AGHHH!. Damaged Alloy Wheel
Discussion
Not a happy bunny...........driving home last along night country lane and a Land Rover came round a corner a little to fast, i swerved and my Rear offside alloy hit a rock sticking out. Big chunck missing of one of the spokes, (approx 6mm square)Thats big in alloy terms!
The alloy is the lightweight ones on the Elise Sports Racer. Can i get this repaired or not.
Thanks for your help,must have the elise bug as i have never been this worried about a wheel before !!!!!!!
Cheers.
The alloy is the lightweight ones on the Elise Sports Racer. Can i get this repaired or not.
Thanks for your help,must have the elise bug as i have never been this worried about a wheel before !!!!!!!
Cheers.
I've been investiagting wheels recently and I can't find many people recommending fixing wheels with significant damage. It seems that if the damage is structural than it shouldn't be fixed.
Apparently the problem is that a fix can mean that there are unseen cracks within the wheel itself. These can be found tested with the right kit, but that makes the repair uneconomic.
However you have a chunk missing, so as long as you are comfortable that it safe to use afterwards then see what the repairers say.
A new wheel from Lotus for my Elise was £300, so worth finding out the max cost and then deciding with that in mind.
Not much help I'm afraid..Nathan
Apparently the problem is that a fix can mean that there are unseen cracks within the wheel itself. These can be found tested with the right kit, but that makes the repair uneconomic.
However you have a chunk missing, so as long as you are comfortable that it safe to use afterwards then see what the repairers say.
A new wheel from Lotus for my Elise was £300, so worth finding out the max cost and then deciding with that in mind.
Not much help I'm afraid..Nathan
Ooo... rough break Alex 
6mm doesn't sound particularly structural so I'm guessing someone could sort that - but I don't know who either! Two of my lightweight wheels have 3mm stone chips in so I know how it makes you feel!
I'm sure someone will be along that's a little more help than this
6mm doesn't sound particularly structural so I'm guessing someone could sort that - but I don't know who either! Two of my lightweight wheels have 3mm stone chips in so I know how it makes you feel!
I'm sure someone will be along that's a little more help than this
NathanK said:
I've been investiagting wheels recently and I can't find many people recommending fixing wheels with significant damage. It seems that if the damage is structural than it shouldn't be fixed.
Apparently the problem is that a fix can mean that there are unseen cracks within the wheel itself. These can be found tested with the right kit, but that makes the repair uneconomic.
However you have a chunk missing, so as long as you are comfortable that it safe to use afterwards then see what the repairers say.
A new wheel from Lotus for my Elise was £300, so worth finding out the max cost and then deciding with that in mind.
Not much help I'm afraid..Nathan
Apparently the problem is that a fix can mean that there are unseen cracks within the wheel itself. These can be found tested with the right kit, but that makes the repair uneconomic.
However you have a chunk missing, so as long as you are comfortable that it safe to use afterwards then see what the repairers say.
A new wheel from Lotus for my Elise was £300, so worth finding out the max cost and then deciding with that in mind.
Not much help I'm afraid..Nathan
Cheers Nathan .........do not thinks its structual.........so £300 looks alot but would rather drive on a bashed one.
Janitor said:
Ooo... rough break Alex
6mm doesn't sound particularly structural so I'm guessing someone could sort that - but I don't know who either! Two of my lightweight wheels have 3mm stone chips in so I know how it makes you feel!
I'm sure someone will be along that's a little more help than this
6mm doesn't sound particularly structural so I'm guessing someone could sort that - but I don't know who either! Two of my lightweight wheels have 3mm stone chips in so I know how it makes you feel!
I'm sure someone will be along that's a little more help than this
Hi janitor
Thanks, bloody annoying...................anyway been monitoring your postings as you landed your elise about the same time as me, still loving it? Strange i am getting more attached to the old girl!!!(is that natural? My girl thinks i,m turning into a bit of a square!
Suppose goes with the territory the odd chip,scratch etc.........Have Fun
Yeah mate, of course still loving it! More and more so... naturally 
The whole scratch / chip thing is annoying but that said, not as annoying and gutting as I thought it would be oddly enough. Yeah for sure you go 'Aww, Christ' or 'not another' but I had pre-ownership visions of Elise-shaped cotton wool wrap but straight from the off I found it easy to accept that the car is there to be used (properly!) and these things are going to happen. Must say that reading PH posts about chips and things prepared me for that so it came as no disappointing surprise
In an odd way, I'm actually looking forward to getting stuck in with a bit of corrective work further down the line (like this: http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.p or this: www.detailingworld.co.uk/showthread.php?t=407&highlight=wet+sanding ) - that would be yet another rewarding aspect of owning, using and caring for such a car... after mucho much practice on something else first of course!!
Don't worry about your missus thinking your odd either Isn't everyone? 
The whole scratch / chip thing is annoying but that said, not as annoying and gutting as I thought it would be oddly enough. Yeah for sure you go 'Aww, Christ' or 'not another' but I had pre-ownership visions of Elise-shaped cotton wool wrap but straight from the off I found it easy to accept that the car is there to be used (properly!) and these things are going to happen. Must say that reading PH posts about chips and things prepared me for that so it came as no disappointing surprise
In an odd way, I'm actually looking forward to getting stuck in with a bit of corrective work further down the line (like this: http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.p or this: www.detailingworld.co.uk/showthread.php?t=407&highlight=wet+sanding ) - that would be yet another rewarding aspect of owning, using and caring for such a car... after mucho much practice on something else first of course!!
Don't worry about your missus thinking your odd either
Isn't everyone? Edited by Janitor on Thursday 15th June 12:26
I'd talk to one of the wheel refurb places if I were you and have it checked carefully - sounds suspect IMO. If it's damaged the wheel visibly then I guess it's feasible that it could be structurally weakened where you can't see and hence potentially break under further stress (given the forces at play).
For the sake of a few hundred quid is it worth the risk of not getting it checked by someone who knows?
For the sake of a few hundred quid is it worth the risk of not getting it checked by someone who knows?
No idea how good they may be, but I guess as usual its down to prep, application and technique..?
There is a pointer tread here: www.autopia-carcare.com/realwhda.html
There is a pointer tread here: www.autopia-carcare.com/realwhda.html
S Works said:
I'd talk to one of the wheel refurb places if I were you and have it checked carefully - sounds suspect IMO. If it's damaged the wheel visibly then I guess it's feasible that it could be structurally weakened where you can't see and hence potentially break under further stress (given the forces at play).
For the sake of a few hundred quid is it worth the risk of not getting it checked by someone who knows?
For the sake of a few hundred quid is it worth the risk of not getting it checked by someone who knows?
Hi been away..............will get it checked out
Thanks all.
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