Cracked Alloy Wheel : NCT

househero

Is a crack in an alloy wheel a NCT failure?

celica00

definitely, that is not safe too.

EDIT: I assume the crack is on the inside?

wexie

househero wrote: »

Is a crack in an alloy wheel a NCT failure?

define crack, is it a large scratch or an actual crack, perhaps a picture would help.

I think an actual crack could be a major safety concern though.

Spook_ie

Who in their right mind would drive around with a cracked wheel!!!

househero

Me

Been driving around on it for about 4 months. Hit a pot hole so deep it bent and cracked the alloy about an inch in from the lip, the crack runs about 4 inch's parallel to the outside of the wheel.

I really thought it was going to be an instant fail. Ive been around the scrappies today and nobody has one, they melt them down apparently. I was told its 350 for a new one from Fiat... HAHAHAHAHA... O dear.

listermint

Swap it for some stealies then. Because that wheel could break apart at any moment and your or others lives with it.

Incredibly dangerous and youve been more than lucky to date with it.

Mycroft H

househero wrote: »

Me

Been driving around on it for about 4 months. Hit a pot hole so deep it bent and cracked the alloy about an inch in from the lip, the crack runs about 4 inch's parallel to the outside of the wheel.

I really thought it was going to be an instant fail. Ive been around the scrappies today and nobody has one, they melt them down apparently. I was told its 350 for a new one from Fiat... HAHAHAHAHA... O dear.

Count yourself lucky that its lasted that long. Bit dangerous to be honest.

Have you not got a spare steel wheel?

Henry Ford III

Cracked alloy wheel can be repaired. I wouldn't drive on a cracked one for for a second.

househero

Mycroft H wrote: »

Count yourself lucky that its lasted that long. Bit dangerous to be honest.

Have you not got a spare steel wheel?

I do, but the studs were the wrong type, needed tapered ones that were not in the boot, the last time i used the spare, it cost me 200 quid to replace the hub as the bolts had threaded the hub and it comes as a complete unit with hub and CV. Pain in the butt I wanted to avoid. The tear in the alloy was not in a load bearing position, it was on the bit holding the lip of the tyre to the wheel. With the steel in the tyre it was supported 95% of the way around even if the tear had gone to the outside. Could have lead to a sudden deflation, but had no problem with it, although I would not recommend anybody else doing the same.

How much is a repair and where can it be done South/East region?

Mycroft H

I'm pretty sure all the wheel is load bearing, it's kinda it's job....

househero

Maybe. But its been fine with some good abuse and no further cracking, so I doubt it. These things are designed and manufactured with large tolerances and alloy wheel isnt just about load bearing... its made to look pretty with lots of useless metal.

I would fail it on the NCT and I would tell someone else to not drive on it too.

Bio Mech

Mycroft H wrote: »

I'm pretty sure all the wheel is load bearing, it's kinda it's job....

Fully agree. If the damaged area isn't load bearing or affected by load in some way how would the shock of sudden increased load from the pothole have affected it?

That aside if it splits when you hit a bump it could shred the tyre and cause a blow out. Change it or repair it I would say, as many above have advised.

househero

'Pot Hole' Is a loose term. This wasnt one of those city pot holes that people complain about, this was the real deal. After hitting it, I stopped off and had a chat with my brother in Oz thru the hole.

It was on a country road, was doing 80 straight in to a 18 inch's deep, 12 inch wide and 3 feet long hole after avoiding a smaller hole just before it, with a VERY sharp lip. More like a Pot cave hahahaha. Scraped the bottom of the car too.

where can it be repaired? Never heard of this service before

Henry Ford III

Alloys can be repaired ok. Straightened too. An example:-

househero

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Alloys can be repaired ok. Straightened too. An example:-

Thanks for your help every1. I found a replacement