5 replies to this topic

[hobnob888]

After a while of running on my weller wheels, once at L2B, some lovely chap pointed out that my wheel was apparently buckled... not being able to see it from behind at the time, I sort of forgot about it, and it never caused me a problem. I then went and got them balanced at a garage. They expressed their concern about how buckeled it was but being on the back it wasn't much of a problem.

 

She has now been stored since august and im about to start my rebuild, but before I strip it down I let the girlfriend drive it

 

I then could see how bad it actually was.

 

so very long story short, is there anyway I can unbuckle this wheel, or does nayone know of a place that can do it?

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

[Cooperman]

For what would be involved in attempting to straighten a buckled wheel it is easier & cheaper to buy a new one. I've never heard of a buckled steel wheel being straightened successfully.

[tiger99]

Maybe a very, very minor buckle on the rim of a steel wheel would be amenable to normal repair methods, with hammer and dolly, and even some TIG weld, but best avoided because of the risks. I admit to doing one minor repair a very long time ago, when I was very short of cash, but would not even think about it now on a Mini. Possibly on a very rare and exotic car, but I would want a real expert to do it, with proper crack testing, maybe even X-ray, afterwards. Beyond the most minor damage, the forces needed to straighten a bent wheel are truly enormous (I have seen the enormous presses where Dunlop used to bang out a steel wheel every few seconds), and utterly impracticable in a repair workshop.

 

As for alloy wheels, don't even go there. They have a very finite fatigue life even if in good order and properly designed (which many aftermarket ones are not), and if bent, however slightly, are ALWAYS scrap. The metal can and should be recycled.

[sonikk4]

I would replace the Weller to be honest. And i have had alloy wheels professionally repaired to remove a buckle with no issues. I also know of a extremely good metal fabrication shop who also straighten damaged alloys and are rated very well for their repairs. Oh and Alan the chap in question is also a dab hand at building minis to a very very high standard. Something he has been doing for a very long time. If a alloy wheel has a crease in it then it will be scrap.

[Cooperman]

I saw an expensive 19" BMW alloy wheel which had a crack repaired. The crack was from the inner edge. The repairer did a non-destructive test with a dye which showed up the extent of the crack under UV light. Then a 4 mm hole was drilled just a bit further in from the apparent end of the crack. The crack was then opened up with an air saw right up to the hole. That made a slot about 5/8" long and that slot was welded up by a CAA approved aircraft welding expert, filed back, polished and it was a superb repair. However, it was around £100 to do as it took around an hour plus materials. Cheaper than a 9.5" x 19" BMW alloy though.

 

For a steel wheel it simply is not even worth trying to mend it.

[Captain Mainwaring]

Hmmmm, do these guy who lash together banded steel wheels crack test them and X-Ray them?

 

I've spent plenty of time balancing big centrifugal fan runners with very thick backplates - you'd be surprised how easy it is to put a bend in them.

 

If you can get a wheel off the shelf then don't mess around...but otherwise there are people that can do it

 

http://www.rimrepair...-straightening/

Edited by Captain Mainwaring, 16 April 2014 - 03:36 AM.