Will a dented front wheel pass tech inspection? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Will a dented front wheel pass tech inspection?

Relax

Relax

Well-known member
Wheel holds air and is round, just the lip is noticeably dented. Will this pass tech inspection?

EDIT:
I wasn't asking if the wheel is safe, just whether the tech would pass it. Wheel has been inspected and no damage other than cosmetic. I suppose I could bend it back into shape, but just bending it back will make it weaker if it isn't annealed first, and I don't feel like torching the wheel. The other option is to bring my shop manual and runout gauge in case they give me a hard time. Thanks everyone.
 
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Lightcycle said:
Tech inspections are more rigourous at the beginning of the day before the sessions start.

I've seen bikes go down during the day and still pass tech after some minor wrenching, and they're able to complete the rest of the track day. Repairs that probably would not have passed at the start of the day.

DAMHIK... ;)
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Well that seems reasonable. If they can find things at the beginning of the day that you couldn't be bothered to fix before showing up, that's not a good sign. Once you are in, if you damage something that you don't have time to fix and isn't likely to cause death or serious injury that day, might as well keep the customer happy and let them keep going.
 
Don't forget, your bike's condition doesn't affect just you on the track, but others around you as well.

Maybe you're okay with that, but I'd feel bad if I caused someone else to go down.

Had an old 2-smoke in front of me blow a hose and drench the entire front of my bike and helmet. Thankfully he wasn't running coolant or who knows what might have happened.
 
Just want to add that the track is going to heat up your tires and wheels a lot more than what you will experience on the street.

A dented rim that will hold air while riding straight at highway speeds might give up under the pressure of cornering at higher lean angles, while at the limits of traction and at much higher velocities.

You're also going to feel that dent more at >45° lean angle than you would at 15°.
 
None of the rest of us know "how big" that dent in the rim is.

The manufacturer has a specification for allowable run-out in both radial and axial directions ... check the service manual. If it's within specs, it can be argued that it is okay. If it's beyond specification in either direction, it's definitely not okay. Although there's no specification for it, you can do a similar run-out check for the edge of the tire tread (although tires themselves aren't perfect) which can give an idea of whether it has a chance of running smoothly on the bike.

It's one thing for it to seem to run smoothly on the road at 100 km/h, it's quite another at top speed on the main straightaway at Mosport.

I've straightened a slightly-bent aluminium rim using chunks of wood and some heavy-duty clamps and big pieces of pipe ... but that rim was dedicated to rain-tire use.

Don't try to straighten a magnesium or carbon-fibre rim. A bent one of those, is an expensive decoration for the shop.
 
Jayv said:
You've already made your mind up then.

For me I wouldn't want to take a chance running a noticeably dented rim at a track, who knows what can happen.
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Making up my own mind has no bearing on the question I asked. That's why I asked. But thank you for your answers.
 
Brian P said:
None of the rest of us know "how big" that dent in the rim is.

The manufacturer has a specification for allowable run-out in both radial and axial directions ... check the service manual. If it's within specs, it can be argued that it is okay. If it's beyond specification in either direction, it's definitely not okay. Although there's no specification for it, you can do a similar run-out check for the edge of the tire tread (although tires themselves aren't perfect) which can give an idea of whether it has a chance of running smoothly on the bike.

It's one thing for it to seem to run smoothly on the road at 100 km/h, it's quite another at top speed on the main straightaway at Mosport.

I've straightened a slightly-bent aluminium rim using chunks of wood and some heavy-duty clamps and big pieces of pipe ... but that rim was dedicated to rain-tire use.
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I guess I should have included more info in my original post, but assumed I had a better reputation on here than being a noob. Runout is within limits, but still noticeable. I suppose I could bend it back into shape, but just bending it back will make it weaker if it isn't annealed first, and I don't feel like torching the wheel. The other option is to bring my shop manual and runout gauge in case they give me a hard time. Thanks everyone.
 
How do you know the rim is just dented and the impact hasn’t caused structural damage/cracks that may not be visible to naked eye? And how do you know the air won’t leak when you are leaning and putting stress in that area?

IMO, you should get it fixed/replaced before getting on the track so you don’t risk your life and others’


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yup
tech inspection notwithstanding
there can be damage not visible, especially with an alloy rim
will cost you a few bucks, and tire will have to be dismounted
but a quick NDT check will tell you
eddy current testing works well on that material
will show you cracks that you can't see, yet
 
Relax said:
I guess I should have included more info in my original post, but assumed I had a better reputation on here than being a noob. Runout is within limits, but still noticeable. I suppose I could bend it back into shape, but just bending it back will make it weaker if it isn't annealed first, and I don't feel like torching the wheel. The other option is to bring my shop manual and runout gauge in case they give me a hard time. Thanks everyone.
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Noobs always need and should ask it they don’t know. Obviously you don’t know so by asking you have done the right thing.

Eventually you’ll be able to make your own calls. It come with experience.
 
It meets spec for runout, but it's "noticeably dented"? What's the spec, and what's the source?

Just checked manual for my 919 for reference, and it is more than I expected - 2mm for both radial & axial
 
ToSlow said:
Eventually you’ll be able to make your own calls. It come with experience.
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... eventually, making your own calls, gets you into a shouting match with the guy that knows nothing about your bike that is running tech, pissing off the powers that be, and forever after you are known as "That LOUD MOUTH"
MY FAVOURITE was at Shannonville I was teching a Gus Kuhn Norton, a 1970 Norton production racer, and the "TECH" guy, that will remain nameless (but if you raced in RACE you know him).
The tech guy is jiggling around my foot pedal, telling me a LOUD voice so EVERYONE, and there was a crowd, could hear that I was an idiot and I'm gonna DIE 'cuz the rear brake doesn't do any thing.

UHmmmmm.... that's the gear shift lever. (On an old british bike the shifter is on the right).

OP: if you're doing a track day, I bet no one notices.
But you say it's "noticeable" . If it goes "WUGGA WUGGA" even a little while you ride: DON'T.
 
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