Thoughts on the damage to these wheels?

So I just purchased a new Taco last Thursday. Part of the deal was that the dealer throw in Michelin LTX M/S2 tires to replace the existing Bridgestone Duelers. The tires come in that Friday and was swapped out that following Saturday. After the swap out I was washing the blue off of the letters and noticed quite a bit of damage to every wheel. The dealer is telling me that the damage caused was due to the old wheel weights. I have a hard time believing that the wheel weights would damage the amount of surface that was damaged on these wheels unless they make wheel weights that are like 6-8 inches long?! What your thoughts?


PASSENGER FRONT


PASSENGER REAR


DRIVER FRONT


DRIVER REAR

 

looks more like rock damage. specially in the last pic

 

looks like maybe clip on wheel weights... and then the act of removing them may have scratched the wheel.

 

aesthetics...I wouldn't be concerned unless you are very picky.

 

Wheels get little dings and dents over time, but I might be a PITA to the dealer since it's a new truck.

 

^^ true

 

True. when you get a careless Ra'tard wielding a pair of wheel weight pliers who knows what the outcome will be.

 

First, thanks for the responses. The clip on weights look like they could be the culprit.

I expect the wheels to get dings and dents over time, but it's kind of agravating when they get to that point in three days becuase it looks like someone was a little careless.

 

I completely agree... Go make them fix it.

 

Dude, you JUST spent...what $25 grand? $30 grand? And that shit is jacked up all ready!?!? I dont think so! I would go back there and throw a fuck'en fit!

 

So nobody thinks this happened when the weights were hammered on at the factory? More than likely it is a result of both the install and the removal of the wheel weights.

It doesn't have to be a douchebag, this would happen to even the most highly skilled tire dude or dudette.

All that aside, those marks are where the clearcoat is either scratched or gone. If left that way, the elements will eventually cause the clearcoat to lift and come off in those areas.

Marc M

 

I had damage to my factory alloys when the tire shop didn't pull the weights before they removed the tires but it left a ring around the lip of the rim. I would assume your damage is from the wheel weights as well.

 

x2

 

I agree that the clip on wheel weights were caused at the factory. Everytime you have to mount and rebalance, you'll likely see the witness marks from the previous weights unless you go inboard adhesive weights. The backside of the clip grabs (will always scratch the plating) the most but somewhat hidden from the tire bead seating. If you take a closer look, you may be able to correlate where the weights were actually attached. I have my own equipment and you can minimize dings by hammering the weight closer to the rim lip and not the weight face but preventing this occurence is very difficult with tradional weights.

 

I think they're WAY too clean and not scratched up enough to be put on a truck!

 

it does look like its from the wheel weights

 

I spoke with a guy who repairs wheels for a living and deals directly with dealers when "uh-oh's" happen. He pretty much said that if the wheels were left alone in the condition that they are in today, they would eventually start to corrode due to the clear coat being broke.

He said they are repairable in one of two ways
1. The holes are filled with some kind of resin / epoxy. (Holes would still be visible but it would prevent corroding.)
2. The wheels would have to be remachined (.0005" material taken off) and then recoated. This of course would be extremely expensive.

He wouldn't give me a price on either one after he found out the wheels were only 3 days old when the incident happened. He said, as some of you have said, make the dealer fix it. He said they will throw up the fact that the wheels will eventually get that way again after the tires are balanced, but to immediately throw back in their face that nothing but adhesive weights are to be put on the wheels or they will have to replace the wheels again.

After speaking with Toyota on the phone for a half an hour, they are working on getting this resolved since the dealer refuses to fix it.