So i've had a small accident with the car. Im not going to give to much detail as its all a bit sus. :hmm:

What happened in a nutshell was the front passenger side rim grazed a bridge and has now obtained a small crack and a graze around the edge. Thankfully the tyre took most of the impact...

My question is, is the crack (its pretty small) a problem? Thankfully i have already got a blue slip for it. Will the crack grow? Anything i should do to prevent it growing?

Other advice.

The advice below is probably better, Once metal starts to tear its easier for it to keep tearing.

ANY damage in a rim involving a crack is an issue, you can not ask that sort of question on an internet forum, change the wheel with your spare, have the rim stripped and check it. You say your tyre took the impact, what about suspension, steering etc etc. Is the tyre damaged internally?

IF you hit a rim, replace it, simple or your car will end up at pickles like so many others including one I got the other day where a wheel has let go

i would take the rim off and run the spare until you fix the crack in the rim

you can not ask that sort of question on an internet forum

Apologies, I don't know very much about cars at all. I'm only 18. Hence why i AM asking the question =/

I'll check what size the spare is because i'm not sure if its the same size.

it will more than likely be a 15 inch spare so i would put one of the rear wheels on the front and put the spare on the back

it will more than likely be a 15 inch spare so i would put one of the rear wheels on the front and put the spare on the back

Good advice ^

Keep mismatched rims on the back

If the tyre took most of the impact, there's a very good chance it's stuffed. If you need to replace it, it's not a good idea to mix and match tyres on the same axle - unless the other tyre is near-new and you can get an identical brand/model, I would be buying a new pair of tyres.

You may be able to get your rim repaired. Either way, as already said, take it off immediately and don't drive on it until you have the rim and tyre replaced.

Apologies, I don't know very much about cars at all. I'm only 18. Hence why i AM asking the question =/

I'll check what size the spare is because i'm not sure if its the same size.

Not having a go at you mate, just stating without seeing the wheel, less tyre in the flesh no one can safely say if is safe or not, anyone who may say it is ok to drive on could be risking both your and others lives

Unlike steel rims that bend in an accident and then cause annoying wobbles, an alloy rim with a crack should be junked. The crack you see most likely continues well into the rest of the rim and having a large lump of alloy rim fall off, with instant tyre deflation, at any speed can be at minimum annoying and at worst, fatal. Don't risk it.

Years ago, I did a driver training course with the Aust Federal Police. The first thing they showed us was a piece of denim wrapped in an old inner tube. They folded the assembly over the edge of a step and hit it lightly with a hammer, simulating a tyre hitting a pothole. They then unwrapped the assembly and the denim had been cut. The rubber of the inner tube showed no damage at all, but the cut denim showed what can happen as you drive on a normal road and how your tyres can be damaged without you being aware. Definitely discard the tyre, and what has been said about cracks propagating is spot on - discard the rim as well. Also, get your front suspension and wheel alignment checked because they are probably changed as well.

Not having a go at you mate, just stating without seeing the wheel, less tyre in the flesh no one can safely say if is safe or not, anyone who may say it is ok to drive on could be risking both your and others lives

Thanks Madmanga, i didn't think so. =) i just felt a bit annoyed. It's all good.

Is having the rim repaired an ok short term solution? I'm jobless at the moment so money is tight. The crack by the way is about index finger length and 2mm or less deep. I'm very sure! I don't know if the tyre took most of the impact. As far as i can tell is whats happend is its scraped a gutter while going past. We were in town so it would have hit at 50k/m. Like i said, i was asleep.

I just need an option thats going to last maybe 3-4 months as buying a new rim is costly. Can tyre specialists repair them?

No. You should not get the rim repaired if it's cracked.

If you can't afford repairs and maintenance on a car then you should not own a car. What if you go out there on a half-arsed repair-job rim and kill someone?
I know, it can't happen to you.

Harsh, yes. Wrong, no.

Stockies back on, till you can afford to have it replaced.

Once the stockies are on drive it straight to a mechanic or steering & suspension specialist and get it checked out!

SuFz

ANY damage in a rim involving a crack is an issue, you can not ask that sort of question on an internet forum, change the wheel with your spare, have the rim stripped and check it. You say your tyre took the impact, what about suspension, steering etc etc. Is the tyre damaged internally?

IF you hit a rim, replace it, simple or your car will end up at pickles like so many others including one I got the other day where a wheel has let go

can i just ask why is it that you cannot ask about this on the internet????

can i just ask why is it that you cannot ask about this on the internet????

Mal was pointing out that everyone on the forum, having not seen the crack, let alone any other damage it may have caused to the car, cannot recommend whether it is safe to drive on, it needs to be taken to a mechanic. Phrasing may have been a bit off but that was what he was getting at. As he stated a few posts later..

Is having the rim repaired an ok short term solution? I'm jobless at the moment so money is tight. The crack by the way is about index finger length and 2mm or less deep.
A repair would be a permanent solution, but it's not cheap - I would guesstimate that it would come close to the cost of a brand new wheel. Punch 'alloy wheel repair' into Google and you'll get a few results of specialists who can repair alloy wheel damage.

i have cracked 3 rims (not my driving, apprently the rims i had were a poor design) 2 of these leaked air the third one didnt as it found it before it got to bad, deff swap it immediatly, i couldnt repair my rims as the crack was in the spoke, it depends where the crack is and how big it is if they can repair it.

As a general rule;

If the wheel has a crack in it, we won't let your car out of the workshop with that wheel on the car, because we won't be responsible for the crash that kills people when it lets go completely.

Safe > Sorry.

As for the tyre, it depends on how and where it was hit. Any serious split in the sidewall or any broken cord, and it's stuffed and is only good to be thrown away.

If you can't afford repairs and maintenance on a car then you should not own a car. What if you go out there on a half-arsed repair-job rim and kill someone?
I know, it can't happen to you.

Harsh, yes. Wrong, no.

Sorry XiLurk but i don't think this statement is fair at all. Because i earnt the right to OWN this car. Hello, i earnt the money. I was NOT expecting this to happen but it did and i'm doing something about it. I think thats very harsh and considering that i'm only asking for advice on what to do ABOUT the crack. If you think i'm not doing something to get this fixed then you need to re-read the previous posts and think again.

..GONE.. A few posts back someone suggested putting the spare onto the rear and moving the rear tyre to the front. Firstly, Will this affect the ride height? Secondly, how long will this be a short term option before it has any long term affect if any? I also doubt any damage to the steering has been done as i checked panel damage and there is none. So i think its only scraped as we've driven past the gutter and not that we've driven over it. But i'll get it looked at for safety.

I'm doing the best i can to describe the crack but can i confirm i am not asking whether its safe to use but WHAT I SHOULD DO. And what are the consequences of the crack itself. Not "should i just ignore it and kill people"

I am currently in the process of getting a quote from the BSA Motorsports company about a new rim. I'll hopefully have it asap. Hopefully this solves everything!
I looked into repairs and it can be done supposedly since the crack is only just near the curve and not in a spoke. But i am waiting to see how much the Rim will cost first.

Thanks to those who've been very helpfull.
No thanks to those who like to rub in my face i'm young and so i must think i'm invincible.

Yeah, some people on this forum are a bit to convinced that there is only one way to do things, I just try to ignore that stuff because everyone is different.

As stated, a damaged alloy wheel is not safe to drive on and doing so will only cause more damage or complete failure.
Damaged alloys can sometimes be repaired. You will have to find a specialist repairer though, "tyre" shops do not repair alloy wheels.
One repairer that I know of is "Neales Wheels" - at least they used to make & repair wheels about 20 years ago, not sure if they still do, but they are at 30 Gould Street, South Strathfield if that's any help and have a website.

If the cost of repair is prohibitive, look out for some 2nd hand wheels - eg: a stock to match your existing spare shouldn't cost much, or make friends with ppl here and maybe you can borrow one for a while :)

As for rolling diameter difference between your alloys and spare - there shouldn't be any !
When switching to aftermarket rims, if increasing the diameter of wheel, then the profile of the tyre should be reduced so that the overall diameter of the tyre remains the same (at least within + or - 15mm, which is about 2%).
A minor difference like that shouldn't have any impact on diffs over the short term, but if you put the odd wheel on the back, then it will have no effect.

Cheers + good luck with the repair/replacement.
Graham.

Well it looks like i'm pulling out the spare tyre to have a better look! =)

Thanks Oggy! I'll keep you posted.

I recently had a crack repaired on my rim, I think it cost around $120?

Was done by Allmag Wheel Repairs in Ingleburn.

My 2 cents worth as a tyre fitter.

Rims that had been damaged, In My Persona Opinion should be replaced. Metal has an annoying habit of cold-working itself when going past its limit of elasticity and affecting its strength as well as shape. I've seen tyres that came in after hitting potholes with cracks on the inside of the tire as well as belts poking through the rubber. If your wheel was in THAT hard a bump then get a new wheel and tire if you can. really is the safest option.

Second. The damage to steering and suspension.
Can EASILY happen. steering rack could bend, so can the suspension arms. Just because you had no visible panel damage doesn't mean chassis is intact. Your wheel alignment was very likely thrown out by that impact. For your own sake and sake of safety check your cars underside. MadMagna might sound a little too direct for some but he is not there to piss you off. He is just honest. As someone who is involved with Magnas on daily basis he knows whats what and I'd listen to what he has to say.

Since your car is FWD then, as some suggested, rotate BOTH rear wheels to the front, front to rear and put a spare on the back. That'll save the diff at least. As for your ride height - don't worry about superficial appearances as I'd much rather look weird then have a car with mechanical problem. Also thats why when I bought my alloys I bought 5 rims and tires so if that sort of thing DOES happen I still have everything in order.