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Crack in the rim of an alloy wheel.....can it be repaired?

2K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  DevilleNut 
#1 ·
Guys,

One of the tires on our '04 DeVille has been losing air. I took it to a shop to have them repair what I thought would be a nail hole and instead was informed that there was a hairline crack, starting from the inside edge of the wheel and extending up into the bead sealing area. I'm sure that the dealer is going to charge me a large amount of cash for a new wheel - if it's even still available. I was told by the shop manager that I could probably find a used wheel online, but I'm not really comfortable with that approach. Since the wheel is an aluminum alloy, is it possible for a good welding shop to repair the crack, especially since it's so small?
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
The crack that the shop found is on the inside of the wheel so there should not be a problem with damage to the chrome or clear coat. I will check out Mobile Wheel Repair.

I did look on ebay but they did not have a wheel like the ones on my DeVille. I suppose that could change any day.

Not sure why, but the leak seems to have reduced the pressure to about 31 pounds and then stopped. I'm sure that this is only temporary but it gives me a little more time to look around. The left rear tire has also been losing air as well, but like the front one that the shop found, it also seems to have stopped leaking. I don't know for sure that that one is cracked - it could be a nail. But if I have two cracked wheels I'm gonna start to be concerned.

As far as I know, aluminum will fatigue crack if enough stress is put on it often enough. Winters up here in New York seem to spawn pot holes and you can't avoid all of them. If fatigue cracking is actually the problem, then it might be a good time to look for a new set.

Personally, I dislike the 16" alloy wheels. My wife's Buick Century was 39 years old and we never had a problem with the 14" steel wheels that came on it. That extra one inch of sidewall gives a little more margin of safety when hitting an obstruction like a large pot hole.
 
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