Friendly forum member with 18" wheels

[MrJollygood]

I've got a bit of rumble that I'm trying to get to the bottom of. The other half decided to bump a kerb a few weeks back and ever since the ride had felt uneven and bumpy. I replaced the tyres she shredded and the car has had a front and rear alignment but the rumble is still there - it's especially noticeable at low speed. It could be a wheel bearing (I'll get my friendly local garage to check when they open again after Crimbo) but in my mind it feels like a buckled alloy (nothing obvious on inspection though) It might not be, but I want to eliminate things one by one before I start spending a fortune trying to trace the problem or buying new alloys.

My question is are there any generous forum members with nothing better to do who would let me swap a wheel or two onto my car to see if it's the wheels or not?

I'm based in Maidenhead, but happy to travel. I'll be back up near Peterborough after Christmas. Bit of a long shot, but you never know!

Thanks in advance,

Greig

[hobbes22]

Sorry, i'm in Lincoln so cant help with wheel swap, but definitely sounds like a Wheel bearing. Jack each corner of the car up and grab the wheel, and try to rock side to side and top to bottom.

[Watts]

Put the spare on? I had a wheel bearing go on mine likely due to pot hole damage and two slightly buckled wheels. The buckles have caused no issues at all but obviously the bearing was rather noisy, had that replaced under warranty.

[2007GTI]

Put the spare on?

Call your breakdown service, see what they think?

[MrJollygood]

It's only a spacesaver spare so no good for doing Gti speeds, but might give it a try if no-one has a full size one I can borrow.

Greig

[SRGTD]

It's only a spacesaver spare so no good for doing Gti speeds, but might give it a try if no-one has a full size one I can borrow.

Greig

The spacesaver spare should be OK to test for the rumbling noise, which you said in your initial post was especially noticeable at low speed - so no need to do GTI speeds to test for the low speed rumble.

If it is still there, then it does suggest it might be a dodgy wheel bearing.

[Watts]

It's only a spacesaver spare so no good for doing Gti speeds, but might give it a try if no-one has a full size one I can borrow.

Greig

The spacesaver spare should be OK to test for the rumbling noise, which you said in your initial post was especially noticeable at low speed - so no need to do GTI speeds to test for the low speed rumble.

If it is still there, then it does suggest it might be a dodgy wheel bearing.

Exactly SR. My money would be on a wheel bearing, they don't seem to be that strong.

[Ryan90GTI]

If the wheel was buckled they should've told you when it was getting balanced when you had the tyre fitted.

[MrJollygood]

Yes, but it was Kwikfit - absolute bunch of monkeys.

[CocoPops]

I am in Thatcham.
Have a my set of summer wheels spare currently, as I’m on winters.
Both sets are the grey Seville’s with red stripe.