Cost To Fix Wheel Bent Inwards

If a wheel is bent, cracked, or heavily corroded, it should be replaced. Otherwise, the tire may separate from the wheel or cause a loss of handling control.  In this article, we are going to talk about how much you would have to spend in case you have to fix a wheel which has been bent inwards after an accident.

How Much It Cost To Fix Wheel Bent Inwards After Accident?

Depending on what exactly has to be replaced or fixed, you will have to pay anywhere between $110 and $5,100 for repairing a bent wheel after an accident.

For example, if you have to fix the alignment it would be pretty cheap while repairing a suspension or a bent frame will put you in the situation of paying much more. Also, you have to take into consideration that the lower control arm, the axle, or the struts have to be replaced as well.

After an accident, you will have to take your vehicle or have it towed to a body shop. There are professionals who are able to tell you exactly what has to be repaired and even offer a price estimate on the spot. The table below will give you the average costs of different types of repairs.

As you can see, the prices are very different and depend on the type of work that has to be done. Here we are going to talk about each of these repairs.

Strut Replacement

The struts are the smaller parts of the large suspension assembly. Their role is to absorb the irregularities that may appear on the road like the potholes.  These parts are located above the tires.

You might also like our articles on the cost of a wheel alignment, ball joint replacement, or shocks and struts replacement.

So, most probably your car’s struts may be damaged if your tire has been bent inwards. If not replaced in time, the faulty struts will affect other car components because of the excessive shaking and bouncing.

In case only one strut is broken, you can replace this on its own for the price of $200 to $430. Though, it is recommended to replace them in pairs every time. Depending on the make and model of your car, you will have to pay anywhere between $320 and $850 for a new pair of front struts.

Fixing a bent suspension

One of the most expensive problems of a bent wheel is a bent suspension. You have to take your car to a mechanic as soon as possible if you think that the suspension is bent. They have special tools for verifying the SAI angle and the chamber. Using those measurements they will be able to tell you if the suspension is really bent.

You should be prepared to spend anywhere between $1,100 and $5,200 for a full suspension repair, depending on the make and model of your car.

Fixing a bent frame

Another important problem that comes with a bent wheel is a bent frame. In general, this happens in high-speed collision accidents. So, if you have been involved in a severe accident, you will need to take your car to a mechanic to verify the frame.

As the car’s frame is part of its body, you will have to take the car to a body shop to push the frame back in place. These mechanics use hydraulic machines and special tools to push the frame back into place using extremely high pressure. Depending on the complexity of the damage, you will have to pay around $820 for fixing a bent frame.

Wheel Alignment

Actually, a tire or wheel alignment does not adjust the car wheels but adjusts the suspension of the car, that connects your tires to your vehicle.

You may need a wheel alignment if you notice any of the next signs along with your bent wheel:

• When you are driving the steering wheel is off-centered.
• You feel vibrations within the steering wheel.
• The vehicle pulls to one side.

In case you suffered a minor accident, then most probably only the tires have been knocked out of alignment. Fortunately, this fix is not that expensive. For a full alignment, you will have to pay anywhere between $110 and $160, while a front-wheel alignment costs anywhere between $60 and $85.

Axle replacement

The role of the axle is to transfer power from the transmission directly to the wheels. The majority of the cars have two axles: one which connects the rear tires and one which connects the front tires.

The signs of a faulty axle are the vibrations in your steering wheel while driving or when you press the brake pedal and the grinding noises. You must fix a bent axle before driving again.

As the axle connects the tires on both sides of your car, it means that a wheel bent inward might mean a bent axle. Plan on spending anywhere between $470 and $900 if you need a new axle.

Lower control arm replacement

This car part connects the wheels to the frame. As the majority pieces of the suspension assembly, its role is to reduce the noise and irregularities from the road.

It is a possibility that the lower control arm is damaged if the tire is bent inwards. It is very important to fix this part as soon as possible because otherwise, the steering of your car will be difficult or impossible. Be prepared to spend anywhere between $520 and $750 for a new lower control arm.

Will the costs of a bent wheel repair be covered by insurance?

There are some different scenarios in which a car insurance plan will cover the costs of the repairs if your wheel was broken in a collision. Obviously, it all depends on your car’s total value and your policy, whether you caused the accident or you were an innocent victim.

If your car has been hit by someone

When someone hits your car and happens to bend your wheel inwards, you exchange the insurance information with the other driver and fill a claim for the damage.

In this situation, most probably, the costs will be covered by the other driver’s liability policy. However, the repair costs are covered only if these are not higher than the actual value of the vehicle.

The insurance company may declare the car damaged beyond repair if the repair costs would be higher than the sum of money that you would receive from selling it.

If you hit someone else

In this situation, you will not be able to use the other driver’s liability policy to cover the costs of the damage you caused. You will need to have a collision policy if you want insurance to cover the repair costs.

The collision policy will cover the damages to your car even though you caused the accident. But this comes with a deductible and if you have not met your yearly deductible yet, then the insurance company will take the money from your total insurance check.

If you are the victim of a hit and run

This is the worse situation possible. Now would be the best time to have uninsured motorist coverage. This policy kicks in when the driver who hit you does not have enough coverage, and in most states this is optional.

In case you have such a policy, make sure you don’t leave the scene without calling the police to make a report, which you will have to give to your insurance agent.

Will Your Insurance Company Declare Your Vehicle damaged beyond repair?

It is well known that the insurance companies prefer to declare your car totaled and send you a check for the current value instead of paying the repair cost.

In most cases, it all depends on the value of the car at the time of the accident. For instance, if the car is worth $3,500, they will not cover a repair cost of $5,500.

It may be frustrating at first but it is better to buy a new car instead of spending thousands of dollars on repairs.

Conclusion

As a wheel bent inwards can be caused by many different problems, it is pretty hard to give an exact price for fixing it. Some damages may cost thousands of dollars, while others may cost just $100 to repair.

It is recommended to take your car to a car service to be inspected immediately after your accident. It would be much easier to evaluate your options when you know exactly what has to be repaired.