Alloy damaged from loose manhole cover

[Vignale Focus]

Hi all 

just looking for some advice on my front passengers alloy after driving 5 hours to Southampton today 3 minutes away from my destination I hit a manhole cover at approximately 40mph which was loose blowing out the front tyre, my concern is the alloy, it seems to be slightly buckled I’m not sure what damage has been done luckily I have a spare and when I got the wheel off there’s no cracks is this something that can be repaired? I’ll be making a claim against Southampton council as I was the 6th car within an hour it had happened to and the police who helped me off of the road were witnesses.

Cameron

 

 

[TomsFocus]

That should be repairable.  Worth checking eBay/Gumtree/Marketplace to see if you can pick up a good used wheel in the correct spec though.  I've always found it cheaper to replace alloys than repair them.

[unofix]

If the councils insurance is paying then you want a brand new alloy wheel, a new tyre and a wheel alignment.

[Vignale Focus]

9 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

That should be repairable.  Worth checking eBay/Gumtree/Marketplace to see if you can pick up a good used wheel in the correct spec though.  I've always found it cheaper to replace alloys than repair them.

I’ve not looked into repair costs yet but I suspect a used Alloy will probably work out cheaper just all depends on time scale I was due to drive back to Yorkshire tomorrow 

[Vignale Focus]

9 hours ago, unofix said:

If the councils insurance is paying then you want a brand new alloy wheel, a new tyre and a wheel alignment.

Hi yes I absolutely will try to get a new alloy out of them but it could take up to 2 weeks for a payout from what I’ve been reading so I’ll probably have to claim off of insurance and have them reclaim the money from Southampton council hopefully it won’t effect my premiums. I’ve driven on the space saver today and noticed it does pull towards the left but can’t tell if that’s just the wheel doing it or if the alignment is out, but there’s a very strange whirring noise coming from the front left hand side of the car which wasn’t there before and it is worse when braking hopefully not the wheel bearing.

[unofix]

7 minutes ago, Vignale Focus said:

so I’ll probably have to claim off of insurance and have them reclaim the money from Southampton council hopefully it won’t effect my premiums.

It will affect your premiums even if you get every last penny back from the council. You will have to declare the claim for up to 5 years even though it was not your fault. Personally I'd avoid mentioning or involving your own insurance.

9 minutes ago, Vignale Focus said:

I’ve driven on the space saver today and noticed it does pull towards the left

The space saver wheel is supposed to be used on the rear and not on the front. 

[Vignale Focus]

26 minutes ago, unofix said:

It will affect your premiums even if you get every last penny back from the council. You will have to declare the claim for up to 5 years even though it was not your fault. Personally I'd avoid mentioning or involving your own insurance.

The space saver wheel is supposed to be used on the rear and not on the front. 

Wow I never knew that. Oops 😬 the AA man and Ford assist didn’t mention it I was struggling to get it off because it had ceased on the hub so I called Ford assist and they sent out roadside assistance but by the time the AA got to me I’d freed the wheel by driving forwards and slamming on the brakes with the wheel nuts loose.

[Vignale Focus]

Closer photo of the damage, I’m hoping it will hold air, a mate has offered to pick up an alloy I’ve found on eBay as he’s on his way to Southampton tomorrow himself might be worth getting a used one to be on the safe side?

[Ian Lanc]

Not only the wheel has taken the damage but so has your suspension & bushings & track rod end....... you need to have them checked too.

[Vignale Focus]

52 minutes ago, Ian Lanc said:

Not only the wheel has taken the damage but so has your suspension & bushings & track rod end....... you need to have them checked too.

Yes that’s my concern my mates bringing me down a replacement alloy on Thursday I suppose I’ll find out if I’ve been “lucky” or not when I get to the garage. I had a look the best I could whilst I had the wheel off of the car and couldn’t see anything too untoward but without being on a ramp or on an alignment jig it’s impossible to be sure. 

[Vignale Focus]

12 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

That should be repairable.  Worth checking eBay/Gumtree/Marketplace to see if you can pick up a good used wheel in the correct spec though.  I've always found it cheaper to replace alloys than repair them.

Thank-you for that advice I managed to get an alloy on eBay for £50 in great condition definitely better off doing that than having a repair done gives me some peace of mind too.

[Ian Lanc]

13 hours ago, unofix said:

The space saver wheel is supposed to be used on the rear and not on the front. 

Why isn't this mentioned in user manuals or is it and just not taken any notice ?

I've read further into this........If you have a front wheel puncture, a rear wheel is to be taken off and put on the front, space saver then fitted to the rear 🫤 Fitting a skinny tyre to the front will cause severe handling issues.

I bet hundreds are not aware of this, seen loads of cars fitted with the space saver fitted to the front 😮 😮

[unofix]

46 minutes ago, Ian Lanc said:

Fitting a skinny tyre to the front will cause severe handling issues.

There is a second issue. Because the diameter of the space saver is nearly always a lot smaller than the standard road wheel, fitting it on the driven axle (in this case the front) causes a speed mismatch. The smaller wheel having to rotate faster than the wheel on the opposite side and the speed difference having to be constantly taken care of by the differential. Over short distances this should not cause an issue but if having to drive a long distance (which should really be avoided) with the space saver then this may lead to excess heat and wear of the drive train.

[Vignale Focus]

On 8/23/2023 at 9:27 AM, Ian Lanc said:

Why isn't this mentioned in user manuals or is it and just not taken any notice ?

I've read further into this........If you have a front wheel puncture, a rear wheel is to be taken off and put on the front, space saver then fitted to the rear 🫤 Fitting a skinny tyre to the front will cause severe handling issues.

I bet hundreds are not aware of this, seen loads of cars fitted with the space saver fitted to the front 😮 😮

I never knew either but I suppose it makes sense to put a good wheel on the front, I know for next time.

[Vignale Focus]

On 8/23/2023 at 9:37 AM, unofix said:

There is a second issue. Because the diameter of the space saver is nearly always a lot smaller than the standard road wheel, fitting it on the driven axle (in this case the front) causes a speed mismatch. The smaller wheel having to rotate faster than the wheel on the opposite side and the speed difference having to be constantly taken care of by the differential. Over short distances this should not cause an issue but if having to drive a long distance (which should really be avoided) with the space saver then this may lead to excess heat and wear of the drive train.

I never even gave that any consideration but yes it would most likely cause premature wear to components over a long distance, I’m just surprised it’s not made more clear in the owners manual. I admit it’s the first experience of something like this happening and it’s been a learning curve to say the least.

[RMurphy195]

For the costs, consider talikng to your insurer, and putting together a claim against the local council or whoever is responsible for the road.

For the car, get the steering checked in case of bent/damaged components, esp if suspension arms etc. are alloy.

And thirdly, look on eBay for a wheel - if only as a spare! I've done this with my Focus, and its already proved its worth.

[Ian Lanc]

18 hours ago, Vignale Focus said:

I never knew either but I suppose it makes sense to put a good wheel on the front, I know for next time.

Saw an Audi blast by us yesterday, there was a tiny thin black wheel on the front!

[Vignale Focus]

On 8/26/2023 at 3:24 PM, Ian Lanc said:

Saw an Audi blast by us yesterday, there was a tiny thin black wheel on the front!

Usually the speed Audi drivers travel at all you see is 4 rings and a blur  with a cloud of black smoke and a sand blasting of grit😂. But I think it’s something a lot of people wouldn’t even consider I definitely didn’t, maybe that’s a more useful question for the crazy theory test questions they seem to ask at the moment.

[Vignale Focus]

On 8/26/2023 at 9:40 AM, RMurphy195 said:

For the costs, consider talikng to your insurer, and putting together a claim against the local council or whoever is responsible for the road.

For the car, get the steering checked in case of bent/damaged components, esp if suspension arms etc. are alloy.

And thirdly, look on ebay for a wheel - if only as a spare! I've done this with my Focus, and it’s already proved its worth.

Well I’m in contact with Southampton council and have started to process a claim. My alignment was slightly out but no major damage was done other than the alloy which I replaced with a used one so in that respect I’ve been lucky, what it did highlight is that I need to pull all of the alloys off and clean up the hubs and slap some copper grease on they were surprisingly weathered ie “rusted”

[agraham]

10 hours ago, Vignale Focus said:

slap some copper grease

You shouldn't really do this according to my 'wheel man' refurbisher in Chester. The drive and braking forces are transmitted by the friction between the wheel and hub - not through the wheel studs which might shear if they were transmitting any lateral force. The wheel studs exert their force by tension along the length of the stud which acts to force the wheel and hub in intimidate contact. Anything that reduces the friction between wheel and hub is considered a bad thing to do.

[Vignale Focus]

5 hours ago, agraham said:

You shouldn't really do this according to my 'wheel man' refurbisher in Chester. The drive and braking forces are transmitted by the friction between the wheel and hub - not through the wheel studs which might shear if they were transmitting any lateral force. The wheel studs exert their force by tension along the length of the stud which acts to force the wheel and hub in intimidate contact. Anything that reduces the friction between wheel and hub is considered a bad thing to do.

Yes I’ve been told this by Ford and my local tyre firm, maybe I’ll have to carry a giant mallet with me in the future 😂

[RMurphy195]

On 8/31/2023 at 12:37 AM, Vignale Focus said:

Well I’m in contact with Southampton council and have started to process a claim. My alignment was slightly out but no major damage was done other than the alloy which I replaced with a used one so in that respect I’ve been lucky, what it did highlight is that I need to pull all of the alloys off and clean up the hubs and slap some copper grease on they were surprisingly weathered ie “rusted”

I only ever put copperease on the spigot and around the spigot hole in the cetre of the wheel, and then only sparingly. The best way to vrevent corrosion build-up is to remove the heels at least annually, just to wash the muck off the backs, clean-up the spigot surfaces then apply a thin coating of copperease on the, and put the wheel back on. Nevver put grease on either the mating surfaces between wheel and hub, not the wheel nuts/studs/bolts. The latter will end up overtightened if you do 'cos the torque settings for them are for DRY threads!

[Vignale Focus]

On 9/3/2023 at 6:08 PM, RMurphy195 said:

I only ever put copperease on the spigot and around the spigot hole in the cetre of the wheel, and then only sparingly. The best way to vrevent corrosion build-up is to remove the heels at least annually, just to wash the muck off the backs, clean-up the spigot surfaces then apply a thin coating of copperease on the, and put the wheel back on. Nevver put grease on either the mating surfaces between wheel and hub, not the wheel nuts/studs/bolts. The latter will end up overtightened if you do 'cos the torque settings for them are for DRY threads!

That’s great advice, i plan on keeping the car for a long time I’ve just been looking underneath it tonight I’m almost 30,000 miles in and its looking pretty good only minimal corrosion to suspension components much less than my grandads Jaguar XJ which has 13,000 miles on it and there’s already considerable surface rust to the rear subframe. I’ll definitely get my focus undersealed in the next few years to preserve it the best I can.

[agraham]

11 hours ago, Vignale Focus said:

I’ll definitely get my focus undersealed in

Steam cleaned and waxed is OK but not 'traditional' underseal which can be worse than none if/when water gets behind it.

[Vignale Focus]

14 hours ago, agraham said:

Steam cleaned and waxed is OK but not 'traditional' underseal which can be worse than none if/when water gets behind it.

I live fairly close to a place called The Motorist which is a garage come social hub in “Sherburn in Elmet” and they offer a sprayed on under seal which looked pretty impressive, the sort of thing you’d see done on a car restoration but I hadn’t considered what complications it could create further down the line.