Bent VMR 710 Rim Tonight - Tips/Advice Needed

[cucubee5]

I guess it was inevitable for this day to come, but I bent my front right rim (VMR 710) over a pothole. [=(] See the picture below for some detail - apologies for quality as it was taken from my BlackBerry.

http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/96c64da726bd4f87e98cb6b098a647f96g.jpg

What are your suggestions as to how to fix/repair? Should I ping VMR and see if they would be willing to send out a new, comp rim to NJ?

I don't feel any difference in steering/balance at the driver's seat level; however, I wonder if the wheels are now off balance.

Thanks in advance.

- Dave

[Stone825]

Most places can repair that rim. I know my mechanic repaired my bent rim using a wood block and a hammer which did it fine. You can get it more "professionally done" for ~$100 I'm guessing.

[AudiWxGuy]

How does the car ride on the 19" V710 compared to the stock 17's. Are the bumps noticeably more jarring?

[cucubee5]

How does the car ride on the 19" V710 compared to the stock 17's. Are the bumps noticeably more jarring?

Not jarring at all, but you can certainly "feel" the road more. A lot of this has to do with my mildly-stiff suspension setup on the PSS9's.

[Sharkfin]

How long have you had these? If not that recent I doubt VMR would give you a new rim, that's not really their fault unless you can prove its a defect.

[cucubee5]

How long have you had these? If not that recent I doubt VMR would give you a new rim, that's not really their fault unless you can prove its a defect.

Around the beginning of September I got the set. Not sure what the possibilities are, but hopefully something could work out.

[Sharkfin]

Since a new set of 19s is 900 or 1000 without tires you could get a brand new rim for 250 or so I'm guessing or get it repaired. Maybe you could get a new one and have the bent one as a spare?

[cucubee5]

Since a new set of 19s is 900 or 1000 without tires you could get a brand new rim for 250 or so I'm guessing or get it repaired. Maybe you could get a new one and have the bent one as a spare?

I was thinking about this too. Do you think the tire could lose air pressure/be punctured based on that pic? (You can see a slight gap in between the lip of the rim to the rubber).

Thanks for the tips. Much appreciated!

[Sharkfin]

I really don't think you'll have a problem holding air because that bent isn't horrible, might want to monitor the pressure over the next 48 hours though.

[nycmalu]

I bent my rim a lot worse than that and I didn't lose any pressure. I think you will be fine. As Nate said, monitor it for the next couple of days and you'll know if it's bleeding air or not. If you didn't get the 5th wheel to replace the spare, I think this is the perfect excuse. Come on man, you're in New York, NY [>_<] Rim repair places are on every corner if you go to Harlem... Take it somewhere, have them knock it out on the cheap, and order an extra one from VMR. Keep the fixed one as your spare.

[yettavr6]

I'm really nervous about buying any aftermarket rims for my car now. Not just because of this post, but within 3 months all 4 rims have bent on our 335. They are 18" Rial Como (made in Germany) purchased from Tire Rack. I was in the car, but not driving, when each was bent. The first two were bent on the same pothole (a pretty bad one) but the last one was a pretty mild pothole, and we were only going 35-40. I contacted Tire Rack and they won't do anything, which seems ridiculous since the stock wheels were on for over a year without any problems, and we hit some pretty awful potholes with those (yes PA roads totally suck ass). This is also the first vehicle I have ever put aftermarket rims on, and the first time I have EVER bent a rim (let alone all 4).

[cucubee5]

I bent my rim a lot worse than that and I didn't lose any pressure. I think you will be fine. As Nate said, monitor it for the next couple of days and you'll know if it's bleeding air or not. If you didn't get the 5th wheel to replace the spare, I think this is the perfect excuse. Come on man, you're in New York, NY [>_<] Rim repair places are on every corner if you go to Harlem... Take it somewhere, have them knock it out on the cheap, and order an extra one from VMR. Keep the fixed one as your spare.

I live in Manhattan but actually keep the car in NJ. There's no way my wheels would have lasted for four months with no bends/scratches if I drove it in NYC. [:)]

I'll give some shops in the area a ring tomorrow for a quote.

[cucubee5]

I'm really nervous about buying any aftermarket rims for my car now. Not just because of this post, but within 3 months all 4 rims have bent on our 335. They are 18" Rial Como (made in Germany) purchased from Tire Rack. I was in the car, but not driving, when each was bent. The first two were bent on the same pothole (a pretty bad one) but the last one was a pretty mild pothole, and we were only going 35-40. I contacted Tire Rack and they won't do anything, which seems ridiculous since the stock wheels were on for over a year without any problems, and we hit some pretty awful potholes with those (yes PA roads totally suck ass). This is also the first vehicle I have ever put aftermarket rims on, and the first time I have EVER bent a rim (let alone all 4).

Don't let my bend (or other posts on the board) deter you. It's just a extra caution we need to keep in mind for non-OEM wheels.

I've driven the car up and down I-95, back and forth from NJ to DC, and always - ALWAYS - tried to avoid potholes even if that meant slowing down and going around them. Of course, sometimes it's inevitable that you'll hit one (as I did tonight) due to circumstances out of your control (in my case, getting on an on-ramp with little to no room to move around the pothole).

Also keep in mind the difference between an alloy and forged wheels. The saying, "you get what you pay for," rings true here.

Good luck!

[rpmfoundation]

How does the car ride on the 19" V710 compared to the stock 17's. Are the bumps noticeably more jarring?

i actually dont see that big of a difference from 18" Ti's , kind of like it, turning is a bit harder from standstill , but then again i am running 245/35/19 Nitto NT555's so its Glue. but thanks to 245's it absorbs bumps pretty well.. and oh so stable at 140mph :D!!!

[rpmfoundation]

Since a new set of 19s is 900 or 1000 without tires you could get a brand new rim for 250 or so I'm guessing or get it repaired. Maybe you could get a new one and have the bent one as a spare?

spare is a bad idea, your spare tire lid wont close, rim is too wide

[rpmfoundation]

BTW a word of advice - DO NOT put your V710's through car wash's (automated line) - rims stick out pass the tire point so it will scratch - Handwash FTW!!!

[cucubee5]

I'll also post this in the NJ forum as well, but any recommendations for shops you've been to in NJ to correct bends in the rim?

[OverSpun]

I'm really nervous about buying any aftermarket rims for my car now. Not just because of this post, but within 3 months all 4 rims have bent on our 335. They are 18" Rial Como (made in Germany) purchased from Tire Rack. I was in the car, but not driving, when each was bent. The first two were bent on the same pothole (a pretty bad one) but the last one was a pretty mild pothole, and we were only going 35-40. I contacted Tire Rack and they won't do anything, which seems ridiculous since the stock wheels were on for over a year without any problems, and we hit some pretty awful potholes with those (yes PA roads totally suck ass). This is also the first vehicle I have ever put aftermarket rims on, and the first time I have EVER bent a rim (let alone all 4).

No offense at all.... but no wheel manufacturer will ever openly assume responsibility for a bent wheel from someones inability to navigate potholes. Some wheels may not be the strongest, but wheels with low profile tires arent exactly designed to sustain serious jarring sharp impacts on potholes or things like that. I understand where youre coming from, and it'd definitely be nice... but its unlikely that they'd be sympathetic at all. =/

[AudiWxGuy]

gotta love the "cock meeter." Richard driving by in the BMW was awesome.

[OverSpun]

gotta love the "cock meeter." Richard driving by in the BMW was awesome.

[:D] Classic Top Gear. Such a great show.

[Peter@VMRWheels]

Sorry to hear about the bent rim. Looks like it is a mild bend, meaning that a wheel repair shop should be able to take care of the issue. If you are driving and notice no vibration in your steering wheel, then the balance is just fine, and you can take your time to explore your options. Just let us know if there is anything we can do to help you out.

And for everyone's information, NO wheel on the market is pothole-proof.... factory, forged, cast, etc. However there are standards that we have to meet. For example, the wheels have to retain their function in straight on & lateral impact tests. The best way to prevent bent rims aside from avoiding potholes is to check inflation pressure, choose meatier (245/35/19) tires, and look for certain tires with rim protectors.

RPM- Car washing, I think certain car washes have different types of "railing" along the wheels. I'm very lazy to wash my own car, I've brought the V710's to a hand car wash once or twice a week for the last 6 months. Luckily, they have rubber/plastic railing which helps to prevent the wheels from getting scratched. [:)]

Hope this helps!!!

[Montreal Ray]

I am no expert but I believe there is a big difference with the construction of OEM’s and after market wheels. From my experience after market wheels are much softer than OEM’s (No offense to Audizine wheel dealers/advertisers, this is just my opinion).

I have owned many cars in the past 20 years and I have never bent an OEM wheel. On the other hand, when ever I had after market wheels I have always had issues. I'm sure the fact that most times one upgrades, they go up in wheel size, obviously the bigger the wheel the lower the profile. The lower profile plays a part but not a big part….I’m still convinced that they are MUCH softer.

Before I got my 06 A4 I was driving a 2006 Volvo S40 with sport package. The car came with OEM 17’s with 205/50R/ 17. Very low profile, much lower than my A4. Never had an issue

When I had my 2000 A4 I drove with OEM’s for 2 years, when I swapped in after market 18” (I think they were Borbet) It took less than 2 weeks to bend 2 of them.

Had them fixed and sold then <---- that is usually the turn out of my after market wheels.

I am currently shopping for RS4’s for my 06 but I think I’m gonna go with 17’s. This way the OEM profile will help a little [:)]

sorry for the long post hehe

[Sharkfin]

I'm really nervous about buying any aftermarket rims for my car now. Not just because of this post, but within 3 months all 4 rims have bent on our 335. They are 18" Rial Como (made in Germany) purchased from Tire Rack. I was in the car, but not driving, when each was bent. The first two were bent on the same pothole (a pretty bad one) but the last one was a pretty mild pothole, and we were only going 35-40. I contacted Tire Rack and they won't do anything, which seems ridiculous since the stock wheels were on for over a year without any problems, and we hit some pretty awful potholes with those (yes PA roads totally suck ass). This is also the first vehicle I have ever put aftermarket rims on, and the first time I have EVER bent a rim (let alone all 4).

Don't get discouraged, I think you just need to get better wheels. Rial's aren't bad but they aren't the strongest either, I see your point though. I've been running 20s all down the east coast and haven't had any issues yet, but I guess I'm just lucky.

[cgmiller63]

BTW a word of advice - DO NOT put your V710's through car wash's (automated line) - rims stick out pass the tire point so it will scratch - Handwash FTW!!!

Amen to that! The carwash scratched a couple of my wheels.

[sakimano]

just buy a new one...aren't they like $175 or something?

[rudtf]

so i know a few people bought an extra wheel for the spare... can any of you confirm if it fit in the spare compartment?

[Vorsprung]

BTW a word of advice - DO NOT put your V710's through car wash's (automated line) - rims stick out pass the tire point so it will scratch - Handwash FTW!!!

good to know, I hope I remember this in the spring.

[Peter@VMRWheels]

so i know a few people bought an extra wheel for the spare... can any of you confirm if it fit in the spare compartment?

The wheels/tires are too wide to fit properly... As RPM said, the lid isn't going to close properly. [:|]

[Peter@VMRWheels]

Theres a lot of games and tricks that wheel manufacturers can play to cut cost which may result in a wheel being "weaker". One major factor is materials choice... Long story short, governments in exporting countries sometimes provide tax incentives for certain business models such as sourcing materials domestically as opposed to bringing better material from Australia/Dubai/Russia.

On another point, the same factory that sells to a car mfr can have much different quality for their aftermarket line. OEM requirements are pretty strict and in most cases 'overbuild' the wheels to completely surpass government requirements. One of the goals is to control customer service expenses down the line. Ever wonder why OEM wheels in general are so heavy? [:)]

Its amazing how much stronger a wheel becomes if you add 1 or 2 pounds. But the problem is, once the wheels get heavy, nobody buys it! Ounce for Ounce, forged wheels are stronger compared to cast, but, mfr's use this to make a lighter wheel. [:D]


I am no expert but I believe there is a big difference with the construction of OEM’s and after market wheels. From my experience after market wheels are much softer than OEM’s (No offense to Audizine wheel dealers/advertisers, this is just my opinion).

I have owned many cars in the past 20 years and I have never bent an OEM wheel. On the other hand, when ever I had after market wheels I have always had issues. I'm sure the fact that most times one upgrades, they go up in wheel size, obviously the bigger the wheel the lower the profile. The lower profile plays a part but not a big part….I’m still convinced that they are MUCH softer.

Before I got my 06 A4 I was driving a 2006 Volvo S40 with sport package. The car came with OEM 17’s with 205/50R/ 17. Very low profile, much lower than my A4. Never had an issue

When I had my 2000 A4 I drove with OEM’s for 2 years, when I swapped in after market 18” (I think they were Borbet) It took less than 2 weeks to bend 2 of them.

Had them fixed and sold then <---- that is usually the turn out of my after market wheels.

I am currently shopping for RS4’s for my 06 but I think I’m gonna go with 17’s. This way the OEM profile will help a little [:)]

sorry for the long post hehe

[cucubee5]

Sorry to hear about the bent rim. Looks like it is a mild bend, meaning that a wheel repair shop should be able to take care of the issue. If you are driving and notice no vibration in your steering wheel, then the balance is just fine, and you can take your time to explore your options. Just let us know if there is anything we can do to help you out.

And for everyone's information, NO wheel on the market is pothole-proof.... factory, forged, cast, etc. However there are standards that we have to meet. For example, the wheels have to retain their function in straight on & lateral impact tests. The best way to prevent bent rims aside from avoiding potholes is to check inflation pressure, choose meatier (245/35/19) tires, and look for certain tires with rim protectors.

RPM- Car washing, I think certain car washes have different types of "railing" along the wheels. I'm very lazy to wash my own car, I've brought the V710's to a hand car wash once or twice a week for the last 6 months. Luckily, they have rubber/plastic railing which helps to prevent the wheels from getting scratched. [:)]

Hope this helps!!!

Thanks for the reply Peter. I'll have a local shop look at the rim and see what they think. My gut tells me to wait out the winter and then clean everything up in the spring. She certainly needs a good bath. [:D]

[rpmfoundation]

Sorry to hear about the bent rim. Looks like it is a mild bend, meaning that a wheel repair shop should be able to take care of the issue. If you are driving and notice no vibration in your steering wheel, then the balance is just fine, and you can take your time to explore your options. Just let us know if there is anything we can do to help you out.

And for everyone's information, NO wheel on the market is pothole-proof.... factory, forged, cast, etc. However there are standards that we have to meet. For example, the wheels have to retain their function in straight on & lateral impact tests. The best way to prevent bent rims aside from avoiding potholes is to check inflation pressure, choose meatier (245/35/19) tires, and look for certain tires with rim protectors.

RPM- Car washing, I think certain car washes have different types of "railing" along the wheels. I'm very lazy to wash my own car, I've brought the V710's to a hand car wash once or twice a week for the last 6 months. Luckily, they have rubber/plastic railing which helps to prevent the wheels from getting scratched. [:)]

Hope this helps!!!

oh i like the hand wash anyway - makes it seem like they're actually cleaning my car, there are a lot of places recommend for car not to even go through the railing, which is cool - people who care about your car.. not some 16 y.o. donkey that just ( "here's your 15 dollar car wash ticket" ) and end up with 450 dollar rim damage.. HAND WASH FTW ..( no rail involved )..( which i prefer anyway ) pays off just because of the fact most of them steam your rims which is always nice.- i even did my OE Titaniums the same way...( uber careful ) but wheel sticking out pass the rim guard line its no biggie..unless you're a curb hunter!

[rpmfoundation]

The wheels/tires are too wide to fit properly... As RPM said, the lid isn't going to close properly. [:|]

i also forgot to say it looks cool! :D hhaha - you still get ooo and aaahh's when you open the lid.. but functionality wise, if you're dragging someone tied up in your trunk, it may scratch things up [evilsmile] jk[:D]

[cucubee5]

So, after a few months, the Goodyear tire on this wheel has formed a slight bubble.

Does anyone know where I could find a new tire (model: 235/35ZR-19 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 XLO). FYI: I gave a call into Tire Rack, where I originally bought my set, and they said that these wheels are now discontinued. Thoughts?

[Peter@VMRWheels]

Discontinued tires can be a pain sometimes. But I see some for sale on eBay:

Item number: 330305888574
Item number: 120376809441

[cucubee5]

Discontinued tires can be a pain sometimes. But I see some for sale on eBay:

Item number: 330305888574
Item number: 120376809441

Thanks Peter. I just shot an email over to one of the shops since they are in my local area.

I actually sent an email to Charles about a replacement tire. Do you guys still have this model in-stock?

[guglielmo]

My 18inch V708 gunmetal are holding up well to a NY Metro winter. 8,000 miles no bends or cracks. I have hit a few potholes pretty hard but the wheels are still perfect. They are holding up better then my factory BBS CHs, which I have cracked 1 and bent another in the same amount of miles of summer driving.

[Peter@VMRWheels]

Thanks Peter. I just shot an email over to one of the shops since they are in my local area.

I actually sent an email to Charles about a replacement tire. Do you guys still have this model in-stock?

Shows we have less than 4 in stock but call our office in the morning so someone can grab the wheel from the warehouse.

[24v256]

a place in Elizabeth nj called auto collision will fix them for like 50 each!

side note my BBS lm's on my mk4 were unbendable I'm convinced!