Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzmanb12
You can bend a rim by spinning the tires and getting a little sideways and letting off the gas, when it regains traction the car will snap back straight with the wheel still a bit sideways and put all the load into the side of the rim causing it to warp...
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This is not true, for a OEM wheel. It takes a significant impact to bend an OE wheel. The lower profile tires have less sidewall and thus stiffer, and can not cushion the load as well as a larger sidewall tires. Rubber and air are flexible and can absorb shock, as they have an affect of the overall suspension of the car. Due to this, the wheel is somewhat protected by the forgiveness of the tire.
To bend a wheel radially, you must compress the tire to the point that it can apply enough load radially to the wheel to bend it or make it untrue. To bend a wheel axially, it takes a significant side load or combination side and radial load that will deform the wheel pass its yield strength of the material. This takes a significant impact, and will not be generated solely from the friction of the tire and the road surface.. even when the traction is instantaneously applied.
Most cast wheels are not strong in material alone, that is why they are overly thick to be strong enough for OEM applications. The lighter weight wheels are thinner but use higher strength materials to create the same load rating or higher.
My guess is you hit a something hard while driving. I have been to some dynos that will use strap through the wheels to secure them to the dyno, due to low clearances. Then the straps are ratcheted down in obscure angles pulling only from the spoke of the wheel. This doesnt even cause structural damage to the wheels.
Typically potholes and other significant obstacles, as well as curbs are the most common causes of bent wheels.