On my 85 GT that sat for 2 years before I bought it: Put new tires on it, (205/55-16), and the shop that mounted them said two of the wheels had runout and would cause vibration. They put them on the back. Now driving up to about 55 all is okay but there is irritating vibration above that. The wheels center cap says Optima and they were put on by the previous owner. I've looked on Tire Rack and haven't been able to find the same rims. I called a rim straightening business and they wanted $150 for each bend they would have to straighten. There are no noticeable bends in the aluminum rims. Am I stuck with buying a new set of wheels?
If the rim (tire bead) doesn't have any apparent dents, I bet the mounting flange is not square with the rim, or it's off-center. It's probably been like that since manufacture and nobody noticed it before.
... the shop that mounted them said two of the wheels had runout and would cause vibration.
How much runout? Is the runout uniformly distributed or is it localized? Is it axial runout (i.e. side-to-side wobble) or radial runout?
Localized runout is likely the result of an impact (curb hit, etc.) while mounted on the vehicle. Uniform lateral runout may result from an impact, or it may be a (very rare) manufacturing defect.
If axial, is the wheel outer rim bent? Or is the wheel center flange bent? Or is it the mating hub flange that's bent? Are both the wheel and hub flange faces clean and flat?
If radial, do your aftermarket wheels have the proper 57.1mm concentric rings to accurately center them on the 57mm Fiero hub? Is there localized evidence on the rim of a curb hit?
You should have answers to all these questions before considering repair or replacement of your wheels.
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If its not square I wonder if it could be remedied with a spacer on the right lug?
Absolutely not! ... unless you don't mind losing a wheel as you drive down the road.
FWIW ... having a "slightly bent" wheel is like being "slightly pregnant." Either it's bent ... in which case you need to fix it properly or replace it ... or it's not. This is a critical safety issue. "Proper repair" of wheels includes inspection for cracks (visible or hidden), which occasionally may be repairable by welding but will generally render the wheel unusable.
[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 05-06-2014).]
What about getting a machine shop to machine the flange surface flat? As. Long as they don't take out too much material.
Removing material from the edge of the wheel might weaken the wheel and cause premature failure! That could be dangerous. I wonder of you could identify the location of the problem and then pound the wheel back into shape with a soft-faced dead-blow hammer?
In the final analysis buying a new wheel might be your best option. And well worth the price if you take into consideration your peace of mind, and the potential risks/consequences of ignoring the problem.
The center cap says "Optima" and they have five double spokes and an unpainted aluminum finish. They have multiply lug holes so they must fit other bolt patterns besides 5-100. I will take them off and look at the hubs and see if they have any rough spots on the mounting surface. If I can't correct the problem I will have to purchase four new 16 inch wheels because I can't find the same wheels. I wonder if the multiply lug holes makes the hub weaker?
Is Optima the wheel manufacturer, or is that as in "Kia Optima?" FWIW, the Kia Optima apparently has a 5 x 4.5in (114.3mm) bolt circle; I don't know the offset.
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I will take them off and look at the hubs and see if they have any rough spots on the mounting surface.
Check for hub centering rings while you're in there ... or at least verify that the hub bore is 57.1mm (2.25 inches).
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I wonder if the multiply lug holes makes the hub weaker?
Not if the wheel was engineered that way. Then again, there's no way to know for sure without access to the manufacturer. You may be better off just starting over with a known wheel type from a known manufacturer and distributor.
[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 05-06-2014).]
You might be able to find a wheel repair shop. I found one in Traverse City after hitting a monster pothole and blowing out a tire, the wheel was barely egg shaped. Dropped it off and picked it up a couple hours later, $100 to fix a $300 wheel.
I get wheels fixed for around $100 here. Theyve even replaced a 3" missing chunk out of a lip of an alloy from a wreck. They come back looking brand new. Did they check the rims with tires on or off. Ive seen many new tires that were not round. A friend had 3 square Goodyear tires on a brand new car that they replaced.
The tires were on the rim. This was an auto repair place that doesn't sell tires. I am taking it to a specialist shop next week that has balanced wheels for me before. Based on what they tell me I'll decide what to do. I hate to throw away a set of rims, there are no visible dents or chunks missing but there is some curb rash that was there when I bought the car. I only called one wheel repair service so far and he quoted $150 for each bend whatever that means. They look like fairly well made wheels.
