i don't think it's the wheel. it passed visual inspection. and i'm 99% sure the damage was done at extremely low speed (2mph?) when i went over the ruts i mentioned, which shouldn't cause any wheel damage. the right tire is more worn than the left tire, but the wear appears to be uniform, and the car rode perfectly smooth with this tire beforehand. but i'll try swapping left and right wheels to be sure.

in the meantime, any other ideas?

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1994 E420
1971 Camaro