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Curbed Mini One - Wobbly Wheel...Help!

6K views 23 replies 7 participants last post by  mab01uk 
#1 ·
Hi,

I've been browsing these forums for a while but unfortunately this is the first time I've needed to post. basically I curbed my first gen mini one a while ago (weeks) and I didn't notice anything wrong. few days later I got stopped by a guy at roundabout who said my wheel was about to fall off so checked but couldn't see anything. few days after that got stopped again and police took me home. They couldn't see anything when car was stationary but again said it looked wobbly and could fall off.

got home and jacked it up and tightened wheel nuts but didn't see if it made situation better because someone said they saw a crack behind the wheel so I didn't want to drive her. I've looked a few times now and still can't see anything apart from dent in hub cap which I don't care about if not dangerous.


Anyway, does anyone know what might have happened (best and worse case scenario) and how much it's likely to set me back?! Just so I know what's going on at the garage...
 
#3 ·
Did you try spinning the wheel when the car was jacked up? (obviously the car will need to be in neutral and the wheels chocked)

When you curbed the wheel, how fast were you going when it happened? it could be that you have bent some of the steering or suspension parts
 
#4 ·
Yep, I tried spinning the wheel when it was up and it didn't budge at all, which is why I thought something more than just a loose wheel was wrong with it.

I was probably going about 30-35 when I skidded, but I didn't hit the curb until after I'd slipped and slammed on the brakes, so it would have been less at the point of impact.

I'm going to get it sorted (I'm not driving it) but I just want to get a rough idea so that I know I'm not getting ripped off/sold useless parts. I can try and get a picture of how the everything looks if that would help?
 
#6 ·
jack the car up and check for play in the wheel bearing, grab the wheel at 12 and 6 oclock and wiggle it! If there is *any* play your wheel bearing has had it, if no play move on to 3 and 9 oclock and try again.

Going at that speed i would be amazed if you hadn't bent a steering control arm or perhaps more! It would be worth getting under the car with the whole front jacked up and try to compare your curbed side suspension to the known good side.

edit -

video included -

I can't link videos until i have 15 posts, but if you go to youtube and paste this in you should get it -
watch?feature=fvwp&v=JSsC-lWB1lg&NR=1

i really wouldn't be surprised if yours was as bad as that (if it is a bearing!)

Are you getting any odd steering feel? Any new noises? If this checks out you could just have a bent wheel, but for people to stop you it would have be massively severe which makes me think you would be able to see it!
 
#7 ·
sounds like you've either damaged/buckled the wheel and/or damaged some steering gear.

is it an alloy wheel ? and what do you mean about a "crack behind the wheel" ?

also you don't say if it actually drives ok, ie does the steering feel ok ?

if it's a steel wheel then maybe you've just buckled it and a new wheel would solve it, but you would probably need your tracking redone as well.

either way you need to have someone who knows a wee bit about it to have a look for you as it could be dangerous to drive her.


Iain
 
#8 ·
It's not an alloy wheel. I'm not sure about the crack behind the wheel, it was just something my landlady said and pointed to but every time I look I can't see it?
I'm not going to drive her until I take it to the garage, but I just wanted an idea of what it could be (and the cost) before I get ripped off because I'm a girl going on my own!

I also haven't noticed much wrong with the steering but I've only done one long journey in it (and that was after the curb!), where it didn't feel completely stable when going at speed (it wasn't drifting but I didn't feel comfortable going over about 55/60)


jack the car up and check for play in the wheel bearing, grab the wheel at 12 and 6 oclock and wiggle it! If there is *any* play your wheel bearing has had it, if no play move on to 3 and 9 oclock and try again.

Going at that speed i would be amazed if you hadn't bent a steering control arm or perhaps more! It would be worth getting under the car with the whole front jacked up and try to compare your curbed side suspension to the known good side.

edit -

video included -

I can't link videos until i have 15 posts, but if you go to youtube and paste this in you should get it -
watch?feature=fvwp&v=JSsC-lWB1lg&NR=1

i really wouldn't be surprised if yours was as bad as that (if it is a bearing!)

Are you getting any odd steering feel? Any new noises? If this checks out you could just have a bent wheel, but for people to stop you it would have be massively severe which makes me think you would be able to see it!
There is no wiggle/movement on the wheel when jacked up at all!

Do we know how much these things are likely to cost me to get repaired (in Oxford, UK)? I just don't want to take it to the garage if it's going to be more than £3-400 because I can't afford to pay for that at the moment, I'd rather just leave it at home and walk everywhere for a while...
 
#9 · (Edited)
If you don't want to go to a garage, do you have AA or RAC type breakdown cover? If so drive to a convenient place (they won't normally come to your home address unless you have extra homestart cover) and then call them out saying your wheel is wobbling and you are worried and want it checked out before driving home. The AA man will come out diagnose the fault/repair as required and either let you continue to drive home or recover you and car to your home address/or garage of choice. :)
 
#11 ·
If you don't want to go to a garage, do you have AA or RAC type breakdown cover? If so drive to a convenient place (they won't normally come to your home address unless you have extra homestart cover) and then call them out saying your wheel is wobbling and you are worried and want it checked out before driving home. The AA man will come out diagnose the fault/repair required and either let you continue to drive home or recover you and car to your home address/or garage of choice. :)

Yeah, I have home start as well. I just was a little bit nervous about getting it recovered to my garage and then it costing too much to repair immediately and then having to leave it 5 miles away for a week or two, or not being able to get it back and not being able to get another recovery to the garage!
 
#10 ·
If the wheel is wobbling visibly it must be terrible to drive, do you not feel any vibration at all? Also if the wheel has had an impact that hard, it might also have bent or damaged a suspension or steering part or the very least knocked the tracking all out of alignment?
It needs a good check over not just the wheel part.
 
#12 ·
the only trouble with that is that I've not had it (or my license) very long so I'm not an expert in how it should feel, as I did the knock quite soon, plus the day after I got it the steering went so it's never been perfect.
It does vibrate at higher speeds but where I live is mostly 30-40 and I can't feel anything in particular then. I also think it may have gotten worse by the time someone stopped me...
 
#14 ·
I know, I know! I just wanted some ideas of what it could be, so I'll ask the RAC guy when he comes. Everyone's made me feel a lot better because I was worried it'd be written off or the part would be more than the car is worth or something horrendous...
 
#15 ·
How did you hit the curb? Was it just a rub, or did you hit the curb face on? I just had a really daft though, your wheel trim isn't loose is it? I've seen those make it look like the wheel was about to fall off, but infact it just needs pushing back into place / renewing.
 
#16 ·
Not sure, I had to take part of it off to check that the wheel was bolted on securely? It is a bit dented, though. I basically took a corner too fast because I assumed it would be the same on the way home as it was on the way there and skidded in such a way that I ended up facing the correct way on the other side of the road, but I bounced off the curb with my back wheel in the process! It did take quite a hit, I wouldn't be surprised if it was damaged...
 
#18 ·
could have been really nasty Katie, you must have got a wee bit of a fright ?

hopefully you've learned never to "assume" that road conditions stay the same, and adjust your speed accordingly.

we all learn from experience/mistakes and the main thing is no one was injured.

ps always remember to check your tyre pressures on a regular basis as a soft tyre will affect your handling and could cause a similar incident.

sorry I don't mean to lecture, just advise !!

Iain
 
#20 ·
Yep, was terrifying as it's a new car (that cost me a fair bit!) and only just got around to passing my test. I've not done any dangerous driving at all, just didn't really know that the road was slippery etc. Oh well, just glad it's a minor fix on the car rather than anything more serious - and my dog was OK as well!
 
#19 ·
On the cost side. You are almost certainly going to need to get the tracking checked. If you take it to a Mini garage, they refer to tracking checks as KDS and the cost can vary from dealer to dealer but are in the range from £150 - £200.

I am not allowed to post anything on here regarding suppliers etc.. But suggest you google "KDS wheel alignment in Oxford"?
 
#22 ·
Yes, sounds feasible if suspension has been checked for any damage......the bent (steel?) wheel rim and tyre probably absorbed most of the impact. Did the RAC come and check things out? I would check the tyre carefully for damage before fitting it on to a new rim. Have you got a thin temporary spacesaver spare wheel (not fitted to all Mini's as standard) and they often have a max speed on them.
 
#23 ·
I do have one of those, yep, that's what the RAC guy was going to do but we couldn't find the locking wheel nuts...
I think that he might have missed the possible crack in the control arm. I think I'd probably need to have a new wheel, new control arm and maybe then have my tracking redone (sound about right?) any idea of costs on this type of repair? I know it's not going to be cheap...
 
#24 ·
Locking wheelnut key should be in the central polystyrene tray under the boot floor/carpet. Control arm (if required) plus fitting and tracking check will vary quite a bit depending on where you go/location, eg. Mini main dealer or local independent garage so shop around for the best price first.
 
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