Can you fix dents in a mtb rim?

cheapie

I have a pair of wheels that i absolutely love. got them from dave @ speeddream wheels.

i noticed yesterday that somehow i had 3 decent sized dents in the rim. i had a blowout and i wonder if that did it (air pressure can't dent a rim, can it?), or if i dropped the wheel while it was flat on something (doubt it because they are at different spots on the wheel), or just plain hammered the rim on my last ride.

i used a hammer last night to get it back in shape for a ride so the tire would stay on and it worked fine. however, when i brake, it grabs really bad when i pass those spots and the wheel is out of true.

can this be fixed by a LBS or should i return it to the wheelmaker for a new rim?

garage sale GT

If it's an aluminum rim, you could be risking your life. The material which was bent then bent back could be much more crack prone now and it may fail suddenly and completely.

I would say, explore your replacement options and check whether you ruined your wheel bearings with whatever abuse you put the wheel through because you may need a new hub too. And stop blowing your tires up at the gas station, the air is usually not regulated and can go as high as 150PSI.

cheapie

the gas station? lol. no way that would happen my friend. no way.

i guess i'll just ship the wheel to the builder and have him replace the rim. wonder how much that will cost me.

garage sale GT

Then the rim may have been damaged before the blowout and the damage may have caused the blowout, especially if the tire casing was not damaged. Was it just the tube? If so, apologies for suggesting the gas station theory.

I personally would shop around for a new wheel, since you are paying for hand labor plus the cost of shipping the wheel twice if you get the old one fixed.

cheapie

this wheel is incredible. i fully realize that i'll likely have to drop a couple bills to repair it. however, even if i did get a new wheel i'd just be getting it from the same guy and would have to pay for labor and shipping anyhow.

but otherwise, yeah, i'd agree. believe me, if you had a wheel from dave thomas (www.speeddream.com) you'd understand.

alfeng

POST a picture of your "repairs" so we can see how much "damage" is on the brake surface ...

Regardless, you do want to think about replacing the rim in the near future ...

If the protrusion is really minimal (less than a 1/2 millimeter), then you can run a flat file over it and knock it down ... a slight depression is better than a slight protrusion.

You can squeeze the sides of the brake surfaces in a bench vise (put some plywood on either side of the rim!) ...

So, what hub & rims are the wheel made with that makes it so special?

A couple of hundred for the repair!?! I'll send you a lightly used MAVIC 217 rim laced to a new (zero miles) XTR 32h front hub! Heck, for a couple of hundred I'll relace the rim on a Hugi 240 front hub ...

Seriously, if your hub is good, you may want to take this "opportunity" to learn how to relace, tension & true a wheel -- the front wheel is a lot easier than the rear wheel!

FYI. There IS a way to repair dings in the clincher portion which make it useable without inflicting too much damage on the rest of the rim ... save that rim for practicing AFTER you replace it!

cheapie

read the reviews of his wheels here: http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Wheelse...uct_23649.shtml

he's a true craftsman. i'm a heavy rider, 195ish, and i've only had to true one of the wheels once in the several years i've owned them. super light. and that sweet sweet king buzz is music to my ears!


i'm taking the wheel to my LBS tonight to get their opinion. i prolly won't have them repair it tho'.

cheapie

here are some pics of the two dents:

alfeng

Oh, I see ...

Sorry ... I didn't realize you were talking about the REAR wheel ...

In their current state, I would say that the remnants of the dent's look minor to me (well, the dent in the THIRD pic is a bit fugly) ... I would ride it as is.

Your LBS may be able to tweak them a little more ... some shops can't-or-don't.

Definitely, send the pics to Dave and see what he thinks/recommends ...

garage sale GT

Boy, I guess I misinterpreted your username...

Are those dents AFTER you went in with the hammer, though? If so, I am thinking you made the wheel prone to low cycle fatigue. The more any metal is flexed around the more crack prone it becomes. This is especially true if there is roughness on the metal from the hammer or from whatever damaged the wheel in the first place because it makes a place for a crack to start. Last, the fatigue properties of aluminum are not the best.