how much abuse can rims handle before getting bent?

Well, it's that time of year in WI where we have potholes galore. On a scale of
1-10 with 10 being the most severe, I've went through some lately that might be a 7 or 8 going about 50mph. This usually happens at night as it's harder to see. My question is how much abuse can rims take before they start to bend?

they dont start to bend and gradyally bend untill one day you notice it... when you hit a pot hole and bend your rims you will know it ;)

also, we can't possibly know how safe your rims are unless we know your tire size and vehicle weight

True... and it entirely depends on your wheel. A cheap stamped steel wheel might go easy. A good stock steel wheel takes darn near explosive force to get it to bend.

Stock alloy wheels and cheap aftermarket alloy wheels go pretty easily, but a good aftermarket forged wheel tends to hold its shape a little better.

You'll know when you get a wobble that can't be balanced out. When you have your wheels and tire spin balanced, the machine will show 000 meaning perfect balance, but on the road it won't be round and show up as a wobble.

My wife had a tercel with the cheap stamped steel wheels, tiny tires, and she hit a terrible pothole that bent the lower control arm. Somehow, the wheel stayed round. It was a miracle. Contrast that with my Impala SS with plenty of tire, cast alloy wheels, large diameter, and I can't recall ever hitting a bad pothole ever in my life, and I noticed on the dyno the other day that my back right wheel is bent. Not too bad, but visually noticable.

also, we can't possibly know how safe your rims are unless we know your tire size and vehicle weight


I have a chevy silverado 1500. Tire size is 265 75 16

Damn, a silverado...? Aren't trucks rims supposed to be bullet proof..?

Honestly, i'd say you got NOTHING to worry about. Try not to hit them pot holes...go slower..use your high beams (chevy's have nice bright lights) etc..

I have a 95 ford tbird with 225 60R16 with 16 stock alloy wheels, they held up good.

This reminds me of last week when i was chilling listening to my system and drinking my coffe at DD.. This m3 bmw parks 2 spots over..nice car...BENT RIM. It was BAD looking...low profile tires i guess...

Even if your wheels were made out of silly putty, I wouldn't worry about bending them with 265/75 tires. It would take one heckuva impact to bend a wheel through that much tire, even if it was a cheapie wheel.

I have 225/75/16's on my Silverado, and after a nasty venture into a ditch one time, it bent my axle, but my wheels were just fine, this is on my 92 though, but even on say a 99 3/4 ton, have luck on bending a wheel, you'll have a hell of a lot more to worry about fixing on a truck before you bend one.

with 225/75's on 16's your tire would burst from the impact needed to bend the rim...that is like me worrying my alloys will get bent with 30's (235's i beleive).
PS
What you you guys think about 31's (255) under there with stock height?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/CBFryman/Picture200.jpg

with 225/75's on 16's your tire would burst from the impact needed to bend the rim...that is like me worrying my alloys will get bent with 30's (235's i beleive).
PS
What you you guys think about 31's (255) under there with stock height?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/CBFryman/Picture200.jpg


The tire bursting is highly dependent on tire pressure, in which case above 50 psi I might agree with you.

Those tires fill your wheel wells nicely so I think they look pretty good.

well thoes tires are the ones that are soon to go. the front are about bald. but before i get new tires i will make sure the back are too ;)
i may eventually step up to 35's if i get an extra 1-2" put on there. im also thinking of giving the torchon (sp i know) bars a good twistto raise the forn about 1" so it will sit level. 9" fender to ground in the front and 10.5 in the rear...

Ok, well it's nice to be assured that nothing probably bad happened. How about passenger car rims though? Would these be more prone to bending because they're smaller? I'm talking about rims that might be 14-15 inch in size.

well size isnt the issue, its what they are made out of. stock steel rims can take a pretty good beating, so can forged an CNC machiened rims... its your stamped and sometimes cast wheeled are generally the ones that bend the easyest....