How are Wheel issues diagnosed?
When a wheel is suspected of failure, the damage is normally obvious and perceptible to the human eye. In some cases, the wheel may have a crack that allows the wheel to leak, and this will be diagnosed by spraying a solution on the wheel and watching for bubbles, or magnafluxing the wheel. Other times, the wheel may look straight and true, but will not be able to be balanced on a high speed or road force balancing machine.
How are Wheels replaced?
Replacing a wheel requires the vehicle to be lifted and the wheel removed from the vehicle by removing the wheel nuts or bolts. Once removed, the tire valve stem schrader valve is removed to deflate the tire. Then, the tire will be crushed on both sides to break the seal between the tire and wheel, and a tire mounting machine will be used to remove the lubricated tire while rotating the wheel. The new wheel is lubricated as well, and the new tire is pushed on by hand, then the other side is rolled onto the wheel. High pressure air is blown into the tire before a new schrader valve is installed into the new valve stem, and the tire is aired up to specification. Finally, the wheel and tire assembly will be balanced, mounted, torqued to specifications, and the vehicle will be test driven.
RepairPal Recommendations for Wheel issues
We recommend contacting a professional when considering replacing tires with a larger size. Many tire and wheel combinations can be put together to ensure the circumference of the tire is the same as factory, but mounting larger or smaller tires will result in improper speedometer readings. Modification to the transmission speedometer gear drive or software may be necessary to accommodate wheel size changes.
What to look out for when dealing with Wheel issues
Oversized and custom wheels may require a custom wheel shop to remove tires, mount tires, or balance. This is because typical equipment is only meant to service factory sized wheels, which typically stops at 24-26 inches in diameter. Two and three piece wheels can be dangerous to service, and many facilities will refuse to replace tires or balance them.
Can I replace the Wheel myself?
Wheel replacement is easy, but putting a tire on a wheel requires a tire mounting machine. When replacing a wheel with a tire pre-installed, ensure the lug nuts or wheel bolts are proper for that wheel and vehicle, and that the wheel bolt pattern is correct to the pattern on the wheel hub. Lastly, lifting and supporting the vehicle, even if brief, should be done with a proper jack and jack stand.