Buckled alloy wheels
Discussion
2013 Merc E350 bought from merc dealer in Surrey summer 2016
Took car back to garage under warranty as fuel cap was faulty. While there they did a health check with car on ramp and sent me a video via email informing me that both my front wheels had bucked to what they described as an (Amber stage) so safe for the moment but I must be getting a lot of vibration and less control through the steering wheel apaparently. I had noticed nothing and the car has not driven any differently since taking delivery. I'm struggling to understand how both wheels can be bucked on both front wheels. I live in a town and have done 5000 miles in 6 months of having the car. I wondering whether the car came with this defect. The dealer is not taking any interest, saying I must of hit a pot hole and need two new wheels and charge ££££ a lot
Can anyone advise where I stand?
Thanks Danny
Took car back to garage under warranty as fuel cap was faulty. While there they did a health check with car on ramp and sent me a video via email informing me that both my front wheels had bucked to what they described as an (Amber stage) so safe for the moment but I must be getting a lot of vibration and less control through the steering wheel apaparently. I had noticed nothing and the car has not driven any differently since taking delivery. I'm struggling to understand how both wheels can be bucked on both front wheels. I live in a town and have done 5000 miles in 6 months of having the car. I wondering whether the car came with this defect. The dealer is not taking any interest, saying I must of hit a pot hole and need two new wheels and charge ££££ a lot
Can anyone advise where I stand?
Thanks Danny
Stickyfinger said:
Kenny Powers said:
Definitely get a second opinion.
Definitely get a second opinionTHIS is a buckled wheel ! , have you hit any EURO Pallets recently ?
OP you may very well may have kinks and slight buckles and not realize it. The number of people who think their cars drive great when in fact they are crap puzzles me.
Near enough every used car I have purchased has had a problem with wheels, be it wheel balance, kinks in the alloys causing vibrations or cracks.
Ask them to put it on a wheel balancer to show you the kink, even a slight kink which you cant see stationary and can see on a balancer which I think imitates up to 30mph will show the kink as the wheel goes round. THIS WILL CAUSE VIBRATIONS, SMALL OR LARGE.
The force the wheels exert at say 50mph plus makes this worse, A wheel even at 1/5g out in balancing you WILL FEEL IT!
I can feel issues straight away!
I am actually impressed they even checked for them (if they exist that is)
As I said ask them to show you them clearly stationary or ask them to put them on a balancer which will spin the wheels and allow you to see the inside rim running "true" if its not running round you will see the small bend/buckles as it spins round.
If you want further information on wheel balancing read up on the GSP9700 road force balancer. I use nothing else.
Also depending on how bad the buckle/kink is they can be straightened out (as long as its on the inside of the rim, not the face). Google Alloys wheel straightening.
Edited by XMT on Thursday 12th January 11:42
XMT said:
Sorry but thats extreme!
OP you may very well may have kinks and slight buckles and not realize it. The number of people who think their cars drive great when in fact they are crap puzzles me.
Near enough every used car I have purchased has had a problem with wheels, be it wheel balance, kinks in the alloys causing vibrations or cracks.
Ask them to put it on a wheel balancer to show you the kink, even a slight kink which you cant see stationary and can see on a balancer which I think imitates up to 30mph will show the kink as the wheel goes round. THIS WILL CAUSE VIBRATIONS, SMALL OR LARGE.
The force the wheels exert at say 50mph plus makes this worse, A wheel even at 1/5g out in balancing you WILL FEEL IT!
I can feel issues straight away!
I am actually impressed they even checked for them (if they exist that is)
As I said ask them to show you them clearly stationary or ask them to put them on a balancer which will spin the wheels and allow you to see the inside rim running "true" if its not running round you will see the small bend/buckles as it spins round.
If you want further information on wheel balancing read up on the GSP9700 road force balancer. I use nothing else.
Also depending on how bad the buckle/kink is they can be straightened out (as long as its on the inside of the rim, not the face). Google Alloys wheel straightening.
Hi thank you very much! Really helpful, will do as you advise. Thank you for taking the time to explain all you have! OP you may very well may have kinks and slight buckles and not realize it. The number of people who think their cars drive great when in fact they are crap puzzles me.
Near enough every used car I have purchased has had a problem with wheels, be it wheel balance, kinks in the alloys causing vibrations or cracks.
Ask them to put it on a wheel balancer to show you the kink, even a slight kink which you cant see stationary and can see on a balancer which I think imitates up to 30mph will show the kink as the wheel goes round. THIS WILL CAUSE VIBRATIONS, SMALL OR LARGE.
The force the wheels exert at say 50mph plus makes this worse, A wheel even at 1/5g out in balancing you WILL FEEL IT!
I can feel issues straight away!
I am actually impressed they even checked for them (if they exist that is)
As I said ask them to show you them clearly stationary or ask them to put them on a balancer which will spin the wheels and allow you to see the inside rim running "true" if its not running round you will see the small bend/buckles as it spins round.
If you want further information on wheel balancing read up on the GSP9700 road force balancer. I use nothing else.
Also depending on how bad the buckle/kink is they can be straightened out (as long as its on the inside of the rim, not the face). Google Alloys wheel straightening.
Edited by XMT on Thursday 12th January 11:42
I took our 'shopping trolley' Fiesta for a couple of tyres this morning. The new ones went on the front wheels which were then switched to the back with the rear wheels being put on the front. I asked for all to be balanced, which was done but the fitter told me that all four alloys were buckled due, he thought, to potholes. The wheel damage hasn't been mentioned at MOT time nor does it affect driving but I wonder how many other cars have buckled wheels due to underinvestment in road repairs.
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