sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

Hello all, I did a poor inspection upon purchasing some wheels and just realized that one of the wheels has a slight bend on the outer lip. I just waited 4 weeks to get another wheel fixed and re-chromed. I really don't want to wait around to get this wheel fixed also.

Would I be able to reshape the slight bend to make it look better? It's more of an eyesore than anything. The tire still holds air fine and balances fine. I was planning on putting a terry cloth towel over the chrome lip and then giving it a few strikes with the rubber mallet. Would I even be able to generate enough force to reshape it? I remember an old thread of a different member who tried to DIY with his bends. I think he used a regular hammer though??

Any thoughts or advice?

Theo

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

the way to do it with an aluminum wheel is to get the wheel hot... all you are going to do is crack it if anything...

J J

Don't heat up the wheel, it makes it weak.

I've used a rubber mallet many times to fix bends. It is not a really quick process
but it works. It usually takes me about 15 min or so to fix a small bend.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

Well, the reason I ask is because depending on the type of wheel, some use heat to reshape and some use a cold press. I have chrome Zaubers Gettins. I figured that if they heat up the chrome lip to reshape it, wouldn't I need to get the lip re-chromed too since the heat would discolor the chrome?

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

You haven't dealt with aluminum much have you...

Aluminum does not like being bent while at normal room temperatures, in fact, bend it one direction, then bend it back, and many times it will crack and break... Bending it without heat is much worse than bending it with heat...

Aluminum must be heated to allow it to bend without cracking... this is how ALL professional wheel refinishers straighten wheels... it is also how two piece wheels are put together - the barrel is heated, the center is put into place, the barrel is allowed to cool, then it is welded together... the center will not fit in the middle of the barrel until it is heated...

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

yes you would need to have it rechromed whether it it hot or cold... heat discolors, and chrome is not very flexible either...

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

Oh man..... I wish the bend was on the inner barrel rather the outer lip.

I didn't want it to come down to this: have the tire unmounted, have the wheel disassembled, fix the bend, re-chrome the outer lip, reassemble the wheel, mount the tire and balance. I guess it's going to cost me if I really want to have it fixed then.

J J

Feel free to re-read my first post.

I have not cracked any wheels yet using the rubber mallet. I have however had wheels crack shortly after being heated, powder coated or welded. I'm sure that someone with your metallurgical experience need no explanation of why that happened. It even applies to your african wheels.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

What should I do then? I know people that have re-bent wheels (in the same area) that have been previously repaired using the heated method. At the same time, I don't like the thought of banging away at my lip either. *sigh*

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

a proper weld in aluminum is just as strong, if not stronger than the original piece of aluminum... proper weld, being the key... if it cracked again in the same place, then the aluminum was not welded properly... we weld aluminum all the time - it's quite hard to do correctly, and you must have the correct welder for it...

basically what you are saying is that any heat applied to aluminum makes it weak... there are definitely bad ways to add heat to aluminum, but, done properly, heating it is the way to go...

http://www.factorywheeloutlet.com/services/straight.php
"Wheel straightening technology was developed for steel wheels during the early 1900s. When aluminum wheels came on the market during the 1970s, people tried to fix them using steel wheel technology. Unfortunately, it simply caused more serious damage.

But technology is much different today. Using a combination of hydraulics, pulls, pushes, flange tools, heat, and a great deal of human skill, we can bring your damaged wheels back to factory specifications. "

http://www.nyrimfix.com/wheel_straightening.html
At Alloy Wheel Repair we use our own technology, which uses hydraulic pressure, heat, customized tools and metallurgical skill to straighten aluminum alloy to factory specifications. This process can be considered to be both an art and a science because it requires a lot of hours of training before a person dealing with wheel straightening is qualified enough to work on customer rims.

and here's one of the most damning for ya, sorry...
http://www.tech-cor.net/AutoResBulle...4-3/1994-3.htm
Using a combination of heat and pressure, bent wheel lips are straightened. Caution! Alloy materials should not be "beat back into shape" with a hammer, since doing so can create invisible stress fractures.

You might want to rethink your wheel finishing techniques... Again, heat, properly applied, is the correct way to bend and shape aluminum...

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

So a cold press is not recommended? That would save me from having to re-chrome the lip wouldn't it? I thought I've read that depending on the particular wheel (for fixing bends), they'll either use heat or cold press. Do most wheel repair shops only use heat? I guess I'm going to give a few shops a call.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

OK. So I've decided against banging away at my lip with a rubber mallet. I did check out this place where they actually manufacture wheels and they said they would be able to fix the small bend without me having to re-chrome the entire lip. I assume there is no heat involved. Should I do it?

Any other metallurgy experts in here? Please chime in!

excluesive

iTrader: (10)

if you can get me that info it would be awesome

MythBuster

Wheels are not made of pure aluminum, it is aluminum alloy.

If cold bending cracks the wheel, then every road bump is an attempt to reshape the wheel.

I would use a combination of both. Say 150 C will help the reshaping while has no harm on the weld or the metal.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

But at that temperature, wouldn't chrome bubble or discolor? I am trying to fix the small cosmetic bend without having to pay too much. I know it can be done by heating the alloy and then reshaping it, but I am looking for alternative solutions.