A customer asked me to true a wheel that was completely pancaked

Guy walks into the shop last Tuesday with a rear wheel that looked like a taco. I mean the rim was bent at a 45 degree angle, spokes loose, tire half off. He insisted I could true it back to round and save his old hub. Took me 15 minutes just to explain that the rim was structurally compromised and a replacement was cheaper. He left pretty frustrated but I think he understood by the end. Any other mechanics here deal with folks bringing in wheels that are way beyond saving?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_anthony24d ago

Had a guy get pissed when I told him his rim looked like a pringle. Told me "just tighten the spokes more." Buddy, the rim is shaped like a crescent moon, no amount of spoke tension is fixing that.

quinncarr24d ago

Respectfully, @the_anthony you can sometimes save a bent rim with patience.

the_thea24d ago

lol a pancaked wheel. People don't realize that once the rim's gone that far, you're just fighting physics. It's aluminum, not a memory foam mattress.