Alloy wheel repair?

Technical Big Block Tonti and Loop Frame models
1

I have a pair of LM1/2 alloy wheels, which both have a “dent” in one place on one side of the rim.

I am having a clear out of “junk” from my garage and going to the re-cycling centre sometime this week, and so am wondering if there is any point in keeping them? Are these rims repairable, or do I weigh them in and get some cash. The “dents” are not huge but I would call them reasonably significant.

Any thoughts…or knowledge of where to repair? ReggieV2014-09-09 17:08:31

2

I’m sure someone could sort them somewhere. Maybe speak to Central Wheels, or Paul at Corsa Italiana. Shame to weigh them in, I’ve noticed the prices of them seem to be creeping up on Ebay etc.

3

I’ve had a Triumph wheel repaired locally for about £30 by a guy who does them for race teams. So, I’d say yes, keep them.

4

Thanks for the replies.
So there’s hope? I’ll make some enquiries first then.

5

Yes, they are repairable, although whether it is economic may depend on the degree of damage and the actual type of metal used in the wheels.

Soft alloys can often be gently beaten back into shape - the trick is to not crack them at all. Sometimes this process can be helped with annealing, particularly with more brittle types of alloy.

Building up dents with special fillers is possible, and refinishing is relatively easy - either patch or total. Some people can even rebuild broken out sections with weld.

The trick is to find someone with the experience to know what techniques are right for each particular wheel. Check the web - there are some places that can do amazing things for car wheels, and bike wheels are really just smaller versions of same.

The problem is that the costs can mount up, so it’s about what the wheel is worth (to you or others).

6

I knocked out a 2’’ dent in my front wheel back in 1991.A friend subsequently heat treated the area to remove any stress.When Hagons subsequently advertised that they repaired ally wheels I told them what I had done.They told me that was what they would do. Then told me to ring test it with a spanner. If it sounded the same all the way round it will be fine.I am still using it.

7

I have bent a few wheels back into shape, warm it up with a hot air gun, around where it is damaged, then block of wood and mash hammer to bend it back,

Every alloy wheeled BMW bike that I have owned, needed some part of the rim straightened!

8

Thanks for all the info.
I have been to the scrap merchants today and weighed in my scrap…but have kept the wheels,for two reasons.

  1. “You” have informed me that they can be repaired, possibly even by my own hammer!
  2. The wheels weighed in with a lowly value of about £5.00 each, so not really sensible to scrap them as it is possible that I may need them in the future if I assemble all of those bits of Guzzi in the loft and actually make it into a bike.

ReggieV2014-09-10 19:51:09