3.3TT Issue with rear wheel

[nightstrike]

I recently purchased a lightly used Stinger 3.3TT from the dealership.

When I brought the car to the garage to put on winter tires, the mechanic noticed that the rear right wheel (the lip of the inner rim) was completely damaged. I have attached some pictures for reference (compared with a normal wheel). I have a couple of questions:

1) Is there any reason why someone would do this type of "repair" to a wheel?

2) Is this type of damage repairable, or does the wheel need to be replaced completely?

 

[bfglitch]

If you're staggered (which I'm guessing you are) looks like someone put the front on the back and vice versa, then probably swapped it back after the damage was done.

 

[Ohiocruiser]

No matter what happened to that wheel, I would've replaced it 100%.

 

[socalvn]

Don't even drive it with that on there

 

[NS_Stinger]

If you're staggered (which I'm guessing you are) looks like someone put the front on the back and vice versa, then probably swapped it back after the damage was done.

Yeah I'm guessing you're right, someone mounted the rear wheel on the front and drove causing the inner wheel lip to get shaved down by a suspension arm. Probably the dealership did this, would not doubt it one bit.

 

[Volfy]

It's kinda hard to tell from the pic just how bad the scraping/gouging was. If it has taken off significant amount of material off that rim so as to affect the structural integrity of it, yeah, I wouldn't want to keep driving on it.

If, however, the damage is mostly superficial and cosmetic, and yeah, it does look horrible, but since the damage on the inside, It might be fine to just keep it. I think I'm seeing what's left of the "lip" on that inside rim, but again, hard to say definitively from a couple of pics. Ultimately, you will have to judge that for yourself.

These OEM rims are built like a tank... and they weight like one. Besides, I see pics of bent/cracked Stinger/G70 19" OEM rims get posted sometimes multiple times every week. I wouldn't want to pay sticker $$$ on a new OEM replacement, only to hit a big pothole a week later.

 

[Snicklefritz]

OEM wheels are very expensive as @Volfy just said. I priced one GT wheel back in 2018 and it would have been $630 each. Not a chance. Used go for a fraction of that. Check eBay.

Here's the real question, what happened to your front suspension? If this rub was allowed out of the dealership lot, the front suspension will be damaged. If after "rotating the wheels/tires" they tried to idle to a parking stall outside the shop, that would have produced so much noise that only a few yards of motion would suffice to cause that much surface scarring on the inside rim. and the suspension, other than getting a corresponding abrasion, would be fine. Probably the original owner never saw this and never had the first clue.

If this were my discovery, I'd make positive sure that the front suspension is okay. I'd ask around at a wheel repair shop how much to smooth down those burs. I wouldn't worry about making it pristine, just not rough. It shouldn't be that much to get that done. Then I'd get an alignment done. There's virtually no chance that the wheels are actually bent if there's nothing structurally wrong with the front suspension.

 

[nightstrike]

Thanks so much to all of you for your replies. I took some pictures today of the front suspension assembly and there is sign of damage on the right front side:
This compared to the left side:

 

[NS_Stinger]

Thanks so much to all of you for your replies. I took some pictures today of the front suspension assembly and there is sign of damage on the right front side:View attachment 85348
This compared to the left side:
View attachment 85349

That confirms it, dummies. Never ceases to amaze me how some guys call themselves mechanics.

 

[Volfy]

Nice bit of detective work.

The scraping on the strut doesn't look all that severe. Sure aluminum is softer, so the wheel sustained most of the gouging. I would say... try running your fingers over that inside lip (careful you don't catch a metal splinter), and see if you can feel roughly the same contour as an undamaged wheel. My guess is that, as ugly was that is, there probably isn't enough structural damage to make it dangerous to drive on it. It's pretty much the same as if you had a base case of curb rash on the outside rim of your wheel. Most folks wouldn't throw out a curb-rashed rim, even if it's kinda unsightly.

I doubt the car was driven very far with the loud raucous noise something like that would've made. I just don't see the tech NOT catching it while driving out of the service bay to the front for delivery. Even if the dummkopf did do that, most car owners would've wondered what da heck was that noise and turned right back in less than a city block.

But, all depends on your comfort level on something like this. I myself would be okay, if only a bit perturbed I didn't catch it BEFORE signing on the dotted line. BTW, this sort of thing is why I ALWAYS look under the car - all the way around - while checking out a prospective buy , pre-owned or new. You'd be surprised the kinda stuff I've seen under an otherwise pristine looking cars.

But... at the end of the day, if driving on it gives you the heebie-jeebies, then it's not worth it.

 

[Snicklefritz]

Rust on the strut. And OP, you said only the RR wheel. That rust spot is very light, no metal deformity. It's entirely possible that the original owner was clueless with LOUD music all the time and never had a clue that this was rubbing, inconceivable though that sounds?

 

[nightstrike]

Thank you all for your comments, they helped me understand what likely happened. The dealer put the RR wheel on the RF side and it caused the damage on the RF suspension strut, then they put the RR wheel back on the RR side. I am very upset about what happened, as none of this was disclosed to me when I purchased the car and I am currently communicating with the dealer to get reparation.

For more context, this is a car with approximately 6000 km on it and was allegedly used as a demo car and also by the owner of the dealership group for personal use.

@Volfy Yes, unfortunately I did not put the car on the lift before signing the deal. Lesson learned. At this point I have decided to replace the wheel as I do not feel safe driving on it. Luckily I have my winter rim + tire setup on right now so I have around a month before having to put my summer tires back on and replacing the damaged OEM wheel.

@Snicklefritz Yes it does look like no deformity but I will have to take off the wheel again to have a better look.

Currently I am concerned about the consequence of the damage to the RF suspension strut, as it seems to be (to my knowledge) a weight-bearing component. From what I can see without removing the wheel, there is no metal deformity but part of the metal exterior was shaved off. What do you guys think about this? Do I need to replace the strut right away or I can monitor it on a regular basis and replace it when it will be more rusted or when it becomes deformed?

 

[Snicklefritz]

What do you guys think about this? Do I need to replace the strut right away or I can monitor it on a regular basis and replace it when it will be more rusted or when it becomes deformed?

If the rust is because the paint was rubbed off, just clean off the rust and spray on Rust-Oleum. If there is any deformity beyond light scarring, I would think of replacing the strut. With that low miles, you shouldn't have to replace the pair of struts. If your wheel isn't deformed, merely roughed up rim, as I said, I'd get it smoothed down. I bet the dealership has resources to do that. I say that because the RR wheel on our 2019 Premium has a couple of spots where curb rash was clearly smoothed out, and the car was a lease at the time.