So, I have been tracking down my mystery wobble and I have pin-pointed to a suspected bent wheel. This "discount" tire shop..hint hint.. I feel has been giving me a run-around. I bought 4 OE wheels of an F250, (the 8 large hole ones) and I had tires put on them at that place. They neglected to note or inform me I had a bent wheel until I came back a week later asking why there were 6 1.5g weights one one side causing all this rear end axle blah blah blah thing. So yesterday I picked 3 more of the same wheels to replace the bent one, So after I pay the "discount" tire shop to swap them out where he and 2 others "adjusted" the machine where he brings me over and shows me the that the 3 wheels I brought were all bent! He was very quick to offer me a price on aftermarket wheels that looked similar, My question is are these wheels prone to bending? or is there a chance that they could have "adjusted" the machine to appear bent? I am getting a second opinion tomorrow, I am just looking for 4 straight wheels, I have 7 now I think theres at least 4 good ones!

 

Perhaps he does not have the correct adapters and the wheel is crooked on his machine? Trying to fix that with weights will make the wheel unbalanced on your truck - you could maybe get further towards a solution by asking him to put his "suggested" wheels on his balancer and see if they run true? Or like you're thinking, he makes them wobble purposely. That's bad business.
Are they up/down wobble or side/side wobble? I've never heard of anyone bending an 8 bolt wheel, not to say it's impossible, but it sure sounds unlikely.

 

sounds more likely that he doesn't have the proper adapter for the rim to his machine

 

I am with the other guys that they are not doing something right or don't have the right tool.

 

You can check for a bent wheel easily enough. Jack up one front wheel and install the rim/wheel on the hub. Spin the wheel by hand and check to see if the bead section of the rim runs true (no wobble). Check both the inside and outside of the rim.

If you have or can borrow a dial indicator, you can get exact measurements - probably better than a tire shop's equipment would give.

I tend to agree with Smokeispower. It is very tough to bend a stock rim let alone all of them!

Lou Braun

 

r u putting large tires on? perhaps off road tires?

 

Well I got fed up with all this tire shop run around so I took it in to a rim shop and they said I have 2 bent ones. One of the bent ones has a crack and a bend in it. I will be going aftermarket for 375 for all 4 American racing wheels with a 3 year warranty including replacement if I bend them. Now what to do with 7 wheels and brand new ford center caps ? Well it's resolved now!

 

Well, if you have 7 and two are bent, that leaves you with 5 good ones, right? Sounds like you have a good set of four with a matching spare to SELL!

 

Thats the plan! Plus I kinda like the way the new wheels look Ill put up pics once its all done!