Hey all, I kinda think I know the answer to this already, but would it be "acceptable" to bend a bent rim back into a usable condition? I ran over a rock last night, bent the rim enough to unseat the bead, but it really does not look bad. I even wonder if the shock unseated it and if I took it to a shop if they could seat it again. Either way, if I was just trying to bend it back little, would it be acceptable? (I know fixing wheel/tire damage is an iffy thing...)

steel rim or alum?

If steel, yes, can be bent back.

If aluminum, it is very iffy, aluminum is soft and bends easily, and cracks easily just the same.

Please post more info.

As the old commercial went, "There's a lot riding on your tires." Me, I would invest in a good used replacement.

As the old commercial went, "There's a lot riding on your tires." Me, I would invest in a good used replacement.

 

I agree.... do you want to risk your safety just to save afew bucks??

If it's steel go right ahead and hammer away. Aluminum is a bit pickier. Get the tire taken off, and inspect the wheel. If you can see any visible cracks then it's probably just going to split trying to hammer it back. I've bent back slight bends in aluminum wheels before, I use a piece of wood between the hammer and wheel to prevent gouging, and it also helps spread out the force across that part of the wheel rather than concentrating it in one spot. Use a regular hammer, not a mallot or mini sledge, the lighter hits put less stress on the aluminum.

 

You may not even need to bend it back. You might be able to just take it up to a tire shop and have them re-seat the bead. But you should get the tire taken off and the wheel checked for cracks before putting it back on the car.

+1 for repairing a steel rim. It's done often and steel is maleable enough to handle it.

 

GD

Steel rims can be beat back into shape, but then are usually just used for a spare. There are shops out there now that will repair an aluminum wheel now as well, a Google search will bring up shops throughout the country.

Alloy rims can be repaired also. Look for a place like Wheels America.

 

But it is often cheaper to find a replacement.