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Wheel Bulging or Rim Bent?

Wheel bulging or rim bent?

  • Wheel bulging

    Votes: 1 25.0%
  • Rim bent

    Votes: 3 75.0%

  • Total voters
    4
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So went on a 40km trip and on the way a person pulled up next to me and told me tire was out of balance, odd. Thought how could someone see that my tires were out of balance, neither did I feel anything so I continued on. Car drove perfectly normal on the hwy even hit speeds of 130 kmh + no issues. On the way back another person pulled up next to me and told me my tire was bulging! I immediately pulled over and assessed the tires and nothing was wrong everything seemed normal. It wasn't until I drove off and moved my mirror down to have a look at the tire to see it wobbling!! It looked as if there was loose lug nuts. I reached home safely cause at that point I was down the road. Jacked the car up and shook the wheel no play, checked lug nuts all tight, checked spacer lug nuts all tight. So I took the spacer off and tested, wheel still wobbled. Put my winter tire on no wobbling good so nothing with the axle or suspension. Swapped rear tires and that same tire was wobbling just on the other side now. Took some videos of the wobble as best as I could and I cannot figure out if the tire is out of shape somehow or if the rim is bent. I would've felt for sure if I hit a pothole that strong enough to bend the rim this much, that's why im leaning towards the tires. Have look at the videos and vote in the poll vote and let me know. Cars going in tomorrow afternoon to get checked out by my tire guy but even he is confused.

***Originally tire was on driver side when I first drove the car but in all the videos its on the passenger side***

 
Yea it’s on all the other wheels. If it is the rim don’t you think I would’ve felt it on the highway? That’s the part that’s throwing me off!

No, especially if its lateral runout as opposed to diameter runout.

Look at the reflection of the rim lip in video IMG 1965. You can see it moving in and out.

Since you know the problem is with that wheel and not the car, take the wheel to shop that can measure lateral runout. Basically you're checking if the rim is true like you would do for bicycle wheel.

You could even do it yourself. Lift up the rear of the car so the wheel can turn freely. Now using any stationary mount (tripod or block of wood...), place any object (screwdriver tip) a few millimeters away from the rim lip. When you spin the wheel, you should see that gap grow wider and narrow.
 
No, especially if its lateral runout as opposed to diameter runout.

Look at the reflection of the rim lip in video IMG 1965. You can see it moving in and out.

Since you know the problem is with that wheel and not the car, take the wheel to shop that can measure lateral runout. Basically you're checking if the rim is true like you would do for bicycle wheel.

You could even do it yourself. Lift up the rear of the car so the wheel can turn freely. Now using any stationary mount (tripod or block of wood...), place any object (screwdriver tip) a few millimeters away from the rim lip. When you spin the wheel, you should see that gap grow wider and narrow.

the car is going in to a tire shop in a few hours so I’ll get the lateral runout checked! Thanks for suggestion, I’m assuming I’d need a new wheel then?