JB Weld for Alloy Rim?

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canucksafari

canucksafari

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Dec 29, 2006
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As posted on the report from the trip that Kim and I took into Hale, I took a chunk out of my rim:
DSC05572.jpg


You can see in the pic that it is just the lip. The rims are a bad design because the lip sticks out way too far. Anyways, I have an offer from a guy to weld it up. Of course that requires taking off the tire. I was wondering if JB Weld wouldn't do the trick. If I bang the end that is sticking up back and then mold some JB Weld Stik to go inbetween, would that be as good as welding? The only StiK I could find was the underwater stuff but it looks like it has the same strength as the regular Stik.
 
If structural, I'd lean towards no. Well, I guess that depends what the goal is. If you don't want the chunk noticable from a distance then sure.

I would break the bead at that spot, take a die grinder to the sharp edges and call it done. Looks like there is still plenty of meat hold the bead on the rim.

Maybe it's time to throw on a lift, steel wheels and bigger tires, since one other rim was abused when it came off and the body isn't pritine anymore :whoops:. Sorry, probably too soon to suggest that :o.
 
Ya, you are right, because of the big lip these are not a good rim for off the highway. I have a set of chrome steel wheels that Justin gave me. I just haven't gotten around to cleaning them up yet. If they are too rusty, then it means paying to have them dechromed or maybe just going at them with a wire wheel and trying to paint them after applying an eching primer.

The bead on the alloy is fine and it is not structural. The lift is on the books but I have to see if I am going to be caught with the deductible or if ICBC will get the tire shop owner to pay for the damages. The other rim is being fixed and I am sure it will be more than the $160 that Panther quoted me for this one. I just wanted this one to look half decent. Once lifted I will also go for a set of 33s but probably on 16 inch rims for off highway. That will leave me with a set of ATs for general use and a set of Nokians for winter use.
 
John, the JB weld idea is ok, but is cosmetic only. It will not regain strength.

If there is any sharp marks or cuts from this break you need to file all the damage out. Scrtatches or cuts, rough area etc can form a stress point at which a crack can occur. The pressure on a rim is nothing to joke about. Rims can explode. Exploding rims have killed many people.

Your rim is scrap iMOP. But if you take the time to file it completely smooth and leave out the spot of metal it should be ok.

A hidden crack can form from damage points and the pressure on the rim will disguise it. You never know when it could let go.

I would also talk to a couple different tire shops and see what they think.
 
Okay. Thanks for the advise guys. BB, I had not thought about the rim failing from cracks I couldn't see. That use to be a problem with the old magnesium rims. I guess I be cleaning up the chrome rims over the next few days and paint them black. Do you think the paint will hold if I wire brush and sand and then ech primer them? Maybe I should let ICBC off the hook on fixing the other rim? Or maybe I will just use the rebuilt rim as my nice shiney spare.
 
If you do plan on sanding them the scratches in the chrome plating should be enough for regular paint to bond. Rust pitting also helps :hillbilly:. The 31's should work fine on the 6" wide stock cruiser rims you have. You could get that alloy rim tested for cracks if you want to keep them but have doubts on safety.
 
I got the rubber off the 5 chrome steel rims. I started with the rubber on and figured that was kind of stupid. So had Curtis tire take them off. Started with a wire brush on the angle grinder. Its not coming as easy as I thought. Maybe I should try my big angle grinder, but its kind of heavy.

The old alloys will go to the scrap dealer At least it could pay for beer.:)
 
If you want your old chrome rims painted black I would have them sand blasted. Won't be more than 10 buck a rim I guess at a sand blast shop.

Waay easier than sanding chrome, which would be tough to get it roughed enough for paint to sitck.

I like Aluminum rims, but the damage safety factor is something to consider.

By the way I work on aircraft wheels that are aluminum or magnesium. And they need to be tested for cracks all the time.
 
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