So I was on my way home from work today driving along, when I thought I ran over a curb on the freeway at 65 mph!! (at least that is what it felt like)

I stopped to get gas before I got home and inspected my front rim for damage and didn't see anything. I think "cool no damage" WRONG, when I get home I do a double take and see this:







So now my box looks like this:



but only for a few days, I ordered a new wheel for discount tire direct today and it has already been shipped!!

I was listening to the radio and they said they were doing "emergency road work" on a pothole right where I killed my wheel. How bad does that suck?
Can I get the state to pay for my rim? Probably not (sigh) oh well.
I'm just glad I didn't blow out my tire and wreck

 

If your answer to these two questions isn't yes, you are going to have a really hard time getting reimbursed.

Was the work being done without any type of signage?

Does the same condition you encountered still exist?

If there were any signs up, no matter how small, or how far away, you're screwed. If they have already repaired the condition so that you can not document it, you're screwed.

If there was no sign, and the condition still exists get back there RIGHT NOW! Take a camera and a ruler with you. Get tons of pictures. Document the length, width and depth of whatever work they were doing. Get pictures of the damage as well. Once you have all of that then you need to go to the governing body for the road you were on. Be it city, county, or state. Play nice. As long as you are nice and persistent, you will get your money.

By the way. Your wheel looks completely repairable. Check to see if any local shops do it. If not, get yourself a sledge or mallet and a 2x. You'll be able to get it close enough that you could never tell it was damaged.

 

the work wasn't done untll after I hit the pothole, but it is fixed now

 

so, I emailed the DOT about getting some sort of re-embursment for my ruined wheel, waiting for a response. Not expecting anything, but you never know.

 

that tire is toast
count on replacing it
that heavy of an impact surely damaged the steel belts
and a bubble will form soon enough
sorry about your luck

 

Not necessarily. You would be surprised. I have had bends worse than that. The tire had to be pulled off to repair the wheel, but was not damaged. It was reinstalled and run until wear prompted replacements.

If you do end up with a bubble though, don't risk it. Get the tire replaced right away.

 

when I have the tire mounted on the new wheel I will have them look at the tire. Hopefully I won't have to buy a new one

 

sorry to hear about your wheel. my town is full of bad roads so sometimes i have to drive like miss daisy which sucks. any way i would put my rear wheel on the front if i was you. if your tire sizes are different up front you take a good chance of screwing up your trans mission! this happens alot in a 4x4 cause one side is turning faster than the other and can cause serious problems.

 

Thanks for the tip, I will do that when I get home today.

 

What tire size is that? 205 45 17?

 

yes, 205 45 17

 

Just suck it up and take a hammer to that rim, dent it back into shape. But seriously, that sucks about the rim, although common sense says the DOT should pay for it, they will find some odd reason not to....

 

you shoud be able to get compensation for this.the roads in Seattle are way bad.
i have been told by others that you have your wheel fix or replaced. make a copy of your reciept. fax or mail it to DOT with information reguarding location ect.
they should reimburse you for your wheel. even if you go back to the location and the hole hase been repaired they know when they fixed it and will have record of the road repair. i know of a few motorcycle buddys that have done this. they usally take there wheel to Fosters Wheel Service in seattle, have them repaired and send a bill to DOT.
9 out of 10 times they get a check back.. good luck..

 

Thanks for the info guys, I am still dealing with this. I got my new wheel on Monday, had the tire mounted on it and found out it had a puncture in the sidewall.

I have road hazzard coverage, so I took it to Discount Tire Co. and they "fixed" it. I was under the impression that you could not fix a sidewall puncture, but thought "they know what they are doing" NOT, I got home mounted the wheel and took it for a drive. When I got home it was leaking where they "fixed" it.

I was not happy.

I took it back and they are replacing the tire, but had to order it so I have my stock wheel on the back for a few more days. Oh well, at least it will finally be done.

On a brighter note, my ABS lip will be in on Monday and I can't wait to put it on!

 

get a 2x4 and cut a half moon on one side and get one person to hold the board up on the dent and have one person hit it with a 10 pound sledge hammer and you will have a great spare

 

Go to Discount and buy a lead hammer designed to tighten the spinners on knock off wire wheels. If you use the hammer to hit the dent out of the wheel, it will not mar the aluminum.