How to check an Aluminum Alloy Wheel (jeep)

[VicR]

Wife got rear-ended in her 05 Liberty diesel a few weeks back. $2500 in damage including a new tailgate and bumper. The other driver hit her square on the spare tire, which pushed in the gate and bumper. It had the stock upgraded aluminum alloy wheels (not the chrome steel ones that are standard)



The insurance co. said the wheel balanced just fine and doesn't need to be replaced. I don't see how a balance would indicate if there was a crack or loss of structural integrity. What kind of tests are out there to see if this wheel is still safe? I do a 5 wheel rotation so eventually this wheel will end up on the steer wheels.



Any thoughts?



-Vic

 

[Bill Lins]

Magnaflux?

 

[mhachez]

If the wheel doesn't have any visible damage,I wouldn't worry about using it on any corner of the vehicle. Mike

 

[mberry]

My opinion is that if the vehicle took that much damage from the spare, then I would not trust the wheel.

I would have it magnafluxed or dye penetrant tested for cracks and then have it road force balanced before using it on my vehicle. Then again, it may be cheaper to just replace it than have all that testing done.

Just my opinion, but I would never use it on the front axle unless it was an emergency situation.

 

[JacobsD]

Wack the shoulder where the bead seats real hard with a big hammer so it bends the rim, and say its from the accident. :-laf

 

[nickleinonen]

mag particle inspection [magnaflux] isn't going to work on anything non ferrous... dye penetrant or ultrasound inspection...

or smack with bfh like above

 

[VicR]

Thanks for the comments. It actually did get a small gouge on the lip that would need to be repaired anyway, so I'm hoping between that and the dye test it will be easier to just replace the wheel. At least so far the claims adjuster has been easy to work with. A lot of hassle though because some 19 yo kid couldn't wait to make a cell phone call. #@$%!



I would have been tempted to take a hammer to it but honestly I didn't even consider that they wouldn't replace it automatically. I would think that is a huge liability if they didn't, and something went wrong.