is going to be roughly $150 a piece.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Puerto Rico
2005 E55 AMG
I talked to a guy that fixes wheels and he said that if he puts in on a wheel balancing machine and it's stright with the exception of the slight bend that I'm good. He also stated that it would be rare because usually true damage will become very apparent once on the machine and he thinks it's out of round. I'm going tomorrow to check. If it's perfectly round with the exception of the small bend then I'll balance it and be done with it.
If it's out of round then I'll just buy a new wheel and keep this one as an extra.
If it's out of round then I'll just buy a new wheel and keep this one as an extra.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Puerto Rico
2005 E55 AMG
I just checked it on the car by spinning it and the entire wheel wobbles up and down, side to side. Looks the the wheel got bent not only where the picture shows, but also in the center hub making it wobble badly in all directions. I've never gotten a pot hole so badly and even my wife screamed when I got it because she thought someone hit us...lol.
Anyways, new wheel it is. I just don't trust fixing this one.
Anyways, new wheel it is. I just don't trust fixing this one.
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ML550
Good choice.
Even a wheel that doesn't look out of round can be slightly bent after hitting enough holes and bumps in the road, and this obviously includeds factory AMG rims as well. The only way to check for wheel roundness is to dismount the tire, put the wheel on a balancer that can measure lateral and radial runout (e.g., Hunter GSP9700), and determine whether or not the runout measurements are within specification. If either measurement is out of spec, you may be able to rebalance the tire on the rim, but you will still have vibration issues.
You won't regret your decision to replace the rim based on the pictures and your description.
Even a wheel that doesn't look out of round can be slightly bent after hitting enough holes and bumps in the road, and this obviously includeds factory AMG rims as well. The only way to check for wheel roundness is to dismount the tire, put the wheel on a balancer that can measure lateral and radial runout (e.g., Hunter GSP9700), and determine whether or not the runout measurements are within specification. If either measurement is out of spec, you may be able to rebalance the tire on the rim, but you will still have vibration issues.
You won't regret your decision to replace the rim based on the pictures and your description.
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From: Alexandria, VA
07 E63 AMG, 10 C63 AMG, 07 E63 Designo, 07 E350, 09 C300, 07 C230
Their should be several wheel repair shop in Puerto Rico, that you could choose from. I would first evaluate repair costs vs replacement cost. As you can pick up a cheap OER (Original Equipment Replacement) sometimes cheaper then the repairs. But of course if your wheel are OEM, I would attempt to repair it first.
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From: Alexandria, VA
07 E63 AMG, 10 C63 AMG, 07 E63 Designo, 07 E350, 09 C300, 07 C230
I think that you ate making the right decisions, because once a wheel is bent. You will never get in back to 100% perfect, I have had to replace my front
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From: Atlanta
2010 C63
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,173
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From: Puerto Rico
2005 E55 AMG
I SHOULD have it by tomorrow. I just can't see a wheel which has so much damage ( I should take a video of it spinning, you guys will laugh ) being fixed and still be strong.
