I was just wondering if anyone has done stuff like this... I saw the ad in this months edition of road and track...
http://www.wheelcollision.com
I might be able to get some rims real cheap but they are broken..... IE cracked..... Would there be any sort of shop like this that might do this sort of thing locally?
Wheel repair...
There are a select group of metalworkers who have taken their tradecraft and applied it to reman and straightening of aluminum wheels. I know of only one man in the state of Washington that will machine, weld, bend, mold, do whatever is necessary to repair a wheel(if replacement is out of the question) The cost of his service was a standard $150 per wheel, if the wheel was repairable.
Basically he did everything the link talks about. Looks like they've got a good thing going there. These guys are like the ER doctors of the industry...
Just keep in mind, not all wheels "should" be reworked. I'm sure at least one member will chime in and mention the structural integrity is compromised with bending, welding, heating... aluminum wheels.
Basically he did everything the link talks about. Looks like they've got a good thing going there. These guys are like the ER doctors of the industry...
Just keep in mind, not all wheels "should" be reworked. I'm sure at least one member will chime in and mention the structural integrity is compromised with bending, welding, heating... aluminum wheels.
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Grant@tirerack
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If you think about it, an alloy wheel is sorta like a paper clip. You can bend it and then bend it back into the same shape. It's going to look the same but it will always be weaker where it was bent. If you're going to spend that much to get them "fixed", how much are you ahead of the game? Now you have four wheels that were cracked and may or may not be as strong as they were before they were "fixed". 
Something to think about: If they are cracked, they will likely have to weld the cracked area to repair it. That's going to generate a lot of heat in that area of the wheel. There's no way around it and that will affect the alloy surrounding the damaged area. Uneven heating can cause stress buildup in alloy. Maybe I'm way off here but I just don't see how you can do a spot weld on a wheel and maintain the strength of the area around the repair when you are working with a cast alloy. If someone else with more experience has something to add it would be welcome. This is a great topic to cover here and it's important.
Something to think about: If they are cracked, they will likely have to weld the cracked area to repair it. That's going to generate a lot of heat in that area of the wheel. There's no way around it and that will affect the alloy surrounding the damaged area. Uneven heating can cause stress buildup in alloy. Maybe I'm way off here but I just don't see how you can do a spot weld on a wheel and maintain the strength of the area around the repair when you are working with a cast alloy. If someone else with more experience has something to add it would be welcome. This is a great topic to cover here and it's important.