Is it possible to fix this?
10-12-2010, 03:28 PM
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 10-06-2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 17
Is it possible to fix this?
I was driving yesterday and hit a huge pothole. It bent the rim on the front passenger side just enough to knock the tire loose. It also messed up the hub assembly. Unfortunately, my model does not have abs so the hub is around $200. The tire itself is okay, we just need to get it put back on. To avoid any more costs, I am wondering if it would be possible to hammer out the dent in the wheel. They are just the standard LS wheels with covers that go over them. Several people that are mechanics that we know have told us that we can do this, they would just advise rotating the wheel to the back to avoid any roughness in the ride. Is this safe? Has anyone done this before?
10-12-2010, 04:23 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
I assume it is a steel wheel being a LS?
If so it depends on how it is bent. Often if is just the lip they can be put back fairly easy if you are good with a hammer. I have fixed many a steel wheel over the years if it only the lip that is bent.
Often I would spin the wheel only on the spin balancer to check the wheel and many times the wheel can be saved.
On the other hand if it is latteraly bent you will never fix it.
Sheel wheels can be found in junk yards at a reasonable cost. So replacing one should not be an great cost issue.
I had one guy hit a curb and wipe out all 4 wheels on his car. I was able to hammer them back in the inside and outside lip. Remounted and balanced the wheels and pop the caps on. THey lasted for the rest of the years he had the car.
So check the wheel out and if it is just the lip and it is vertically bent I would give it a shot. If it is latteral scrap it.
Aluminum wheels are often cheaper to buy used and replace. Some shops can repair them but often at the same or higher price than to replace it. THis is a good option on high doller wheels.
If so it depends on how it is bent. Often if is just the lip they can be put back fairly easy if you are good with a hammer. I have fixed many a steel wheel over the years if it only the lip that is bent.
Often I would spin the wheel only on the spin balancer to check the wheel and many times the wheel can be saved.
On the other hand if it is latteraly bent you will never fix it.
Sheel wheels can be found in junk yards at a reasonable cost. So replacing one should not be an great cost issue.
I had one guy hit a curb and wipe out all 4 wheels on his car. I was able to hammer them back in the inside and outside lip. Remounted and balanced the wheels and pop the caps on. THey lasted for the rest of the years he had the car.
So check the wheel out and if it is just the lip and it is vertically bent I would give it a shot. If it is latteral scrap it.
Aluminum wheels are often cheaper to buy used and replace. Some shops can repair them but often at the same or higher price than to replace it. THis is a good option on high doller wheels.
10-12-2010, 04:43 PM
#5
Platinum Member
Join Date: 12-06-2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 11,366
I was driving yesterday and hit a huge pothole. It bent the rim on the front passenger side just enough to knock the tire loose. It also messed up the hub assembly. Unfortunately, my model does not have abs so the hub is around $200. The tire itself is okay, we just need to get it put back on. To avoid any more costs, I am wondering if it would be possible to hammer out the dent in the wheel. They are just the standard LS wheels with covers that go over them. Several people that are mechanics that we know have told us that we can do this, they would just advise rotating the wheel to the back to avoid any roughness in the ride. Is this safe? Has anyone done this before?
10-12-2010, 10:01 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-01-2010
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 284
Here in the Denver area there is a wheel repar shop that rolls out these problems - even on cast aluminum rims (as long as there are no cracks). The do great work, refinish wheels to like new and guarantee their work. There should be such a shop in your area.
As for the tires, when I had my Cobalt SS I hit a "pot-trench" - a pothole that was the width of the interstate in Oklahoma. It bent all 4 rims, and ruined 3 of them beyond repair. The tires survived - I mounted them on the new American Racing wheels I bought (4 for the price of 1 stock SS wheel) and they lasted for a few thousand miles more before I changed them for winter tires. The guy who repairs wheels checked them out thoroughly before we re-used them.
As for the tires, when I had my Cobalt SS I hit a "pot-trench" - a pothole that was the width of the interstate in Oklahoma. It bent all 4 rims, and ruined 3 of them beyond repair. The tires survived - I mounted them on the new American Racing wheels I bought (4 for the price of 1 stock SS wheel) and they lasted for a few thousand miles more before I changed them for winter tires. The guy who repairs wheels checked them out thoroughly before we re-used them.