LCR Wheel - Rim Bent!

rllmuk

Active Member
Apr 23, 2005
1,241
6
Was out cleaning my car this morning and spotted to my horror that my front near side wheel was sodding bent:

wheel.jpg


I think I know when it happened, went down a huge pothole on a very narow road thanks to an equally huge lorry. Didn't think anything of it at the time aside from the large bang - however it appears it has caused me some serious damage.

Can that be reparied? It is even safe to drive on, or should I put the spare on?

Really pissed off now :(
 

speedsix

Leon Cupra R 225
Oct 30, 2004
825
0
Is it losing pressure?

I can imagine you could claim from the council for that, do you remeber exactly where the pothole was?
 

rllmuk

Active Member
Apr 23, 2005
1,241
6
It's not losing pressure, no. It happened on wednesday and I only noticed it today - driving has been unaffected but to be honest I'll be scared to drive it hard in case of a blowout or something - surely the tyre must be knackered after having that much force through it?

I know exactly where it happened, there are tons of holes on the road in question but it is a country B road...
 

rllmuk

Active Member
Apr 23, 2005
1,241
6
It gets better - I don't have the wheel wrench required to take the wheel off and replace with the spare. I only have one that appears to be for much smaller wheel nuts - useless!

Anyone have any ideas on where I can get one as I should have one tbh. Actually, surely I can go back to the dealer tomorrow (bought the car 6 weeks ago) and demand one?
 

Feel

Veedubya 'velle
Jun 12, 2003
4,918
2
Midlands
No need to go in "demanding" stuff - just ask them.

I would say the alloy is fubar, I would drive on it, but only to get it sorted. I'd also get someone to check tracking etc AND suspension isn't bent after that.
 

Feel

Veedubya 'velle
Jun 12, 2003
4,918
2
Midlands
Sickening when you find stuff like that... esp. if you've only had it 6weeks :(

LCRs REALLY do bang over bumps and potholes - still scares me to death...
 

V5Ade

I love my LCR!
Aug 26, 2004
110
0
Guildford
rlmuk said:
It gets better - I don't have the wheel wrench required to take the wheel off and replace with the spare. I only have one that appears to be for much smaller wheel nuts - useless!

Anyone have any ideas on where I can get one as I should have one tbh. Actually, surely I can go back to the dealer tomorrow (bought the car 6 weeks ago) and demand one?
I feel for you mate :(

On an aside, did you take the plastic wheel nut covers off before you tried the wheel brace? If not, that's why it won't fit.
 

NeilC

Has left the fold...
Mar 23, 2004
336
0
somewhere else
rlmuk said:
It gets better - I don't have the wheel wrench required to take the wheel off and replace with the spare. I only have one that appears to be for much smaller wheel nuts - useless!

Anyone have any ideas on where I can get one as I should have one tbh. Actually, surely I can go back to the dealer tomorrow (bought the car 6 weeks ago) and demand one?

Not meaning to sound demeaning but you have taken the plastic bit's off the nuts using the black u-shaped bit? It's just that i cant believe the other models have different sized nuts.
If not just go to the dealer and ask for one (and get em to swap your wheels over at the same time). You'd have thought it'd be on the pdi sheet.
 

rllmuk

Active Member
Apr 23, 2005
1,241
6
NeilC said:
Not meaning to sound demeaning but you have taken the plastic bit's off the nuts using the black u-shaped bit? It's just that i cant believe the other models have different sized nuts.
If not just go to the dealer and ask for one (and get em to swap your wheels over at the same time). You'd have thought it'd be on the pdi sheet.

I may have been retarded here actually - however I plead the reason for it the absence of the 'black u-shaped bit' in my kit. I'll try to lever it off...

EDIT: Found the black tool - can't get the nuts off though - I'll take it to the dealer in the week. Thank you all for your help!
 
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rllmuk

Active Member
Apr 23, 2005
1,241
6
Update: Wheel was shafted, if had a great big crack up the nearest spoke.

Got it changed for the spare with the same tyre on but now the car seems to have a bit of a vibrating/knocking coming from the very wheel area that went in the pothole.

Also, the car also pulls to the left when moving off and at any speed - although it did this before the pothole. I had the tracking sorted when the wheel was changed, it was out by a fair bit but still hasn't fixed it.

I don't really know what to check myself so should I just get the suspension etc. checked over?
 

Reg

Professional Detailer
Oct 10, 2005
962
0
Berkshire
Definitely best to get it checked out. Even if its just the tracking out, you don't want to end up wrecking tyres at a furious rate. Worst case could be a bent suspension component.

Regarding the vibration, does it change frequency with the speed of the car? Or just happen at a certain speed? If its more of a knocking I guess there might be a chance of CV joint damage (or even drive shaft, but I very much doubt that). If its just a vibration, might be worth getting that wheel balanced again. Its the quickest cheapest thing to start with.
 

rllmuk

Active Member
Apr 23, 2005
1,241
6
I'm not sure there is a vibration there really, no-one else can notice it so I may just be paranoid in light of the alloy damage...

The pulling to the left is constant, but worsens depending on the camber of the road, obviously. I tested it driving on the other side of the road and it went dead straight - so I guess it is a tracking/cv joint issue.
 

Feel

Veedubya 'velle
Jun 12, 2003
4,918
2
Midlands
I had a front wheel bearing and hub replaced at JBS after a something similar. Gave me a constant droning noise/vibration feeling.

Two dealers had a look (one twice) and said "there's nothing wrong"
 

rllmuk

Active Member
Apr 23, 2005
1,241
6
I've had a bearing go before on my old Ibiza and that was a constant grinding type noise - this is different - more like something is loose and knocking around when going over bumps.
 
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