Anyone have any tips on straightening a bent aluminum wheel? #1 daughter hit something and bent the inside of a wheel. It's a modern factory GM mag style wheel. I beat on it with a rubber mallet last night and actually got it about halfway straight, but I'm afraid to get too rough with it and bust the lip off the rim. It holds air, but I'd like to get it as straight as possible to avoid vibration. Thanks

Mark

Hate to say it, aluminum wheels don't straighten very well. About the only thing you could try is heating the inside slightly and then go back to beating. The risk is this can compromise the integrity of the wheel.

Do you have any custom wheel shops in your area ? If so they may be able to inspect and give you first hand advice.

Thanks RJ. I was wondering if heat would be an option. I was surprised it moved at all pounding it with a rubber mallet.

Nope, nobody in town wants to take on the job of straightening it. They want to send it off to St. Louis someplace and say it's a 2-3 week process. The dealer wants a kidney for a new one. Checked eBay and found a couple in a decent price range if I can't get it back to where it belongs. Was trying to save the kid some bucks by fixing it, but don't want a defective wheel on her car either.

How's that tow bar coming along?

Mark

Wheels America does a nice repair job for about 125$ or get the used on E-bay

Thanks Rich. That's about what the used ones are going for on eBay. I told her I'd work on it some more tonight and if I didn't like the way it was looking we'd get one of those.

Mark

Thought I should post a follow up. Got the wheel straightened. Alternated applying heat with an el cheapo propane torch and hammering with a rubber mallet and also a piece of oak and a sledge hammer. Straightened right up. Guess the stories we hear about aluminum wheels breaking if you try to straighten them is a load of horse crap. It was a modern wheel though. Maybe that makes a difference...

Mark