Buckled alloy wheel - need replacement

paulmorg

Hi,

My car just failed its MOT due to "Nearside rear road wheel distorted".

Basically I need a new alloy wheel. The car is only an M reg Clio, and i only really use it at weekends, so i'm looking for the cheapest possible solution.

I understand it may be possible to get one second hand?? The wheel has written on it (3) FPS 1348 5 1/2Jx14 4 CH36. Whatever the hell that means.

Has anyone got any good ideas of where i can get a cheap replacement? And also, how exact does the replacement have to be - can i just look for 51/2Jx14??

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Quincy_3

To get past the MOT just put the spare on and put the damaged one in your garage and leave it there as there used to be a law regarding wheels and MOTs.

If you had a damged or bald spare tyre in the boot of yopur car you would be failed as you have the intention of using it, if you had no spare that was ok because you dont have any intentions of using that duff tyre.

How true this is I dont know, but I have heard of this quite often, just phone a different MOT bay and ask them, couldnt harm could it.

moonrakerz

The spare will be steel with a speed limit on it. Don't think that would get through the MoT ?

Quincy_3

TYRES/WHEELS


Tyre condition
A failure with respect to tyre wear will result where:-
The grooves of the tread pattern are not at least 1.6mm throughout a continuous band comprising:
• Central 3/4 of the breadth of tread
• Entire outer circumference of the tyre.

Tyres must be correctly matched with regard to:
• Type
• Size
• Structure
• Location on the vehicle with respect to the axles.

Also examined:
• General condition of tyre
• Condition of valve

Tyres fail if they have serious cuts, bulges or other damage. The wear on the tyre is checked with a tyre tread depth gauge to ensure compliance. The tyres are examined to ensure that there is no fouling with any part of the vehicle.

More.. | Top of Page

Note:
The condition of the spare tyre is not part of the MOT.

Wheel condition
Inspection to reveal:
• Damage
• Distortion
• Cracks
• Distorted bead rims
• How securely attached to the vehicle
• No wheel-nuts or studs missing

An externally fitted spare wheel or spare wheel carrier must not be so insecure that it is likely to fall off.


From http://www.ukmot.com/mot_check.asp

A_Doonhamer

moonrakerz wrote:

The spare will be steel with a speed limit on it. Don't think that would get through the MoT ?

Wouldnt have thought so on this car.

If it were me I would go to the local scrapyard and have a chat with the guys there, imagine they could sort you out with a new wheel easily enough at a cheap price.

moonrakerz

A_Doonhamer wrote:

Wouldnt have thought so on this car.

If it were me I would go to the local scrapyard and have a chat with the guys there, imagine they could sort you out with a new wheel easily enough at a cheap price.

Don't think you're quite getting my point.

The spare wheel would not be an alloy, it could well be a space saver (especially on a French car), even if it was full sized - would a (really) odd wheel get through the MoT.

Same applies to something from a scrappy. No great problem with all steel wheels, done it myself, but would have doubts about an odd alloy.

Any MoT examiners out there please ?

paulmorg

It hadn't even crossed my mind to use the spare, but i would definitely do it if i can get away with it. I'm pretty certain the spare is steel, although i I'm not sure whether it is normal size or not. Bit dark at the moment, so not the time to look...

On a slightly different tack.. I can't think of any instance where i might have done damage to that wheel, but a few years back my mum hit a kerb, and had to get the front wheel on the same side replaced. I'm now thinking that maybe the wheel was damaged then, and the examiner was just being fussy today. I know it is all computerised now - does that lower my chances of success if i just try another test elsewhere??

BobToo

If the spare wheel is the same size, width and offset as the alloys it will be fine for the MOT. You could also borrow a pair of wheels from a friend's Renault for the duration of the test. As long as the wheels/tyres are the same across an axle they don't have to be the same as the other end of the car.

Either solution is a strictly short-term measure. The alloy has failed for a reason and you should trawl breakers for a replacement ASAP.

waster_2

If the spare steel wheel tyre is the same size as those on the alloys there is no problem using it the same as you would with alloys all round. The only difference is purely cosmetic. If it's a spacesaver, then there are speed restrictions that will apply.

The spare has never been part of the MOT test, it is just an old wives tale that you can fail on a bald or damaged spare.