Sad to say, but I figured out why I've got a very slight vibration in driving. I have a bent rim lip. Is this something I could take a piece of steel covered in cloth and a rubber mallet and tap back?

Kevin

 

If it is only the lit yes you can. Odds are if it is shaking it may be more bent than that.

Pound it back and then have it balanced It may have knocked a weight off or you can see if it is more bent than you think.

Wheels bent buy hitting a curb straight on ofren can be pounded back but one hit on the side like sliding into as curb will knock it out to the point you will have to replace it.

I used to fix a lot of wheels and it often comes down to how it was hit.

 

I don't remember how. I'll post a pic of it.
^^^^^

 

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Stop! I thought you has a steel wheel on for winter. Cast aluminum is nornally not repairable unless you take it to a shop to have it repaired. Often the cost would be more than just getting a used replacment wheel.

If you pound this out you may just break the lip off as cast metal only gives so far before breaking.

There might be a chance you could balance it out till you can get a replacment.

I would just turn it in on insurance and replace it with a new wheel unless you can find a used one in similar condition to what you have.

Sorry I thought for some reason you had steel wheels on for winter.

 

Looks like pothole damage 1151, you might find a corresponding bend on the backside when you take it off. If you try to bump it back into shape with a hammer pad it with a folded towel of something and go very slow(this is risky). Aluminum is both bendable and brittle at the same time, so thump on it a little bit at a time, too aggressive and it'll crack for sure. Or as hyperv6 has said, try to have it balanced out and live with it for the time being.

 

Actually 1151, cancel any ideas of thumping, and take it to a tire shop. They'll know of somebody in Dayton that does wheel truing, its usually not horribly expensive.

 

These are Chrome Clad Alloy to my understanding. Does that make any diff?

 

Not really, they'll still crack if handled the wrong way I'm afraid, and you also risk the chrome cladding flaking off. You might give the dealer a call and see if they use somebody for wheel truing, probably run into this often.

 

The problem is at this point, I'm broke.. its not very noticeable. Think if I left it it'd be fine?