Buckled alloys!!!!!

[fredfunk1975]

Was told last night by Audi that i have 3 alloy wheels buckled (2 front and n/s rear)
This has only come to light after i had 2 new front tyres fitted by my local tyre firm. I noticed that after they had fit them i was getting vibrations on the wheel over 70mph i automatically presumed that the balancing was out.
My car was going into Audi to have the oil,brakes etc checked prior to a track day (which is tomorrow 26th) so i asked them to re balance the wheels which they did but it still happens.
Yesterday i was test driving an S3 for the wife and i left the car with Audi to check and this is what they have come back with!

Has anybody else experienced this? I know the b5 RS4 wheels where replaced on some cars but this is the first on the b7?

[Brooner]

First one i've heard of with bent alloys how badly are the out of shape??

[Andyuk911]

Not heard on a B7, only older wheels.

I was told by an Alloy wheel refurn company that most 19s this can happen too. They mentioned they had a company that could correct this. They also said they have to be out alot for you to notice when driving.

[fredfunk1975]

This morning i have gone to an independant tyre firm and asked them to have a look at the balancing for me. The first wheel they check is out of balance, second one is out of balance and the third one is!!!!!
Lo and be hold i drive the car after the balance has been done and everything seems to be ok!

What have Audi been doing?

[MarkB]

So I take it the wheels are now straight again! STEALERS!!!!

[fredfunk1975]

Havent spoke to the stealers yet, they will probably maintain that they are still buckled!

[david7m]

This morning i have gone to an independant tyre firm and asked them to have a look at the balancing for me. The first wheel they check is out of balance, second one is out of balance and the third one is!!!!!
Lo and be hold i drive the car after the balance has been done and everything seems to be ok!

What have Audi been doing?

Maybe they thought you would fork out for three new rims......

Dave

[alex_123_fra]

Havent spoke to the stealers yet, they will probably maintain that they are still buckled!

That is absolutely shocking. If your car drives normally after the balancing is sorted your wheels are not buckled/bent.

I would name and shame this dealership which is not doing itself any favours by giving you such bad advice.

[david7m]

Fred, sounds like they attempted to pull your pants down If the car drove fine above 70mph before the new tyres, then unless you lent the car somebody else who hit the kurb, and you didn't hit the kurb, then surely it points the finger at the tyre place.....

"It was fine before you fitted the tyres, now it isn't! Sort it out you f'in cowboy!"

Dave

[fredfunk1975]

I dont know whether the stealers where trying to pull my pants down, i think they where just jumping to conclusions before doing anything(taking the easy way out) I have had a good relationship with them and have done for quite a few years, so i would hope that they werent trying to rip me off!!
As with my EX tyre supplier they have 4 new continental tyres waiting to be fitted to the car on Monday after the track day tomorrow unfortunately for them i wont be turning up!!!

[david7m]

Good man, if they are to blame (which they clearly are), then don't use them again! Maybe worth telling people the outlet for anyone else in your area...

Dave

[fredfunk1975]

Good man, if they are to blame (which they clearly are), then don't use them again! Maybe worth telling people the outlet for anyone else in your area...

Dave

Dave

Audi are to blame as well, they re balanced them or so they said.

Its like a catalogue of errors from the two parties! Something so simple.

I couldnt beleive it last night, i was trying to rack my brain of when i had been airbone in the car over a small bridge or something similar but i have been carefull not to do that because of the problems with the b5 alloys!

I think i should ask them for compensation

[SteveH]

I wouldnt jump to too many conclusions here... From previous experience, a 19" alloy with low profile tyres can transmit vibration to the car with a very low level of buckling. For example, on a standard sized alloy like 16", you can have a large level of lateral run-out of say 5mm and it will go unnoticed; whereas on a 19" alloy, you can have a very small level of run-out like 1.2mm and it will go unnoticed until you then change the tyre, exactly as you say you did, and then when they've "nearly" ballanced it, you feel vibrations as if the alloys trashed.

There is also a combination of luck, the skill of the operator and the calibration of the ballance machine, also they normally use a rule of thumb of permissable weight tollerance of 5grams which can make a huge difference on a performance car. Any one of these can amplify a slight buckle considerably. You could have your tyres ballanced two or three times until its spot-on. Also, as you experienced above, you can have your tyre ballanced on one machine, take it off and put it straight on another machine and it could read as out of ballance.

All alloys manufactured are buckled, as there are permissable manufacturing tollerances.

The simplest way of checking if your alloys are buckled or not is to have them professionally measured. My dealer did this for me and I got a firm report that I used to do a deal/claim with Audi HQ

I believe that Audi don't normally consider a claim unless the deflection is greater than 4mm.

Finally, in theory you cant re-ballance a tyre that has less than 4mm tread on it, as a tyre will never wear in a perfectly even way around and across the tyre.

Just my 2p

[john1975]

pretty comprehensive that steve. thanks for the information its probably a combination of what you have said. Does any one know where i could get the alloys checked out correctly? Prefarably the north west area.

Oh by the way its fred this! At home on the wifes computer and dont know my password so had to log in again with my real name!

[SteveH]

john 1975, the artist formerly known as fredfunk1975!

Interestingly is it moderate or high ( ) speed that you get issues?

If you want it independant I would search for a couple of alloy repair companies (there are quite a few) and get at least two to measure / report. Alternatively an industrial metal shop (such as architectural or secondary steelwork) would probably have kit to measure.

A lot better to have solid figures, could report that they are all good which settles your mind that its just a ballancing issue. If they are fooked, you then have solid facts instead of subjective opinion of feel. Good luck! took me about 5 weeks to sort mine out and get 4 new silky smooth again (and very very shiny).