Bent brake drums after installing new rims - Toyota Yaris Forums

angrygenerator · 07-29-2013, 03:10 PM

A couple of days ago, after noticing a noise from my front wheels when driving at highway speed, I took to my local tire shop. After running diagnostics they determined that I needed a new rim, and that I needed to have them replaced immediately or risk an accident. They wanted $650 for the repairs, but being a little wary of tire shop mechanics I figured to I would get a second opinion at a a auto repair shop who I had dealt with in the past with good results.

The second shop after doing some diagnostics ($90) said that that my car had in fact two bent rims and would repair everything for $350 plus tax. This quote didn't include a tire alignment like the first shop, and they would used rims ($95 dollars each) instead of new ones ($150 each). We figured that since the tires seemed to be wearing evenly, an alignment probably wasn't necessary.

I went with the second shop, because I felt they seemed more trustworthy. On Friday I picked up my car and everything seemed fine. On Saturday morning, my wife was on the highway and suddenly without warning, found that our Yaris began to shake up and down rather violently every time she touched the brakes, and later even had trouble getting it to make left turns.

We had it towed back to the shop on Saturday and this morning I got a call from a mechanic at the shop telling me that my cars brake drums were bent.
He didn't think it was his fault for not noticing this and now wants another $150 plus tax to replaced two of the break drums on my car.

Is he correct about it not being his fault, or could something have happened when installing the replacement rims to cause the drums to become warped?

Also is there a market for bent rims?

33OH · 07-29-2013, 04:32 PM

I don't see how installing a wheel could bend a drum, but your whole story sounds pretty crazy to begin with.

I can't believe diagnosis was $90 to determine you had bent wheels, it takes literally seconds to throw them on a balancer.

Also, you said the bent wheels were on the front, and drum brakes on our cars are on the back.

I'd take the car to another mechanic/shop, tell them you were told you need a drum brake change, and hope it fixes everything.

An easy way to tell if it is bent would be to take a wheel off the back, and visually eye it up or take a straight edge. Or place the car on jackstands and rotate the rear drums to see if they wobble.

Bent wheels = scrap.

Flipper_1938 · 07-29-2013, 05:38 PM

Sounds like somebody used a 3/4" impact set on kill to tighten the lug nuts.

angrygenerator · 07-29-2013, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33OH

I don't see how installing a wheel could bend a drum, but your whole story sounds pretty crazy to begin with.

I can't believe diagnosis was $90 to determine you had bent wheels, it takes literally seconds to throw them on a balancer.

Also, you said the bent wheels were on the front, and drum brakes on our cars are on the back.

I'd take the car to another mechanic/shop, tell them you were told you need a drum brake change, and hope it fixes everything.

An easy way to tell if it is bent would be to take a wheel off the back, and visually eye it up or take a straight edge. Or place the car on jackstands and rotate the rear drums to see if they wobble.

Bent wheels = scrap.

I am just back from the shop. It turns out that my car's drums are okay. Apparently when my wife had to brake to avoid something on the road, one of the rotors got damaged. The guy also told me that the weights on the rear wheel apparently had come loose and were causing to shake.

dobbiedoo · 08-01-2013, 12:09 PM

If you were getting a noise from the front, why were they working on the back? It seems to me that you need to dump those so called mechanics, they trying to get rich, you should start learning to be a backyard mechanic. How did the rotor get damaged, did she hit something it must have been some hard braking.Well good luck.

07-29-2013, 03:10 PM	#1
angrygenerator Drives: 08 Yaris Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Nashville Posts: 7	Bent brake drums after installing new rims A couple of days ago, after noticing a noise from my front wheels when driving at highway speed, I took to my local tire shop. After running diagnostics they determined that I needed a new rim, and that I needed to have them replaced immediately or risk an accident. They wanted $650 for the repairs, but being a little wary of tire shop mechanics I figured to I would get a second opinion at a a auto repair shop who I had dealt with in the past with good results. The second shop after doing some diagnostics ($90) said that that my car had in fact two bent rims and would repair everything for $350 plus tax. This quote didn't include a tire alignment like the first shop, and they would used rims ($95 dollars each) instead of new ones ($150 each). We figured that since the tires seemed to be wearing evenly, an alignment probably wasn't necessary. I went with the second shop, because I felt they seemed more trustworthy. On Friday I picked up my car and everything seemed fine. On Saturday morning, my wife was on the highway and suddenly without warning, found that our Yaris began to shake up and down rather violently every time she touched the brakes, and later even had trouble getting it to make left turns. We had it towed back to the shop on Saturday and this morning I got a call from a mechanic at the shop telling me that my cars brake drums were bent. He didn't think it was his fault for not noticing this and now wants another $150 plus tax to replaced two of the break drums on my car. Is he correct about it not being his fault, or could something have happened when installing the replacement rims to cause the drums to become warped? Also is there a market for bent rims?

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07-29-2013, 04:32 PM	#2
33OH Drives: '08 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Dover, Ohio Posts: 7,606	I don't see how installing a wheel could bend a drum, but your whole story sounds pretty crazy to begin with. I can't believe diagnosis was $90 to determine you had bent wheels, it takes literally seconds to throw them on a balancer. Also, you said the bent wheels were on the front, and drum brakes on our cars are on the back. I'd take the car to another mechanic/shop, tell them you were told you need a drum brake change, and hope it fixes everything. An easy way to tell if it is bent would be to take a wheel off the back, and visually eye it up or take a straight edge. Or place the car on jackstands and rotate the rear drums to see if they wobble. Bent wheels = scrap.

07-29-2013, 05:38 PM	#3
Flipper_1938 Drives: 2010 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 529	Sounds like somebody used a 3/4" impact set on kill to tighten the lug nuts.

08-01-2013, 12:09 PM	#5
dobbiedoo Dobbiedoo Drives: 2009 5 door Hb Yaris Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Stoughton,Ma Posts: 36	If you were getting a noise from the front, why were they working on the back? It seems to me that you need to dump those so called mechanics, they trying to get rich, you should start learning to be a backyard mechanic. How did the rotor get damaged, did she hit something it must have been some hard braking.Well good luck.