alloy wheel repair

[rich1977]

bought some new rims at weekend for the satt and was just begining to sort refurb out and came across a nasty crack and a flat spot.

anyone know if this can be repaired its on a 10j 18" rim if that makes any difference.

[Screech16v]

Yes mate that can be repaired no problem by a competent tig welder I would think.

[murraymint]

Yh, as long as its a good grade of alloy, should weld up fine,

[Wayne]

Whilst it could be repaired, would you feel safe in using it, better off in the scrap skip tbh.

[boneybradley]

Whilst it could be repaired, would you feel safe in using it, better off in the scrap skip tbh.

I disagree, as long as it's repaired properly then there's no issue with safety. it's not a job for a back street welder for sure but most good alloy refurbers will be used to repairs like this

[SoundillusioN]

Whilst it could be repaired, would you feel safe in using it, better off in the scrap skip tbh.

If decent welding affected safety then nobody would ever fix anything on car.  In the right hands that could be put back to good as a new.

[danny_p]

can't see the pictures

if it's magnesium alloy  forget it,  whilst it's weldable the filler wire is  F :shocked:king expensive  unless they have been useing the required grade the pack of filler will cost more than the wheel is worth. 

  if it is a metal fategue issue it should not under any circumstances be repaired and the wheel condemed and the others examined very closely with dye penatrant to be sure they are sound,  if inpact damage it can be repaired  dye penatarnt is usefull to highlight the unseen damage,  it supriseing how far a small crack can actualy run

if it's alu  4043 filler should do just fine.  but because it's a wheel likely find that it would have to be a cash job.

also if it's a LARGE repair the wheel may need re heat treating usally make it uneconomic 

[VW BUSH]

can't see the pictures

if it's magnesium alloy  forget it,  whilst it's weldable the filler wire is  F :shocked:king expensive  unless they have been useing the required grade the pack of filler will cost more than the wheel is worth. 

  if it is a metal fategue issue it should not under any circumstances be repaired and the wheel condemed and the others examined very closely with dye penatrant to be sure they are sound,  if inpact damage it can be repaired  dye penatarnt is usefull to highlight the unseen damage,  it supriseing how far a small crack can actualy run

if it's alu  4043 filler should do just fine.  but because it's a wheel likely find that it would have to be a cash job.

also if it's a LARGE repair the wheel may need re heat treating usally make it uneconomic

On the money there, I would not run that wheel again its gone right through the lip and into the inner section, any repair will put a weak spot in the fabric of the casting so why take a chance?

[danny_p]

i would reccomend just buying another wheel by the sound of it.

whilst not inpossible to repair  sounds like quite a lot o weld to put down so will potentaly destroy the existing heat treatment to a large section of the wheel make sudden catastropic failure a very real possoblity ( aluminium alloys are bastards for metal fatiuge )  also not a goo idea to lay that much filler down when the exact make up  metal is unknow. 

by the time youve worked out exctly what alloy your welding to, found a sutable filler, re machened and re heat treated the whole wheel it would have been cheeper to buy a new set of wheels.

[rich1977]

There off on ebay now to recoup some of the cash ive lost on them is a sahme as where nice wheels pukka merc staggered clks multi spokes but had been run on strecthed tyres by previous owner I have been qouted 60 for repair by wheel specailists but dony think I want to risk it tbh