Wheels: Testing and Inspection

Replace any wheels that are bent or dented, or have excessive lateral or radial runout. Wheels with runout greater than specified may cause objectionable vibrations.





1. Use a straightedge 203 - 229 mm (8 - 9 inch) long. Place the straight edge on the wheel inboard mounting surface. Try to rock the straightedge up and down within the mounting surface.





2. Repeat this procedure on at least 3-4 different positions on the inboard mounting surface.
- The outer ring of the mounting surface normally is raised above everything inside the mounting surface.
- The mounting surface will be raised above the outer ring if the wheel mounting surface has been bent on a tire changer.
- If you can rock the straight edge, the mounting surface is bent and you must replace the wheel.
3. Inspect the mounting wheel/nut holes for damage caused from over-torquing the wheel/nuts. Inspect for collapsed wheel/nut bosses. Inspect for cracked wheel bosses.





Notice: The use of non-GM original equipment wheels may cause:
- Damage to the wheel bearing, the wheel fasteners and the wheel
- Tire damage caused by the modified clearance to the adjacent vehicle components
- Adverse vehicle steering stability caused by the modified scrub radius
- Damage to the vehicle caused by the modified ground clearance
- Speedometer and odometer inaccuracy

Important:
- Replacement wheels must be equivalent to the original equipment wheels in the following ways:
- The load capacity
- The wheel diameter
- The rim width
- The wheel offset
- The mounting configuration
- A wheel of the incorrect size or type may affect the following conditions:
- Wheel and hub-bearing life
- Brake cooling
- Speedometer/odometer calibration
- Vehicle ground clearance
- Tire clearance to the body and the chassis

4. Replace the wheel if the wheel is bent.
5. Replace the wheel if the wheel/nut boss area is cracked.
Identify steel wheels with a 2 or 3 letter code stamped into the rim near the valve stem. Aluminum wheels have the code, the part number, and the manufacturer identification cast into the back side of the wheel.