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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: p3asa on 07 February 2018, 00:32
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Looking for some advice
I must have hit oil on a medium sized roundabout and went careering sideways towards a barrier.
I was convinced I'd hit the whole side of the car off the barrier but to my amazement when I got out the only damage was to my alloy. It must have smacked against the kerb and took all the impact
I thought I'd got off lightly and would just need my wheel refurbished but it looks like I'll need a new pretoria alloy.
I had someone wave me down the other day to tell me my wheel was warped and was really wobbly looking.
So I followed my car and right enough its completely buckled.
So it got me thinking that I've obviously damaged my suspension and its more than just the wheel that's making it look that bad. I then swapped the rear wheels left to right and the side that was really bad was now perfect so I'm thinking its just the alloy and a new wheel should sort things.
It could be my imagination but I now also believe the steering wheel is off centre when going straight ahead. Although I've recently hit that many potholes over the last few weeks it might be that thats caused it. It just seems strange I've only noticed it but then it was just the rear wheel that took the full impact. Would this cause the steering to be off at all?
I took it to a VW approved body shop and they want £1700 for a new wheel, tyre and inspection of the suspension parts.
Obviously I'd like the car to be fault free but that price seems quite excessive for just an inspection.
I was thinking, get a new alloy and tyre and have the wheel alignment carried out and then take it from there?!
Are the rear wheels adjustable and do you think this is likely to tell me if there are any issues with the geometry?
Lastly anyone any good sources for a genuine pretoria alloy thats not cost price from VW direct?
Thanks.
(https://s10.postimg.org/f6d1j7lhl/wheel.jpg)
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Prets are made of cheese.
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Don’t you have to get the front camera re set up if you mess with the rear geometry
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The geometry on the rear suspension was always going out of kilter on my Mk6. This is what caused the sawtooth wear on the rear tyres. On one occasion, just replacing the rear tyres from sawtooth worn ones to new, caused the steering wheel to be off center. It was sorted at VW by having a 4 wheel alignment check at a cost of about £100.
Unfortunately these things happen, which is why we pay for insurance. If you don't want to involve them, then it's a case of sucking up the cost. Obviously new need a new wheel, following that I'd get the alignment checked before worrying about what ifs.
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Yes anything that affects the centre line of the car means the radar requires recalibration. Not sure if the rears can be adjusted though.
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Ouch.... sorry to see that p3asa, hope it's just the wheel.
On a side note, it just shows you that even having AWD is no guarantee that the car will go where you point it - as I said just before Christmas to a friend of mine with a Scooby, who was telling me that his car could go anyway - right before he stuffed it into some bollards at a roundabout in the snow and ice :sad: - but then can can drive like a bit of a tool !
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The old 'must have been some oil' chestnut, used that a few times back in my sportsbike days!
i imagine it's best to get it properly fixed as it will bug the hell out of you if it doesn't feel as it should. Expensive mistake I guess but like above, insurance is there for a reason. Hope you get it sorted.
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Did something similar :angry:, hit a pothole and the sidewall of the tyre popped, Replaced the tyre and they said the wheel was buckled. Popped into a wheel refurbisher and they said it was twisted, so unrepairable .
Also trashed the wheel bearing, which VW did under warranty :whistle:
New wheel £775 dealer price
Tyre £155
Also noticed the alignment was out, VW quoted £460 for wheel alignment, hit the web and found a local specialist and booked it in. 4 Wheel alignment done and radar all ok! they ajusted the front and back and the car is much better to drive.
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My only thoughts on not paying through the nose for a wheel are german ebay. I know of a few people that have bought sets of wheels off there cheaper than you can get in the UK, although not 100% sure about singles.
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Did something similar :angry:, hit a pothole and the sidewall of the tyre popped, Replaced the tyre and they said the wheel was buckled. Popped into a wheel refurbisher and they said it was twisted, so unrepairable .
Also trashed the wheel bearing, which VW did under warranty :whistle:
New wheel £775 dealer price
Tyre £155
Also noticed the alignment was out, VW quoted £460 for wheel alignment, hit the web and found a local specialist and booked it in. 4 Wheel alignment done and radar all ok! they ajusted the front and back and the car is much better to drive.
How did you local specialist know the radar was ok? Any adjustment of the rears requires the radar to be checked.
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Thanks for the advice guys.
My insurance is up for renewal at the weekend so just thought it would be too much hassle in case I ended up changing companies.
I had a look on the German ebay but I'd be too worried they were copies and would have to fork out more money. I've just ordered a new Pret at the bargain price of £787 :shocked:
There definitely was oil on the roundabout :laugh: I've slipped at it before going the other way but do admit I could have been going slower so all my own fault. Plus my front tyres aren't the best. What a difference when the fronts are worn on a 4 wheel drive compared to 2 wheel drive.
I totally get the radar might have to be checked but it seems strange they wouldn't allow a few mm tolerance built in when thats all the rear is likely to be out by.
@Mikea how did you know the wheel bearing had went? Was it grumbling?
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You might not have any issues with the radar but it's something to watch out for.
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Thanks for the advice guys.
My insurance is up for renewal at the weekend so just thought it would be too much hassle in case I ended up changing companies.
I had a look on the German ebay but I'd be too worried they were copies and would have to fork out more money. I've just ordered a new Pret at the bargain price of £787 :shocked:
There definitely was oil on the roundabout :laugh: I've slipped at it before going the other way but do admit I could have been going slower so all my own fault. Plus my front tyres aren't the best. What a difference when the fronts are worn on a 4 wheel drive compared to 2 wheel drive.
I totally get the radar might have to be checked but it seems strange they wouldn't allow a few mm tolerance built in when thats all the rear is likely to be out by.
@Mikea how did you know the wheel bearing had went? Was it grumbling?
Yup, grumbling from that side, hoped it was just the tyre causing the noise with the sidewall damage but the new tyre had the same noise.
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Ooops! Sorry to see that Stevie :sad:
What a crap thing to have happen.
I’m a bit late to the party here but how about getting the car up on the ramps of a trusted MOT station to check for obvious visible damage and then get it to a respected wheel alignment specialist if all appears well.
Unless there’s obvious expensive damage it’s not worth the hassle of an insurance claim.
A few years ago VW dealers were being encouraged by VW to invest in state of the art wheel alignment gear but that sort of equipment needs someone well trained and experienced using it, not the work experience kid.
A good MOT tester would/should see pretty much everything a £1700 VW inspection would for an hours labour charge!
The radar will only need recalibration if there’s significant damage in which case it’s likely an insurance job anyway. If just a few settings have been knocked out of place (assuming the wheel absorbed most of the impact) then a good 4 wheel alignment will put everything back to factory settings.
It’s usually more viable to buy a set of Prets than a second hand single. If you pick up a set for say £1k, add in a refurb to one or two then keep two (one on the car and one spare) and sell the other two as singles on eBay or VWROC.
I hope it all pans out ok Stevie
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Thanks Andy, some good advice there especially with the prets. Unfortunately I couldn't see any sets and could only see singles around the £500 mark. I didn't think it was worth the gamble so ordered a new one :shocked:
I managed to get 10% off the wheel so I suppose thats something.
It will also teach me not to let the font tyres wear as much before doing something about them. An expensive lesson all the same :cry: :cry:
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It’s not so much the wear at this time of year unless it’s particularly wet, more the low adhesion of the rubber in the colder temps coupled with the competence of the R chassis leading you into a sense of security that can vanish very suddenly.
As you say, at least you’ll know the replacement wheel is brand new.
I wonder if the damaged one could be repaired enough to keep as an emergency spare?
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It’s not so much the wear at this time of year unless it’s particularly wet, more the low adhesion of the rubber in the colder temps coupled with the competence of the R chassis leading you into a sense of security that can vanish very suddenly.
Hasn't happened to me yet? :wink: Not even close, seems to be a lot scare mongering by some, regarding ambient temperatures. These are road cars not F1 with tyres light years ahead of motors i've driven over the years, which did not install over confidence and honed driving skills :wink: I haven't approached the limit in the wet and frankly doubt I will?
Haven't fathomed how OP got into that situation in the first place unless avoiding something/one?
PS Remember Cross-plys folks, lovely weren't they, we live to tell the tale.
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If you read the original post it was oil on the road. Any summer tyre like we get in the UK will stop working effectively or less effectively than it would in the summer below 7° which is common knowledge and not scare mongering.
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If you read the original post it was oil on the road. Any summer tyre like we get in the UK will stop working effectively or less effectively than it would in the summer below 7° which is common knowledge and not scare mongering.
You inferring a winter tyre wouldn't slide on oil. haha! Naff all copes with oil.
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Definitely oil on the roundabout coupled with what Andy (Exonian) has said about the R leading me into a false sense of security.
There was a car on the inside so I was taking the outside lane and just went sideways.
The R definitely is sure footed but I think when things go wrong they can go wrong disastrously as it can't defy the law of physics :grin: although at times I think it makes you feel it can.
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Haven't fathomed how OP got into that situation in the first place unless avoiding something/one?
PS Remember Cross-plys folks, lovely weren't they, we live to tell the tale.
A little too much speed to be able to deal with an unexpected situation, otherwise every other car that went around that roundabout would have suffered the same fate. We've all done something similar at some point.
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If you read the original post it was oil on the road. Any summer tyre like we get in the UK will stop working effectively or less effectively than it would in the summer below 7° which is common knowledge and not scare mongering.
You inferring a winter tyre wouldn't slide on oil. haha! Naff all copes with oil.
No it was you saying about ambient temperatures and scare mongering!