alloy wheel broken!?

[adambolus]

Right so was going round a right had corner, half way round it turned right more and heard like a bang noise then I turned into the curb as it pulled more right, mounted the curb and hit a post.
Will find out if it can be repaired, but the alloy wheel has completely split around the circumference! I could not believe it when I saw it.
Has anyone else seen anything like this?
I would expect it from a cheap alloy wheel but not a manufacturer alloy!!

the rim has completely split in half. Its in 2 pieces.
I'm sure they should dent or take a chunk out, not split in half!

 

[yea_good_1]

I'm a tyre fitter myself and have done thousands of tyres in my time being a fitter I have never ever seen anything like this. Oh my god is all I can say take it back to the dealer it must be a manufacturer problem!

 

[jc_boc]

That is not good at all mate.......

 

[adambolus]

I have told.my insurance to look into this. Luckily I was only doing around 30 and hit a post that moved as it was in soft ground. Can't imagine doing 70 and hitting the barrier or another car!

Anyone else seen anything like this or do I have something to complain about?

 

[splinter26]

What the hell?! So glad to hear you're alright mate that looks awful, can't believe it.

 

[adambolus]

I think the damage to the car look worse than it is as it pulled the wing away, damage to the bumper, bonnet and light. And wheel smashed.

Maybe claim from seat? Shouldn't of happened really so a manufacturer fault as I see it

 

[Biker]

Do you think the alloy split because of the accident or do you think the wheel caused the accident?

Alloy wheels are normally very strong in normal use but they don't like impacts from odd angles, I have seen a few alloys shattered after accidents.

Good luck with a claim from Seat but I think I know what their answer will be!

 

[adambolus]

I don't know really. But even after accidents I haven't seen alloys split perfectly in half. Just looks like someone has pulled it from both sides its light silver and fibrous on the break line so not sure really

 

[Biker]

Have a look at the road where the accident happened, if the wheel failed and caused the accident there will probably be some markings on the road from contact with the alloy wheel. If there is get some photo's of it. It would probably help any claim you try to make.

It is a scary thought though, to think an alloy wheel could just split in two like that for no reason!

 

[adambolus]

I will do when o get a courtesy car either today or tomorrow. Shall go back up where it happened and scan the road.
Scary stuff tho

 

[Nutkin]

i would definitely go down the route of claiming a wheel fault from seat, hitting the post would never make an alloy split perfectly in half. are there any marks on the outside of the wheel that looks like it ran on it?

 

[Nutkin]

also make sure the tyre is good on that wheel cant tell tread depth from the photo but if its the right size and decent tyre then all is good to claim imo

 

[adambolus]

Yh bout 4 mm on both fronts toyo tr1 . Haven't got the car now. Being evaluated to be fixed. But will ask if I can take more pics tomorrow when I get my courtesy car

 

[Fozzy 89]

That should not happened alloy wheels are stronger than you think for that to do that it has to be a crack or air pocket in the aluminium when it was cast

Like you said could be alot worse at 70mph

 

[Nutkin]

looks like a lot of marks around that alloy so id say the wheel split first, get on a letter and send it 1st class recorded to

Peter Wyhinny
Yeomans Drive,
Blakelands,
Milton Keynes
MK14 5AN

 

[adambolus]

Who is that may I ask? Is it the claims department?
I presume a letter involving what happened, what I.think.happened and the.images.

I have said to my insurance that if this happened to one alloy, what are the rest on my car like?

 

[Fozzy 89]

Fight your corner honestly wheels are designed to withstand a impact

 

[Biker]

wheels are designed to withstand a impact

As I said earlier wheels are strong in normal use but in normal use they have a tyre and suspension system to help protect them. In an accident if the wheel itself takes the impact and especially if it is hit from the side, you may be surprised how easy it is to smash them.

Below is a picture of a wheel from my nephews Leon FR after a relatively small accident.

 

[adambolus]

I understand the spokes snapping in a sideways impact. But an impact from the front, should only mean a chunk out of it, or the alloy deforms. Not split in half. I don't think the post actually came in contact with the wheel, I think the front hit the post and it got shoved over before the wheel hit it.

this is the post I hit. It was at more of an angle but I moved it so I could open my door. .
Found 1 scuff on the floor its a lighter grey than the tarmac and it leads towards the post

 

[yea_good_1]

It could possibly have been the tyre fitters fault also from when you had the tyres fitted they could have been breaking the front or rear bead and the bead breaker might have come into contact with the wheel causing it to crack or weaken and now it has cracked the whole circumference. Did that the have a slow puncture at all by any chance?

The only reason I say this is with the BMW wheels especially with runflats you have to be very careful how you break the beads or you can potentially crack a wheel if the bead breaker hits the wheel as they are very fragile to that sort of impact.