Bent my 6ul, what do
 

Hey guys. Driving on clusterfuck of DC streets on saturday I misjudged a curb and hit it with my rear wheel. Apparently it did this

http://gaiazov.com/photos/mt.net/DSC_7202.JPG
http://gaiazov.com/photos/mt.net/DSC_7203.JPG
http://gaiazov.com/photos/mt.net/DSC_7204.JPG
(sorry for 2mb of pics, too lazy to resize)

Facts:

• Holds air
• Holds air after 300 miles
• Holds air after driving at 120mph
• Holds air after 12 autocross runs

I'm almost certain I'll replace this wheel, however, I don't want to do it RIGHT NOW. So, questions

• Can I drive as is?
• Will it pass tech for HDPE?
• Will it pass tech for HDPE at Summit Point where tech inspection is a bit of a joke?
• Can it be bent back to look a bit more presentable without removing the tire?

That's a serious bend. Wheel repair MIGHT be able to repair it but I'd be worried about cracks afterward. 6ULs aren't expensive enough to fret about when you do stuff like this - just order a replacement from Emilio.

I know... I was just hoping to wait it out a few months and do it when I have to replace the tires.

You wouldn't track with that kind of bend, right?

Not a chance. :) You should be able to pay a tire shop $10 to just swap that tire onto a new wheel.

That's all I need to know... ordered a new wheel. And it's going to be closer to $40 to change the tire cause I need it balanced + all the bitching involved that the tire is too wide for the rim....

I used to know two guys that ran a mobile tire truck service, these are those situations where they came in handy.

attach the pics here so i can view!

Sounds like you need to stop patronizing crappy tire stores.
PTuning in Man-asses charges $30 per, they do dual plane balancing, they won't bitch about wide wheels & narrow tires, and they won't scratch your wheels with their "Ferrari dealership" equipment. IOW, they know what the fuck they're doing, unlike the several chain stores in this area into which I have had the displeasure of setting foot.

PTuning is definitely a little bit pricey, but they do a damn good job.

When I went to goodyear they wanted $100 to swap out my old wheels for new ones. I think I'll just go to wally world.

Cool, PTTuning sounds good. I heard about them before. I heard that they are expensive as fuck.

I may not even balance it because I'd guess I have 5k miles left on my RS3s, at most. They have 10k on them right now.

Just for you.

I already bought a new wheel. I can use this one to fuck around :)

Doesn't really matter since he already bought a new wheel, but just FYI, Ye Olde Wheel Shoppe and Wheel Worx up in Maryland both have decent reps as far as local-ish places go. But I doubt any of these repair places are worth it considering the price of new 6ULs. If he had asked about fixing curb rash on his rent-to-own set of 24" spinners for his leased Escalade, then sure, take them to a wheel shop.

PTuning is definitely expensive for some stuff (tuning on the AWD dyno) but $30 per wheel & tire isn't too crazy considering that last time I checked, the local major chain store wants $24 and will handle your parts with questionable competence. My experience at PTuning is limited to mounting & balancing, and one or two alignments, but I have no complaints.

I use The Tire Store in San Luis Obispo. They charge $40 per SET for dismount, mount, dual-plane balance, and old tire disposal. I have NEVER heard an argument about "too wide for the rim" or anything else. Their balancing guys will come and get me from the lobby if they find a bent rim as well.

Stop patronizing shitty tire stores. The Tire Store is baller and I let them know they're baller by ordering a LOT of tires from them (~9 sets this year).

Will do. In my defense this is the first set of "real" wheels and tires in my life.

That wheel is done, sorry.

This closer to the price I've been paying, $40 a tire seems crazy. I paid $50 (12.50 a tire) to have tires dismounted and remounted and I paid $20 "friend price" to have tires mounted and balanced on the last 2 sets of tires I've purchased.

It's fixable but it will never be as good as new and i wouldn't track it once its fixed. OP buy a new one.

He already did, read the thread.

Cheapest I've found is Goodyear at $75 a set. I'm still in awe over an old motorcycle store that painted the wheel weights to match my freshly powdercoated black wheels, and wire wheeled some corrosion off to help the tire seal better. All for $50. Shame they closed down.

4 years ago when I smacked a guardrail in a fit of sadness, I mauled my passenger rear 6UL in a similar fashion except the detent was about 4x as large. Also bent the A arm. Still held air, and I drove on it for a few hundred miles while Emilio shipped the replacement.

My local discount tire charges $7 for dismount/mount each wheel and another $7 I think for balancing. My autocross tires dont get balanced.

I have destroyed one 6ul when a bolt kicked up off the track got wedged between the wheel and brake caliper at Laguna Seca and nearly machined the wheel in two, and another one got bent I think when I let somebody test fit it on a Honda and they tried to tightened it down even though it didn’t quite fit.

Bob

lol @ honda guy bending the wheel.

uh, I just looked at the place nearby that tirerack recommends, for comparison - $19.50 to mount/balance 45 aspect ratio tire PLUS another $9 for dual-plane balance. So $114 for set plus tax :eek4dance

One of these days I’m going to get my own mount and balance equipment. Money dumped directly into the car keeps eating up all my car hobby budget though. My experience with past big purchases of shop equipment is after getting my own lift I couldn’t believe I waited so long. I mount and balance tires probably at least 10 times a year and would probably do it more if I had my own equipment.

Bob

Houston is pretty expensive. I've been using a mom and pop shop near my parents. The vatos have done everything from r-compounds to my 6uls. They charged me a little more for the R-comps but I usually pay around 15 bucks a tire for M&B.

This shop down the street from my place just got this

suppose to prevent damage to the wheels as it uses no tire irons. Wonder what they charge.

that's why you make connections with people in your area that do work you might possibly need. my homie at a local shop does a set for $20-25. free dismounts, free disposal. if i HAVE to, i can go to discount tire and pay $40 for a set.

The shop across the parking lot from us will do it for a 12pack. I'm going to turn them into alcoholics.

They wouldn't mount tires on my Civic because they weren't V speed rated.

I've talked Discount Tire down the last couple times I had tires mounted. Usually can get them down to $15/wheel for removal/mount/balance.

Ended up with mounting + dual plane balancing on a Hunter 9700 for $33 . Small shop - Curry's Auto Service - 2 minutes from work. Good place, didn't bother me with the stupid shit.