Driving with damaged Rim = Dangerous?

Renesis_8 · 11-26-2005, 10:36 PM

Recently my friend who drives a Mazda3 slided into a curb at around 50km/h (30mph??) sideway going into a turn on snow. (Yeah he was having a little fun....)

He damaged the front right rim and a piece of alloy actually came off of the wheel. All 5 spokes (17inch Mazda3 alloy wheel) are still intact undamaged from outside. I advised him to have the rim and alignment checked out as it might have caused hidden damage to his drivetrain or cracked his wheel. My friend is 19 and he doesnt really want his parents to know so he didnt listen to my advice.

I am just wondering from your experience with cars, how would the damage be like??

He made a left 90 degree turn @ around 50kph and lost control slided into the curb sideway. Would there be hidden damage? and most of all is driving with the damage rim safe?

The damage on the rim does not look that bad, a really thin 3 inch long piece fell off between the 2 spokes on his wheel. Leaving a bit of his tire exposed, but he isnt losing air in the tire so i guess thats fine for now.

Any help would be appreciated on this as I am really concerned about his safety, especially your experiences with cracked/damaged rim.

Thank you

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truemagellen · 11-26-2005, 11:29 PM

absolutely...could have damaged all sorts of things but one thing is sure

the integrity of the wheel has been compromised, he could be driving down the highway and the entire rim could disintegrate...if you think having a tire blow out is bad...loosing the whole rim is hell on earth

I had a friend hit a piece of road debris going 60mph, 30 seconds later his rim broke free, his car veer to the right crossing in front of two cars who hit him and totalled the car, if he had a passenger they would be dead

to top it of the rim rolled across the median hit another car breaking the windshield, fortunately no one was hurt as they were able to pull of to the side of the road

crazy eh?

if your friend doesn't listen to you call his parents up and tell them RIGHT AWAY, this isn't just about his life but other lives on the road

this sounds like I'm lecturing but seriously read this post to him, make sure he doesn't drive another second, and if he does call his parents

if this means lieing to his parents saying he slid BY ACCIDENT (not having fun) that is fine! a little lie is nothing compared to the fun he will driving his car off a cliff when he loses control

valpac · 11-26-2005, 11:53 PM

I totally agree with TM. That wheel (and probably the tire) should now be discarded. Very dangerous to continue to use it.

dannobre · 11-26-2005, 11:53 PM

Prob need a new rim.....get the alignment checked...that will tell you if anything is bent.

Keep your fingers crossed...at that speed there could be significant damage

terrypk1 · 11-27-2005, 02:38 AM

that is damn right. get him replace the rim otherwise no one will know what might happen someday with that rim.
when i got my 8, one of mine 18 rim was damaged. after i told the dealer, they were like
"no matter what happen don't drive your car anymore before we can replace that for you."

xrider01 · 11-27-2005, 03:04 AM

replace the tire and rim, get the alignment and wheel balance checked, make sure that no part of the frame is bent. if the car doesn't respond, turn, handle, etc. like it used to, then something definatley got damaged.