16" Steel Wheel Rim For 4.1

[Guest Snowy3]

Right i have more wheel problems!!

I asked garage to check my wheel that got swapped out when i skidded and they said the tyre seemed fine and it all looked ok. Not that i dont trust them or anything but decided to ask them to check it properly last week while Snowy was getting a new tyre anyway. It was quite comedy to the point where the mechanic got me out of the waiting room to show me how knackered the wheel was! instead of spinning nicely round it was all over the place!!. Sooooo garage reckon the tyre is ok but i need a replacement rim ASAP as i currently dont have a spare. I looked on eBay and there is only a whole set of wheels - i really only want the one - i have no storage space at current house. I thought about scrap yards but am a bit scared going on my own being a girl and all - because a guy at work said you have to take tools and get the spare parts yourself.

So can anyone help? anyway got one to sell? i'm not bothered about design as its for my spare and it has a wheel cover anyway. I've also tried the local paper but no luck yet. If anyone knows of a scrappers\breakers around the Nottingham\Derby area who might take a wheel off for me (if they have one) please let me know.

[Hoovie]

Snowy - can't advise you about most of this but I can update you on one thing.

As far as going to the scrappers is concerned, the days of them letting you loose on the pile of cars with your tools and stripping off the bits you want are - sadly for many (inc me :( ) - long gone. Health & Safety and other regs mean that the cars get stripped down when they go in and what you would see is probably a big barn with guy behind a counter asking what you want and checking on a PC if they have it.

I will ask on another Forum I am a member of - a few guys from where you are who will know ;)

[john1944]

Snowy - can't advise you about most of this but I can update you on one thing.

As far as going to the scrappers is concerned, the days of them letting you loose on the pile of cars with your tools and stripping off the bits you want are - sadly for many (inc me :( ) - long gone. Health & Safety and other regs mean that the cars get stripped down when they go in and what you would see is probably a big barn with guy behind a counter asking what you want and checking on a PC if they have it.

I will ask on another Forum I am a member of - a few guys from where you are who will know ;)

Is that wheel so badly damaged that you would be unable to use it in emergencies. If it has a few distortions, it probably looks a lot worse than it actally is when spinning. Keeping your speed down to 40 mph, or whatever you feel is safe, may be a better bet than buying new one. A new wheel would cost around £280 plus the tyre.

[bothwell_buyer]

Hurraw there china......

steel wheels fur the RAV 4.1 are a joke - I bent one or two and eventually it was cheaper buying a set of 5 alloys and they were stronger and they were slightly wider track giving better road holding and but.

You can try the internet - parts Gateway or any of the folk who have ads on this forum - you might get another bent wheel or a rusty one. A full set of alloys is quite cheap - I have a full set of 16" I no longer use and all but 1 tyre is good. It takes the same size tyre as the steel wheels. However, I'm a bit far away! At the moment they are piled up outside - if you know anyone coming to Scotland, you are welcome to try them out/have them. If so PM me - I'm off to sunny seaside on Saturday for 2 weeks, so I could always try dropping them off the plane but no parachute sorry.

[Hoovie]

Snowy - I reckon you should take a little Road Trip to Scotland pronto! Bothy's offer not one to be missed

I have been told there is a big breakers called "A. Looms " and that there are quite a few in the area, so if you want to perserve with the Steel Wheel, try them :)

Also, the Toyota Wheel size is not unique to Toyota - there are other makes that have the same PCD/Offset/C-Bore so if it is one that you don't car about matching style wise, that is a possibility, but best to keep same as other if possible.

[bothwell_buyer]

Snowy - I reckon you should take a little Road Trip to Scotland pronto! Bothy's offer not one to be missed

I have been told there is a big breakers called "A. Looms " and that there are quite a few in the area, so if you want to perserve with the Steel Wheel, try them :)

Also, the Toyota Wheel size is not unique to Toyota - there are other makes that have the same PCD/Offset/C-Bore so if it is one that you don't car about matching style wise, that is a possibility, but best to keep same as other if possible.

That reminds me - the set of alloys that the RAV was wearing at warrington actually came off a Lexus - altho they are 18" - still a very good fit.

RAV number 1 is now wearing lightweight racing alloys, 18". RAV number 2 wears another set of alloys at 16", but I think it has a steel wheel now I think of it - the wheel is on the spare and I think its covered - its of no use to me. The tyre on it is perished - looks like the original tyre - but the wheel might be OK.

[Guest Snowy3]

Thanks everyone for the useful replies!

John1944 - the wheel is pretty bad. When i tried to drive it after the amazing skid across the grass verge, the steering was violently juddering.

The garage put it on the balancing machine (or whatever its called) and it was all over the place. The mechanic said it was only worth scrapping and they dont sell rims so i trust he meant it.

Hoovie - glad to hear scrap yards are slighty more approachable than i thought! the guy at work does like to wind me up and i did have visions of me having to scale a pile of cars with spanner in hand!

Bothy - i have pm'ed you :D

Thanks all but i think Bothy may of bailed me out thanks to RAV Number 2!

Now i just need an excuse to go to Scotland.... Anchorman is it time for another RAV meet up??? :P

[Hoovie]

Glad to see you seem sorted, Snowy

and the best news of all, IMO, is that you know exactly why your skid happened and you have got rid of (very nearly) ;) the reason for it - so confidence fully restored I hope in both yourself and the Snowymobile