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Thread: Bent steel wheels?

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    Bent steel wheels?

    I change my tires to Defender 175/65/14 and I keep having balancing problems. They are always out of balance. I took it to the shop and they said the wheels are bent. Is this possible? With the Dunlops I did not notices any vibration and also got 48-52 mpg, but now I get around 38-44 tops. What could it be. The dealer checked it if everything is under spec.


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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage G4 ES CVT 1.2 automatic: 42.0 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.4 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
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    Have you hit any large potholes? With soft sidewalls or underinflated tires, the tires become compressed all the way down and the rim takes the brunt of the impact. I see this quite often when balancing low-profile tires. The Defenders have stiffer sidewalls, so they don't compensate as much for a bent wheel, so that vibration transfers to the cabin.

    Ask them to show you the wheel on the balancer so you can see the wobble yourself.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Cani Lupine View Post
    Have you hit any large potholes? With soft sidewalls or underinflated tires, the tires become compressed all the way down and the rim takes the brunt of the impact. I see this quite often when balancing low-profile tires. The Defenders have stiffer sidewalls, so they don't compensate as much for a bent wheel, so that vibration transfers to the cabin.

    Ask them to show you the wheel on the balancer so you can see the wobble yourself.
    I never had the tires under inflated, and and it happened with stock tires I guess. I did see it on the balancer. It was way off, even 3oz on the inner and about 1.75 outer. I might get new 14 inch wheels and also will check back with michellin since I want to rule out is the tires since that was the only change.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage G4 ES CVT 1.2 automatic: 42.0 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.4 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
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    That's a LOT of weight for wheels that size. Definitely time to replace the wheel.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Cani Lupine View Post
    That's a LOT of weight for wheels that size. Definitely time to replace the wheel.


    But how come under the dunlops I did not have the vibration issue. This is what baffles me.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage G4 ES CVT 1.2 automatic: 42.0 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.4 mpg (Imp)


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    Just one wheel or all of them? If just one, maybe the tire dealer's crew screwed up and accidentally bent it. If more than one IDK. I would expect an mpg loss going to tires that aren't LRR, but not a 16-20% drop.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 44.2 mpg (US) ... 18.8 km/L ... 5.3 L/100 km ... 53.1 mpg (Imp)


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    They all seem bent more or less. But the most bent was was 3.oo inner and 1.75 outer. The mpg loss is quite high but it seems to get a bit better maybe since the tires are getting worn in. What is LRR?

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage G4 ES CVT 1.2 automatic: 42.0 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.4 mpg (Imp)


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    LRR = Low Rolling Resistance. Econotires like the Dunlops, designed to reduce friction with the road for increased fuel economy.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 44.2 mpg (US) ... 18.8 km/L ... 5.3 L/100 km ... 53.1 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Aphotog04987 View Post
    LRR = Low Rolling Resistance. Econotires like the Dunlops, designed to reduce friction with the road for increased fuel economy.

    Thank you, I am not good with acronyms

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage G4 ES CVT 1.2 automatic: 42.0 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.4 mpg (Imp)


  10. #10
    So there's the rolling resistance issue.

    And going with a slightly wider tire also slightly increases aerodynamic drag, which reduces mileage.

    Plus, the new tire has a slightly larger circumference than the OEM tire, which is causing your odometer & trip computer to under-report distance per tank, which is further skewing your MPG downward.

    A 16% drop (from your peak MPG) seems large, but all these little things are contributing.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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