Got new tires and alignment at RKR this morning. Come to find out both my rear wheels are bent. The guy doing the job showed me the worse one on the wheel balancer - there was definately an inward bump maybe 1/8" or so on the inside edge of the wheel. They are hollow spokes. He told me after road testing it (before doing any work) that he could feel some vibration. I still cannot feel it.

So... what do do? Straighten, replace or upgrade to new wheels? Or do nothing? (I've always wanted either MY02s or just about anything in matte black or gunmetal. I guess I could sell the two fronts to recoup some money.)

Thoughts?

 

If the car is only street-driven and you like your wheels you can have them straightened. But since you don't feel anything, again on a street car, just drive the car the way it is. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Of course if you're looking for an excuse to get another set of wheels that's a different story

 

There is a Wheels America in Hayward; http://www.wheelsamerica.com/index.p...=san_francisco. Give them a call. The one in Los Angeles recently re-finished several wheels for me and did a great job. They advertise that they straighten wheels too.

 

Bruce, I had this on my inside rears (stock 18" solid spokes) years ago. Dealer sent them out for repair and it was quite successful, and not too expensive. $150 per wheel, IIRC.

 

Bruce, I got some secondhand MY02 off craiglist here in the Bay Area. There was nothing I caught visibly wrong with them but Harvey Weidmann had to make a repair to a rear wheel when he refurbished them. If you go the secondhand MYo2 route, you may still be faced with a repair.

I think Bay Area roads are tough on 18" wheels and rears in particular with their lower profiles and the additional weight they carry.

 

My local (Charlotte, NC) dealer just had a "mobile wheel repair" straighten a 20" rim on my Cayenne, and they did a great job! The bend was clearly visable when spinning the rim with the pig er, I mean car, up on the rack... Probaby easily 1/8" of bend. It was bad enough that I could feel it. They took care of it for $140 and I am a very satisfied customer. Check with your local dealership to see if a similar capability exists in your area!

 

wheels can be fixed but it depends on the standards of the facility. porsche wheels should be 10/1000" radial runout or less & always be roadforce balanced. most mobile units & franchises like wheel america are not capable of doing that without cutting the wheel straight which can severly weaken the wheel.
As for the dealer, we have found a lot of dealers don't give a damn & don't verify the repair

 

Is it radial or lateral? If lateral, I'd consider inspecting it carefully for cracks and if none, leave it alone. If it is radial, I'd look to replace it.

I'd just start looking for someone selling wheels. I have not been happy with any of the local wheel repair shops I have used (other than wiedeman for a repaint)

Pete

 

I got a pothole inflicted ding in a rear 18" successfully repaired at

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=wheel+techniques+ca&fb=1&gl=us&hq=wheel+techniques&hnear=0x808fb9fe5 f285e3d:0x8b5109a227086f55,California&cid=8935994366500308384

Could be their customer service sucks as one of the reviews says, but the repair work was good.

When you buy someone else's used wheels, you could end up with the same problem.

 

Well, these are probably too nice to repaint...
https://rennlist.com/forums/for-sale...02-wheels.html

I have a crappy re-paint set in my garage...but, I want to do the same thing you want to do with them!

 

I have three sets bought used, one (1) set new back in 2002 from Porsche for about $800. All wheels straight on these. On the used wheels:
Set one (1) had to replace one, straighten one
Set two (2) had to straighten one
Set three (3) had to straighten one

In all cases the PO felt the wheels were straight and true. In all cases the PO paid for the replacement and or repairs.

Next time I buy wheels, I am going to OZ or some other forged wheel. MY 2002 wheels seem to be prone to bending is my conclusion....but regardless, I love these wheels, light and easy to clean!