Aluminum cracked wheel (1 Viewer)

[jvazquez53]

When I crashed last week, I discovered that one of the aluminum wheels had a small crack in the inner lip, about 3/4 inch long. Can this crack be welded? Also the wheel is slightly bent which I'm not too concerned. Reason I like to keep these is the way they are designed, look at the valve stem, perfect for off-road.

 

[sl33py]

maybe make that wheel your spare - if you can repair it?

 

[NocalFJ60]

TIG welding is the best way to weld aluminum from what I have been told. It can be tricky if you don't weld a lot.

 

[LCOwner]

WHeels are repaired here in the states all the time. It's just a materh of finding someone to do it there.

 

[ntsqd]

Ideally it won't have a tire on it and that area around it will be clean. Down in the crack needs to be clean too.

Were you anywhere close-by I could fix it. What I'd do is this: first grind out the crack, then heat the area around the crack up to maybe a couple hundred degrees. Then I use a stainless steel bristle brush (that has NEVER been used on steel!) to scrub off any oxidation. Weld it, then heat the area back up again, and let it cool in still air. Burying it in sand, at least the weld region, after welding isn't a bad plan either. You want it to cool as slowly as possible.
If you have the tools to do so, V'ing it out is OK, but the wire brush scrub has to happen immediately before welding.