[NDLBox]

#@!$!%$!!! After only about a week of having my new (well, new to me, but still under 1,000 miles lifetime on them) Gold BBS Rims on my STI, at 2AM on Sunday I nailed a massive pothole coming out of NYC. I was only doing 35 or 40MPH, but I'm pretty sure I still bent the rim - it must of been a deep hole, the impact was so hard and loud it made my ears ring. I'm going to have a pro look at it this week.

Anyway, I'm sure this is one of those highly debatable topics (like powdercoating), but are forged wheels repairable in a way that they would stay strong enough to be considered safe and reliable?

Or should I just suck it up an pay $750 + tax and shipping for a new one?

[dewey]

It seems like you dont sound too sure your wheel is bent. Do you get some vibrations? does your car still go straight? Does your tire still hold air?

[pdivizzle0112]

why not just put the car on 4 jackstands and put it in gear and let them spin and find out?

trust me, ive hit some hard **** going fast with my bbs, and theyre perfect. the strongest wheels ive ever owned

[NDLBox]

Well, I've bent rims twice before (lovely roads here we have in NY), I think I feel a similar vibration. I'll check the air tomorrow. The other thing I need to do is look for a tell-tale bubble in the tire. Each I bent a wheel on my Acura the tire was ruined too.

The problem is I'm still having issues with nasty vibrations on the highway anyway (from an accident in December), so it's hard to tell if it's coming from the wheel for sure.

I think the easiest way to tell for sure is to just throw it on the a balancing machine. There is a shop near me that will do this for free.

[NDLBox]

Had it in today - it was bent.

Luckily, another IWSTI member was there having some curb-rashed Goldies swapped off his white STI. He kindly sold me one for a fraction of what they wanted ($900 I think they quoted me!!!).

Great community we have here.

Since the other wheel is cosmetically perfect, I think next time I head up to Mass on business I'll drop it off at the wheel straightening place they have up in Newton. I understand it has a very good reputation. Then I'll swap off the curb-rashed one and keep it as a spare.

Still interested in hearing everyone's opinion about if it's wise to straighten forged rims or not.

[ChazzMichaelMichaels]

Wow, that must have been some helluva pot hole! Those BBS wheels are tough as nails. I've hit a few bad ones going decently fast and my wheels were ok.

[TrkWhre]

its really hard to straighten a forged rim and keep its durable properties.

[lawnmower22]

I have straightened a forged wheel before. It was a Work RZR or something like that. It held up great and still is on the road today as far as I know. It should be noted that these wheels were never used on the track and only saw daily driving duties.

[USNSTI]

For a normal vehicle it would probably be OK. But a vehicle like the STI demands the best. IMO.

[A1ainSTI]

I've hit a super pot hole on a dirt road going 40mph

only the rear wheel fell in. The bump was so hard, my wiper lever went down two notches.

Straight wheel