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Can you repair cracked alloy wheels?
https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35516		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Matt68 [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Can you repair cracked alloy wheels?
Thought this question deserved it's own topic,

If i was to buy some LS offset contessas and they are cracked in the inner spoke join (where they are prone to cracking) can they be repaired?

Repaired well enough to race on?

Matt
Author:  Mick [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes they can be repaired, about 30-40 dollars per wheel. You have to find a specialist in Brisvegas.

I had a set of four new(ish) ROH contessas, three were bent and scuffed, one had a piece of ally missing the size and shape of a potato chip. It was reapaired by Leo Gommer engineering over in Perth (which is all he does).

15 dollars each to straighten and clean the three rims up on a lathe, 40 to repair the cracked rim, straighten and clean up.

Looked great, had no problems ever and was cheap. I had the same man do a similar repair on a WRX rim in 2001. No problem there either for the rest of the years I had it.

Would I race on it after a repair like that? No I wouldn't.
Author:  sports850 [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
I've had a contessa welded years ago when a tyre fitter gouged it with his remover and tore a 50 cent piece sized bit out of the lip , the fitter showed me the gouged wheel at first , then I picked it up that afternoon and could barely see it (wheels were fairly scuffed and the welded section was the best looking bit on it :D ) . Would I race on one that's had the center repaired ? no , would I drive on one ? only as a spare . I haven't seen them crack around the center but maybe I haven't seen enough of them that have had hard lives , if it's cracked there then what's the rest of the aluminium like fatigue-wise (but I'm ultra careful with pressures on wheels , I've had a wheel drop off in a 60 zone and that was enough of an eye opener , I'd hate to have one fail when pushing it hard ....)?
Author:  Matt68 [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 4:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
I think checking the rims for cracks will become part of the pre race inspection for sure!!

That's for the rims that are still in good condition.

Welded ones can be used as spares for road driving then.

Hopefully they will all be in good condirtion!!

Cheers

matt
Author:  willy [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
A welded repair section, if done satisfactorily, will be stronger than the alloy around it :wink:

Certainly fit for racing.
Author:  sports850 [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
But will it's being stronger cause accelerated fatigue on the original metal beside it because of uneven stresses ? Much safer to not find that out at 170 kph on a race track basically . It's fine to do a lot of things for normal road use but the extra stresses involved in racing are another matter .
Author:  drmini in aust [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Talk to Ken Nelson up at Mini Automotive, he buys cracked LS Contessas and welds them for racers. :wink:
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