M11 pothole ate my alloy

[fsa]

I could seriously cry right now: my tyre saga has now evolved into a wheel one. 

 

Over weekend, northbound on M11, between J6 & 7, hit a pothole in the fast lane, tyre low pressure indicator came up, pulled over and changed to spare thinking FML (got sprayed in the face by a salt spreader too). 

 

Today, went to local tyre fitters, who spotted this crack on the inside:

 

 

 

Can this be welded or new alloy time?

[m0bov]

New alloy, not worth it. Get your geo checked as well.

[mannyo]

That could I guess be welded and used as a spare, but I would not run it as a main wheel. The amount of balance weights needed to offset the weld could be considerable and it already has quiet a few more than I would expect for a previously undamaged wheel.

 

The damage looks more like you run over an object rather than a hole, otherwise the other wheel on the same side should have similar damage. Usually pot holes cause damage to the outer or inner rim rather than puncture a hole through the wheel.

[fsa]

Thanks for the replies. To be honest, I just felt a bump and assumed it was a pothole, as I didn't see anything on the road...and I couldn't exactly get out of the car and explore the road. I'll check the insides of the other wheels as well.

 

I guess I'll scour eBay for a standard VRS alloy and make a post in the wanted section here?

[fsa]

Thoughts on these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-18-Alloy-Wheels-5x112-Set-Of-5-VW-Volkswagen-/311276986011?pt=UK_CarParts_Acc_Wheels_tyres_Rims_Car_Wheels_ET&hash=item48798dde9b

 

or these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FULL-SET-OF-x4-ASA-AR1-18-ALLOY-WHEELS-5x112-8J-5-STUD-WITH-GOOD-TYRES-/321660177506?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ae470cc62

 

 

Zeniths seem hard to come by...might be cheaper/easier to just change the whole set :/

[silver1011]

You could enquire with the Highways Agency, if it was indeed a pothole then there are highly likely to be other complaints/claims.

 

Could make the pain of a new tyre and alloy wheel a little easier on the wallet with a successful compo claim?

[fsa]

You could enquire with the Highways Agency, if it was indeed a pothole then there are highly likely to be other complaints/claims.

 

Could make the pain of a new tyre and alloy wheel a little easier on the wallet with a successful compo claim?

 

I did consider that...but I wasn't able to get any photos to substantiate my claim, so I thought it wasn't worth chasing up. But if you think otherwise, I'll definitely give it a go.

[Phil-E]

I think without any evidence you'd have no chance. This is one of the many reasons to get a dash cam

 

Also... in future... for your own safety please don't change your wheel at the side of the motorway. Many people have died doing this being struck by traffic etc.

 

Call the AA*

 

*other breakdown service are available

 

HTH Phil

[silver1011]

It is worth a phone call, pothole claims on motorways are generally easier as it clearly isn't possible to gather all of the required evidence. The Highways Agency make allowances for this.

Remember also that almost all motorway sections are monitored now by cameras, your incident is likely to be on tape.

If you hit the hole and it was significant to cause damage then others will likely have suffered too.

Like I said a quick 30 second call with your location and date/time is worth it.

It may not have been a hole, it could have been a piece of debris, again worthy of an enquiry.

[fsa]

This is one of the many reasons to get a dash cam

 

Also... in future... for your own safety please don't change your wheel at the side of the motorway. Many people have died doing this being struck by traffic etc.

 

 

Once I have the alloy sorted, I will definitely save for a dash cam!

 

I didn't realise it was that dangerous...will definitely avoid in future. I just thought by the time recovery would have got there, I would have been able to sort it myself. I never considered the risks: thanks for the heads up.

 

Like I said a quick 30 second call with your location and date/time is worth it.

 

I will get this done...thanks for the tip. 

[countryboy]

Definitely looks like foreign object damage rather than pothole. A pothole would cause a dent in the rim of the tyre as that is what is taking the weight of the car on the road. Running over something would cause the damage you see in the middle of the wheel as it tries to punch it's way through your tyre and wheel.

Ian

[Lewwy]

Wow, that's some serious amount of stick on weights on that rim

[fsa]

Honestly, I didn't notice it had that many weights...I haven't had it taken in for geometry since I bought the car last year and wasn't diligent enough to take off all the wheels and check them.

 

I'll take it somewhere reputable to have that looked in to once I've got hold of another set of alloys.