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Help - snow caught me out

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Help - snow caught me out

M

Marko

Guest
Hi,
Managed to make it all the way to work crawling at 10mph for 5 miles until i pulled into work car park and the car went straight instead of following the road. I Hit my Alloy wheel on the curb from the side and it has bent the alloy in so much that the tyre has deformed. Can this be repaired at all or am I looking at finding another single HLX alloy (5 x blade spoke)?
If you have done this before or know of someone who has had it repaired i'd be really grateful for some advice. I would add a picture but forgot the camera too!
In my old age i've realised that snow is great until you go outside in it.

Marko
 
Did the same late last but only the standard steelies. Pulling to the left now, bugger.
 
repairing alloys

There are people who will repair/straighten alloys but and charge a fortune and there is no guarantee that the wheel will be safe after the repair. Best thing to do is to ring round breakers yards and see if can find one off.
 
Re: repairing alloys

Agreed.

Alloys can be "pressed" back into shape but frequently have internal fractures , which of course is lethal.

Forget the repair Matey and dig deep.
 
Re: Re: repairing alloys

if its that badly damaged that the tyre is deformed, it could be repaired but definitely wont be safe, the aluminium will have work hardened and WILL be fractured, if it isnt already. sorry but it looks like its time for a new alloy.
 
Cheers all.

Just to give you an idea...
Note the small crack on the bottom of the spoke.

eba00409326f00000001.jpg



I've got to find the part number and then order one from a scrappie or FIAT. Any ideas on what the cost will be?

Marko
 
Re: Re: Help - snow caught me out

I think they were £400 per set; withour rubber.

I'm not sure if Fiat will sell them separately. Knowing how their shifty little minds work - they probably wont.

Good luck non the less.

If you cant get one singly - there's some multi-spoke Allessio's which look very nice. You can even get "Fiat" centres for them.
 
Re: Re: Help - snow caught me out

Thats had it! Time to find a new one.
 
Re: Re: Re: Help - snow caught me out

Thanks Double R but I'd prefer to keep the originals on there. Don't have to arse about with insurance that way. If i had the money to **** away i'd consider the Allessio Monza on a 16" but thats about it.
I must be able to source one or two from somewhere on the cheap!

Marko
 
Re: Re: Help - snow caught me out

It doesn't look fatal to me. 1-st you have to check if it's only this bend and the rest of the rim is straight. If it is, than this could be repaired and wheel will be reasonably safe until hit heavily again, if repair's done properly. You could put this wheel to the rear for additional assurance.

Good luck in finding good repair shop... I know several good places with reasonable prices (about J10 per wheel on average)... but in Moscow... Afraid it wouldn't help.

General recomendation -- buy yourself wheel chains. It's cheaper than new rims and bodywork... And you can drive with them at 15-20 mph even on clean road, though it's bumpy :)
BTW, in Moscow it's snowing almost every day for the last couple of weeks, and it's absolutely not an excuse to stay home :(
 
Re: Re: Re: Help - snow caught me out

Afraid you are outnumbered on the opinions there Igor. I can see the crack at the base of the spoke and i'm a nervous wreck driving around on it, even so slowly.

Thanks for the advice though.
Marko

___________________________________________
give me ambiguity or give me something else
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Help - snow caught me out

good spot Lee. Unfortunately they are £400 off budget for me right now. I'm just about to go and get a pro opinion on the status and use of my alloy. Hoping to get it repaired. If not, find a second hand one, if not that, stump up the £150 that FIAT charge to replace one alloy!!

thanks anyway.
Marko
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Help - snow caught me out

hmmm r they the only alloys u want? cos if u look on ebay u can get vauxhall ones from around £160 in good condition, u only need wobbly bolts and ur away

Lee
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Help - snow caught me out

Well... If there is obvious crack... bad luck -- this wheel goes to recycling... But crack was not visible on the picture.
While you are looking for a new one put this wheel to the rear left, so there will be much smaller chance to break it and even if broken you would not have head-on collision. I've had once rear wheel blown on 80 mph... It's nasty bu not that dangerous compared to front wheels problems.
Be carefull with wheels intended for other car makes. Only ones that could possibly fit Bravo are from rear-wheel drive Ladas. On the other hand, very good alloys from Borbett was often supplied on Tipo's (my Tipo had them) and they should fit Bravo and should be not expensive on second-hand market. BTW, that Borbett ones during 110000 miles in Moscow was in repair because of bends 4 or 5 times... Once guys from repair shop told me about one of them that 99% chance that it goes to scrap. And then was shocked that it straightened perfectly without any cracks.
 
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