Bent RFP1 repairable?
 

I bent the bead lip on 17X8 RFP1. It holds air fine. I even completed the autoX day on it with no problems. There is some noticeable but minor vibration above 40 mph that goes away above 55 mph.
Alignment already adjusted back to specs.


Questions: Is the wheel repairable? Or should I just leave it and have it rebalanced? Is replacement necessary?

I'd replace it myself especially considering rpf1s aren't really that expensive. No reason to chance one's safety over a couple 100 bucks

A repair is going to cost $100 at least. It's a cheap rim. Just replace it.

Yeah i'd just get a new one and replace and then keep that one.


Maybe hold onto it in case of an emergency or something as a full size spare?

we had a lot of rpf1 bend and the wheel repair guy always said they aren't repairable.

How are these wheels getting bent?

While RPF1s are a great wheel, their rigidity isn't exactly the best. I've seen more bend than I can count. All of them seem to be fairly minimal though damage wise.
I have yet to see an RPF1 completely break-except for a picture of one I saw on the internet.

Any wheels will bend with enough force. At least they bend instead of crack.

I bent a 15x7 RPF1 on a Miata a few years ago by going one wheel off. On corner exit, the berm was raised at an angle so you'd drive up it as you exited the corner. I went a bit too far and drove off the berm; it was maybe a 4 to 6 inch drop (enough to bend the wheel).

I had two wheels like that, and they repaired them for for just $50 each. Was very easy.

I even had one that was CREASED, and they fixed it for $100. Finally, I had one that was destroyed on a curb island in the middle of the intersection, that had the lip seperated from the spoke and they even fixed that one, and gave me a discount on the other three wheels I needed fixed as well, that one was about $200 to fix, and it doesn't look pretty, but it's round, holds air, and no vibration.

Call around, wheel repair isn't as expensive and difficult to have done as I previously thought. Especially in the condition of those wheels pictured.

beleive me they break, but all those that we broke were from a contact with an other race car. We bent 2 and broke 2, one of those only had the middle left on the car.

Not really worth it to spend money and get wheel repaired. It will be the weak point on the wheel and has a higher probability to happen again.
I know any wheel with abuse will bend.
I had a Enkei RPF1 Silver 17x9 5x100 +45, I used it at 2 track events, never went off track, and had one bent! Called Enkei and they said it was road hazard, so not covered under any type of warranty. It is only warrantied if its bent from the factory. Once you mount a tire or use it, nothing is covered. Yes the wheels are cheaper than most, they are light, but when you keep having bent wheels they cost more than premium fully forged wheels. Im saving for a set of Rays wheels... Just my opinion.

For a couple hundred more I recommend the Wedssport TC105N, I had no issues so far with those.
http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/weds...0-35-1663.html

So I brought it to a recommended machine shop. He took the tire off, straightened the wheel, trued it, touched up the paint, remounted the tire and balanced it. $80 cash. Perfect at all speeds. No issues.
Thanks all for feefback and advice.

If it's not cold rolled, strength will be substantially compromised.