PLEASE GO TO PAGE THREE FOR AN UPDATE ON THIS STORY

Two nights ago, I took a drive up to visit Nomura Tuning & Design. (www.brucenomura.com). I noticed a lot of road noise on the 50+ mile trip as I neared my destination. It also seemd like there was a slight vibration. This was the first time I drove up this way in my car, so I didn't know if what I was hearing was normal for the road or something else. As of this writing, I am still not sure if the noise/ vibration was normal. When I arrived at my destination, I didn't see anything wrong with the car, though I could have missed it.

On my way home 4 hours later, I heard what sounded like I ran over debris on the road. It sounded like it bounced under the left rear of the car a couple of times too. It was on a dimly lit city street, and there were few cars. I was only going about 35 mph, so I thought it strange that I didn't see anything large on the road that I could have hit. Whatever the object was, I also thought it ws strange that I didn't hit ithe object with the front tire first, only the left rear.

About a mile down the road, past where I first heard the noise, the road changes to a freeway. After travelling a couple hundred feet further, I felt some vibration and the car didn't feel "right". I decided to pull over immediately. Unfortunately, the road had no real shoulder on the side, and there was an asphalt curb that prevented me from moving a safe distance off the road. I had to drive another 100+ feet to get to a place where i could pull over. This part of the freeway has rub strips on the side to wake sleepy drivers when they drift off the road. Driving over that with my left rear for that long a distance was almost unbearable. The car was taking a pounding.

After I got out, I saw that I had a flat. After changing to a spare, only then did I see what looked like a hole over 1/4 inch in diameter on my wheel lip.

I don't want to make false assumptions, but all I know is that everyone who has seen it, has commented " Is that a bullet hole?" I have some ideas as to what could have caused it, but I am asking for input here.

Here's the wheel and what appears to be an exit wound. Look how distorted the aluminum is. The hole is pretty clean and round too.





I had the tire removed today, so heres the inside shot of the rim.





If you ever get a flat tire and drive on it for say one mile, the sidewall of the tire may look good on the outside like it did on mine. It had some rub/ wear marks, but it didn't look all that bad. DON'T BELIEVE IT. This is what it looks like from the inside.





Here's where the object entered the tire. It was about in line with the hole found on the rim.





OK here's the clincher. This last picture shows a SECOND hole I found in the tire. If you look closely, you can see the hole on the rim about 150 degrees opposite from where this second hole is located.





There was no exit hole in the rim on this second hole in the tire. It appears difficult if not impossible to reason out that one bullet could have made all three holes. You would have to come up with some interesting physics and geometry to explain it. But those who believe it could happpen, probably believe in the JFK one bullet conspiracy theory as well. ( Watch the movie if you don't understand this last sentence.)

I thought I'd post this since someone "who might know more" could shed some light and try to make logical sense out of this. I have my own theory, but I thought I'd like to hear everyones input on this one. If the bullet theory is likely to be true, then obviously I have greater concerns for myself and the safety of others to deal with.

I haven't made a police report, but I suppose I should take the wheel to the station and let them check it out.

 

wow now I see the pics...you were trying to explain to me on the phone but damn. quick observation on the second hole seems to me that its not the same as the first. You can see indentions made by a puncturing force on the first. You don't see that here on the second. The second could have been caused by just a piece of rock or glass? Is the second hole all the way thru the rubber? Well I'll have to sit and stare at this for a while and let you later cuz I have a project due in less than 6hrs.

 

damn glen....i'm sorry that i had to read that post. that's horrible!!!! i can't imagine y someone would do something like that to ur car. i highly doubt u have any enemies!! hehe. seeing someone destory someone's property like that for no reason is senseless and so wrong. i agree with u though, i can't seem to think of any other logical way that u could have had holes like that made in ur wheel. i'm still reall sorry man. some people can be soo messed up!!! i think i should leave it at that...i don't think i can really properly say how i feel on this post...but i feel for u. sorry again!!!

 

Damn man, i have no idea what could do that, maybe a industrial screw or bolt on the highway? My aunt did that to her BMW factory wheel once, the bolt went through the tire and rim completely, just like yours.

Good luck finding the fix.

Off topic- I see what your "special project" was!!!

 

Ya I agree with D, it could have been an industrial screw or nail. My only concern is how does it go through the tire if the nailor whatever is lying on the ground and not sticking up? hmmm I very highly doubt it was done intentioanlly to you, you prolly would have heard a gun shot no? I think it must have been something you ran over. That is my story and I am sticking to it.

 

I had what looked like a lugnut embedded itself into my tire and shot right through the rim at high speed and the diameter looked even larger than your hole. This could happen at high speed and if the bolt was pointing straight up. My car didn't even make it a mile. It became completely flat within 2 seconds and was totally undrivable afterward.

So, don't be too paranoid, that's not a bullet hole mang....

 

man this is just sad. when i first heard the news from rmmgs4 i almost puke. then he sent me the pictures and i couldnt' believe what i saw..... very sad

 

Wow, can't believe whatever it is went trough the rim

 

damn that sux man.. what kinda rim did it ruin if i may ask??

~ Stella

 

Have you tried to retrace your vechicle path from the point where you first left until your realized that your tire was flat. maybe during the day you might be able see some harsh road debris at about the same location you drove??? just a thought, well if it was a bullet hole better the rim, than you.

 

Lettuce: The location is over an hour away. If it were closer, I would have definitely drove back and searched the road where I heard the noise.. Whatever the object was, it may still be there. I might be headed back there, but it probably won't be for several days.

Yankees Diva: The rim is an Enkei Phalenx. I was supposed to have all the rims polished and re-painted for the show a couple weeks ago, but good thing I didn't have it done. After calling Enkei , they would not offfer me the option to replace the rim half. They said I had to buy a whole new rim. They really suck , but that's another story.

Good news (hopefully) is that I have a local rim repair shop that does miracles repairing rims. These are the same guys that recently pimped out Jawnthens and Synergys rims.
Synergy : https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...hreadid=117587
Jawnthen : https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...hreadid=118243


Richie / GSracerRY / Jawnthen : I was pretty much of a loss at first as to what could have caused this. After examining the damage further and with the responses so far, I am leaning toward concluding that it is not likely a bullet hole. The probablility still exists, but that second hole in the tire throws off everything to me.

Rominl - You and Neo were supposed to ride along with me that night in my car. It's interesting that both of you had extenuating circumstances that night, which prevented you both from coming along. 90% of the time you guys would of made it.

DGOT20s / Lexis11 / jtanoyo1 - My thoughts were along the same lines. I didn't hear a gunshot, but there could of been a silencer. It's good to hear people with similar experiences, proving that it is possible for small objects to penetrate through a rim. I am seriously considering the industrial screw theory as the most probable cause. The only mystery is the second hole in the tire.


I'll update if I find new information and report whether the wheel can get fixed..

 

RMMGS4
Sorry to hear about it and I hope all is going well since then. I guess its time for HREs

If you want my theory, its the HRE gods call you out. (Still love the rims you have)

Glad nothing else became of it, you could have been hurt.

Take care

Chaskim

 

yeah rmmgs4, not sure if i should say it was lucky i didn't go (i would have been so late for work). it really sux though, and the fact that it was an hour away from home makes it even worse

 

well, didn't i say hre on the phone too?

 

well if you ask my opinion, im pretty sure that both holes were made with 2 different screws. Lets assume that there was some roadside construction or even a truck driving by that lost a few screws out of the back. They would all relatively fall down in the same area. My thought is that your front tire kicked up the screws from being flat and stuck through the rear tire. One of the screws would be longer and have punctured the rim whereas the other been shorter and only went through the tire. It would be interesting to see if you took a drill bit the same exact size as one of the holes and see if it would match the other. Nevertheless a sad situation to see. Hope to see a nice little upgrade since you have to do some wheel work anyways!