[SSSoon]

Originally Posted by Balok

LOWLIGHTS - But the weekend wasn't without a bit of drama. Apparently, my brand new Forgestar rims couldn't take the rigors of aggressive driving on a racetrack as I actually bent BOTH front rims and made them slightly out of round. The vibration was definitely noticeable but I told myself to ignore it, lol. I honestly thought a weight fell off and one of them was out of balance which is exactly what it felt like. Unfortunately my lug nuts eventually vibrated loose and it got really loud at the end of the 2nd session Tuesday. There was really only two lugs fairly tight on the left front which is insane when you think about it. The thing is that I know better, and know to torque before EVERY run on the track, I was just an idiot and failed to do so. It's a good thing my wheel didn't fly off at 130 mph heading into turn 1. Anyway, we found the problem and fortunately the speed shop was open and I got them to spin and re-balance them so all was right with the world other than I'm out $1800 for bent rims if I can't get them straightened out. Even if I can straighten them out they're useless to me if they can't be used for the purpose they were purchased for and that is running them on the racetrack.

Thanks for posting - nice runs!

Question for you: Do you think you bent both front rims and then later on the lugs came loose as a result? I bent one rim at VIR last year when I hit the edge of a gator coming back on after swinging a little wide at Hog Pen. I felt it - it was loud and hard - BANG. You would have noticed if you had a hard impact on each front, no? I am wondering if maybe what really happened was that the lugs came loose and as a result the rims got bent as they wobbled around on only a few connection points....

Anyhow, just a theory.

I ended up finding a mobile rim repair place based in Richmond that got the rim almost perfect for $100 or so. Then, wheel weights did the rest. Can't tell at all that it was ever out of round.

Pete