I guess I should consider myself lucky. Two days ago I ran over a particularly nasty pothole with both front and rear passenger wheels. It was at night and on a poorly lit street, and by the time I saw it there was no time to avoid it. I didn't think too much of it at the time. The next morning, my Tire Low Pressure warning light went on, but that now happens every morning for the first 10-15 minutes before disappearing. Typically, it shows the right front tire, but often is any one of the other three. So, when it went on, I assumed it would disappear with a little ride, but after a brief stop the warning was still on but this time showing the rear right tire. It stayed on the rest of the morning and when I returned home, I checked the air pressure to find it was about 10psi lower than my other three tires. I put my compressor on, pumped the tire back up to its normal pressure and the warning disappeared. I assumed that I had a nail and a slow leak and figured I would take care of it today or tomorrow. This morning, as usual, Tire Low Pressure warning went on as soon as I started the car, but stayed on well past the 10-15 minute time that I've grown accustomed to. But, the warning went from the front tire to the rear, so I reasoned that the rear tire was losing air through a nail hole, and this afternoon I headed to my tire guy. We could not find a nail nor was the valve stem leaking. Finally, after soaking the tire we found slight bubbles on the inside lip of the rim right up against the bead of the tire. There was a hairline crack, so small, you couldn't really see it, but you could just barely feel it with your finger, less than a half inch long and literally the thickness of a hair. The shop sent the wheel over to a wheel welder specialist and 20 minutes later it was back, tire remounted, soaked and no leak. I am hopeful it will hold. We'll see just how lucky I was in a few days. By the way, it is a 20" Kalimnos wheel.

 

tberg,

Good luck. Whether the weld will hold and for how long depends on the skill of the welder, the location of the weld, and the skill of the driver to avoid other potholes. A welded rim will never be as strong as a new rim.

Several days after I bought my CPO 2013 XJ SC, my TPMS warning light came on. My right rear tire was low, so I used my 12v air compressor to fill it back up. I didn't see any nails and sprayed the tire with soapy water and didn't see any bubbles. When the TPMS light came on again a few days later, I took it into my tire shop. They took the wheel off the car and showed where the inside of the rim had been repaired with a weld at the bead, which is where it was slowly leaking.

My dealer replaced that repaired rim with a brand new one. A welded rim should not have been on a CPO Jaguar.

Some people may disagree, but I wouldn't risk driving with a welded rim. My life and the lives of my passengers is worth more than the $1,000 cost of a new rim.

You may want to consider filing a claim with your insurance company.

Stuart

 

As said, it is dependent on the skill of the welder.

I had some Saab wheels welded by a machine shop that
happens to refurbish the printing rollers for bank notes.

Prettiest welding I have ever seen. Cost a case of beer
for the crew on a hot August Friday afternoon. I gave
them the wheels and drove off to buy the case of
beer and came back to the finished product.

I put them on without any qualms whatsoever.

 

plums,

To my knowledge, no one has ever been injured by a refurbished welded bank note printing roller. But lots of folks have been injured (or worse) while riding on welded rims.

Your location indicates that you're a risk-taker. Riding on a welded cast aluminum wheel, regardless of how nice it may look, is truly living "on-the-edge". Your life, your decision but... just remember that you (if you're lucky) or your estate (if you're not) may be liable for damages to your passengers or their estates and other involved third parties for your negligence in choosing to use a welded cast aluminum wheel.

I just don't understand how anyone (whether they drive a Jaguar or a Junker) would knowingly jeopardize their safety and the safety of others over saving a few bucks.

Just my 2 cents. I hope I'm wrong and that you never have a problem with that welded cast aluminum wheel. But don't say I didn't warn you.

Stuart

 

It was a forged OEM aluminum wheel and it had no
problems for 15 years until the Saab was eventually
towed away due to being too lazy to replace a CV joint.

There are lots of parts on lots of cars which have been
repaired versus replaced.

It is a judgement call.

Those rollers weigh tons and if they fail, yes they will
kill or maim.

I look both ways before crossing the street, and maintain
eye contact with drivers wishing to push the envelope at
the crossing ... but I still cross the street.

ps. a welded area can be superior in strength and ductility
as compared to the original. check with a certified welder
or metallurgist if you doubt that assertion.

 

Ted - I second Stuart's recommendation! I suggest you start looking for a replacement wheel tonight. Ralph