Damn SSR COMP wheels!!!
 

Well, I was in ATL and hit a pot hole... This morning, I checked on my SSR comps and one of them is BENT!! I've heard about them being so easily bend and I thought it was BS.. well, Its F*CKING True!!

That sucks man, have those been discontinued yet? Seems like SSR drops one of their rims off production every few months.

This is the reason I don't recommend "super light" track wheels for the street (as well as respected car authorities). SSR is not the only one to have issues like this. However, this forum is stuck on "lightweight rims rule" without regards for the use.

I hear ya! I shouldn't of put those on my 8 as I knew this would happen (ask my wife, I been telling her to be careful about pot hole.. then I hit one.. LOL!).

Luckily, The ones that were bent were my worst shaped SSRs and the skinny ass ones (18x7.5s). It still drove fine as I couldn't even feel the vibration over 200 mile drive last night.. Now stock rims are back on.

Hey Phil,
Send the bent wheel to Wheels America and it will be good as new for 125.00 ( I think)

Charlie from Mazcare Inc

Thanks Charlie! I don't know if its worth it.. I might just keep it in the 8 as a spare... as the 8 doesn't have one and its pretty light.. It still works and doesn't leak..

So, how are things in ATL? Would you sponsor DGRR next year?

depending on how bent it is and how much you care for the wheels you can bend it back with careful use of a mallet, wood and maybe a sledeghammer, especially if it is just a mild bend. seriously.

I tried it with a wood and 10lb hammer.. No luck.. I'm going to take it to a press and see if I can press it down.. Its a minor bent. If it doesn't work, I'm going to just use it as a spare...

a full length handle sledge hammer is the way to go, I dunno if a 10lb hammer would do the trick.
best of luck.

I don't know why you're suprised, after all you DID hit a stationary object with a moving 3000lbs car!

that's like someone complaining their GF got preggers after a month of non stop, unprotected, awesome sex.


Stop crashing into shit and you won't worry about bent rims. I've had the SSR wheels for YEARS and no once has it bent on me but then again I haven't hit any poles, curbs, cars, people, animals, AND I avoid POTHOLES.

oh yeah, this thread is worthless without pics of the rims and/or pole.

A buck 25 is well worth it to get it done right... just send to a wheel shop.

Unfortunately, not everyone lives in an area where "nice streets" are in abundance. Many rims don't bend so easily which is why not all rims should be used on the streets.

well, I actually take it all back. He did hit a POTHOLE and not a pole as my retard eyes read. I wonder why nobody picked up on it and bitched me out :scratch: . This whole time I'm thinking this guy is a retard for complaining after hitting a POLE (as in LIGHT POLE) . my bad, *slowly backs away*

For the record: our roads suck here too. Have you guys thouht about a taller tire? Myabe I don't see the same damage as some of you because I don't run larger diameter rims with lower profile tires. Currently running 16" SSRs on 55 profile tires.

That's the problem. You can running a higher profile tire but it will mess with the speedometer calibration. Generally, when upsizing rims you downsize the profile to keep the same overall diameter for things like the speedo calibration.

well, i am about 4mph off. Speedo says 45 the speed trap says 41. Helps me not speed too much I guess but at the same time a lower frofile tire would damage the rim in case i can't avoid a HUGE pothole.

Well, most people go with a larger rim to decrease the sidewall in the first place. ;) However, as mentioned there can be consequences of that (i.e. potholes). Many rims survive potholes nicely. SSR has had a reputation for not being very street friendly in that regard. This is why I always suggest to people to get the right rim for the right application.

can't disagree. To get back on topic: 125 bux isn't bad to fix a rim but how does it get repaired? Will this method compromise the overall integrity of the SSR Aluminum Alloy rims?

I'm going to see if I could press the slightly bent lip back down (using a press). As of now, the bent lip doesn't seems to be affecting the tire or the balance...

Regarding getting it repaired.. well far as what I know, shops will heat up the wheel to soften up the metal, then by spinning or 'press' to bend it back.. Then they will remove any imperfections (metal) and repaint or refinish. I've heard most of the time it will affect the strength of the wheel but who knows..

Unless your wheels is extremely hard to find or super expensive ( and fixing it is less than 25%) I DON'T THINK its worth fixing it.

I would think that bending heated metal with a press would compromise the strength much less than bending a cold wheel with a press...

You're right about that, since aluminum does cold work (strain harden) significantly. But if a wheel is bent enough that it's still repairable the amount of cold work to straighten it shouldn't be an issue. If you bend the same spot more than once then it's probably scrap.

Offhand I don't know what temperature is required to remove the strain hardening, but it sounds like a full annealing, and for any tempered aluminum that's a deal breaker. So you'd really have to know what material you're working with before heating it.

Dave