[Skimmer]

I removed one of the rear wheels today to take it into the Big O shop to fix a slow leak. I come back to pick it up a couple hours later and they tell me they accidentally broke the wheel rim on the tire machine! :x They have ordered me a new wheel, supposed to be in tomorrow.

Has this ever happened to anyone before? I know these wheels are light and all, but man!

 

[Guillermo]

I've never heard of a tire shop damaging a wheel.
I'm glad they ordered you a new wheel.

 

[downloader]

Hats off to the shop, they are honest and responsible. Yes wheels break, rims bend and tires rip it happens

 

[Rick]

I've heard of it happening numerous times, but usually they just gouge the wheel and not break it. This is especially why I take mine to Costco, they have touchless mounting machines. One of them even does all the tire stuff for the local Ferrari dealership so you know those guys are careful.

The strange thing is they usually damage tires when mounting them more often than wheels. The most common ones being low profile tires because their side walls have less give for mounting them. I have a friend who used to work at a Big O tire shop and he said that 14"s are the easiest tires to mount in the world.

At least they are getting you a brand new wheel. I'd see if you could get the old wheel back from them, it might make a good souvenier.

 

[bug_girl]

this is the sort of thing I have nightmares about.
I need to get new tires this year.....eek!!

 

[Resist]

I've never heard of touchless mounting.

 

[originalbadbob]

They have been around for a while, but aren't really touchless. They are however much better than the old style machines with the center post that is held by the cone shaped screw on top and the bead breakers that come up from the bottom and top.
The "touchless" ones have an arm that comes over the top of the wheel and the bead breaker is done with the tire on the ground (in the position it is on the car) against the machine. That is probably where they broke the rim. Someone was not paying attention and in a hurry probably caught the edge of the rim with it. The wheel rotates instead of the mounting spoon.
Here's what one looks like.
http://www.autoess.com/CEMBTireMachinesBalancers.htm
HTH
robert

 

[Skimmer]

Yeah, I was told it was the edge of the rim that broke, so it was probably a careless grease monkey who did it while not paying proper attention. Anyway, the new wheel showed up as promised the next day and all is well now.