Wheel Shenanigans!

[andy-white]

Hi Chaps,
Had a little moment in the 400 last week... Was going though a tunnel on full chat in 3rd (as all Tiv owners surely do! ), must have hit a damp patch on the exit of the tunnel and got so sideways the nearside rear hit the kerd!!! I consider it a lucky escape only the wheel got damaged...
Now i'm left with a flattened (bent) wheel rim I'm dubious of wheel repairs but has anybody tried it???
My dad once had a motorcycle wheel excellently repaired but i cant find anyone that repairs car wheels.

Anyways, im currenly bumbling around on a set of Tuscan 16x19's shod with Avon wets (hope the law doesnt spot them!!! ) Trouble is there is very little clearance between the wheel and the tie rod and pressing on through a corner results in grinding noises from the rear! Have any of you guys come across this probem and know if i can get off the shelf parts to space the wheel out 5 mm or so??? Was thinking of contacting demon tweeks but i dont know if the stud pattern is ford or jag...
Cheers
Andrew

>>> Edited by andy-white on Monday 3rd February 20:42

[19560]

It depends how badly damaged your wheel is but generally speaking although people will repair them it's a bad idea because the alloy is not suitable. If there is a rip then you've no chance.
The stud pattern is Ford Granada and 5mm spacers are commonly available although you'll probably also need longer studs.

[danny hoffman]

What wheels do you have on the 400, I have a spare 15" 350 multispoke that I would be willing to sell (or swap for a space saver)

[jmorgan]

There are some for sale on Wedge pages
www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk/

[andy-white]

The wheels are std '400' 5 spoke OZ split rims, 15x8in. Cheers for the offer though Danny.

I contacted the guy who on the 'tvr wedge pages' classifieds is selling another bent one as he mentioned he knows where to get it repaired but for reasons unknown he is unwilling to relinquish the details of where...

There's no visible splits on the surface of the rim where it is bent which is basically why i'm considering it might up for repair. Its obviously heavily scored from hitting the kerd so i know its never gong to be perfect i just want it useable again

I'll give demon tweeks a call tomorrow about the spacers.

This has probably been mentioned before but does anyone know if/where i can get a tool to get the bolts out of the wheel and is there a gasket behind the rim that i'd need to replace if i split them???

>> Edited by andy-white on Tuesday 4th February 17:21

[19560]

If all else fails you can get a new rim to join to the centre piece from Image. (This has been done before.)

[andy-white]

I asked tower view about a new rim and they said they where unnavailable. Do you have details of how i can contact Image?
Many thanks

[danny hoffman]

The following firms have been recommended by the TVR list in the past

Lepsoms at Gillingham Kent

PRISTINE ALLOY WHEEL REFURBISHERS LTD
Newport Road
Woburn Sands
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK17 8UD
Tel: [phone]

BBS on 0131 556 6675.

SEM Alloy Wheel Specialists in Sunderland, tel: [phone]

The Wheel Hospital. Rochford, Essex on 01702 541789, ask for Lee

Romax in Stockton-on-Tees

Good luck

Danny

[andy-white]

Wow! Thanks for that danny, absoluteley belting! i'll have a ring round - fingers crossed i'll get it sorted

[shpub]

The tools are harder to find than new rims. Tower View to have a set that but you need to be pretty convincing to let them out of their sight. I have heard of hands and other body parts being left as a deposit... Might let you borrow them down there though.

Steve

[andy-white]

shpub said: The tools are harder to find than new rims. Tower View to have a set that but you need to be pretty convincing to let them out of their sight. I have heard of hands and other body parts being left as a deposit... Might let you borrow them down there though.

Steve

I kind of need my hands to hold the steering wheel and change gear!!!
Tower view did mention borrowing them but i want a set indefinately if pos as ideally i'd like to rebuild all the wheels eventually. They mentioned you had them made up, is that correct? Where they made to a drawing or copied from an original 'pattern'?

[shpub]

They were expensive to have made at around £200ish a set as front and back are different sizes. If people are interested I think I can get additional sets made and the price may come down if there is a large enough number ordered in one go.

Email me if you are interested. [e-mail]

[cysatus]

yer i am having mine done from the firm in sunderland as above they were highly reccomended. However i does anyone know the name for the MIRROR effect alloy?

[streaky]

Sorry to hear about your little escapade. BTW, how's the "kerd" (Kurd) you hit? - Streaky

[my 350i]

danny hoffman said:

What wheels do you have on the 400, I have a spare 15" 350 multispoke that I would be willing to sell (or swap for a space saver)

Hi Danny,
I`ve got an unused space saver that i may swap with your multi spoke one. Let me know
Dave

[andy-white]

Wow cant believe it was a year ago since that 'incident'!
I ended up getting the wheel repaired at The Wheel Hospital in Rochford. Not the best service as it took weeks and lots of phone calls to get the wheel back... When they bent the rim back to shape it split and they had to weld the resulting crack Its true and usable but not a pretty sight (score marks from the kerb)and i intend to get a new rim eventually...
I used the wheel with no probs until just before christmas at which point i had just finished re-furbing my Tuscan wheels. I explored a few avenues with regards to getting tools for the split rim bolts but came to the conclusion there was no quick and easy option - but i was still not prepared to pay specialist prices for the rebuild knowing most of the money was going to labour that i could do myself...
In the end i ground out all the bolts. This is one nasty job - takes about an hour to grind out the bolts on each wheel. I then took the wheels to a local powder coaters where they where chemically stripped, bead blasted, etching primered and powder coated. In the meantime i used my cetem polishing kit and more hours to polish the rims to mirror finish.... Then re-fitted the rims with polished stainless steel cap-head screws and nyloc nuts. All in cost c. £200 for 4 wheels and the results are marvelous, check out the pic:

http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00287265f00000004.jpg


Regards
Andrew

[danny hoffman]

Dave,

That was a year ago! I did the swap with Gareth, sorry

Danny

[my 350i]

I saw Feb 4th as the posting date but I didn`t even look to see what year it was. The eyesight is going with advancing years im afraid

[anthonyjg]

Here's another reply from someone who didn't see the year on the posting - my guide dog enjoys travelling in the wedge passenger seat and I never ask why when the lead goes slack...... !

I had a rear wheel rim suddenly give when going along at about 70, with a very loud bang. As I was going in a straight line and I did not see anything on the road (can't get the guide dogs these days) and there was no impact on the front wheel I am at a loss as to the cause. The rim was bent in as if due to a sharp impact, but the tyre was still inflated, so the damage did not extend to the horizontal section.

I got the wheel welded by Ian Jemison Engineering, Home Farm Buildings, Main Street, Bishopthorpe, York, YO23 7RA. 01904 703863. I ran the repaired wheel for several thousand miles without problems, before retiring it to the spare. Ian also did an excellent job refurbishing the other four wheels, £50 each plus VAT, including removing and refitting the tyres.

Hope this may be of use to someone.