Rim warped, repair?
 

I recently noticed a warp in my rim. I have no idea what caused it but it is definitely there. As I looked at it I thought it looked as if I could pound that back into conformity using a piece of wood and a sledge, maybe.

I wanted to post some pics and get a more experienced opinion. Hopefully someone has been through the same event.

Pictures:

http://www.azbuck.com/images/motorcycle/Rim/rim1.jpg

http://www.azbuck.com/images/motorcycle/Rim/photo.jpg

If you take the tyre off and have a bench vice, some blocks of wood and hammer, you should be able to do a servicable job.

Give it a go. If you cock it up, you can always get a new rim laced on your hub.

Do it.
 

I've seen way way worse than that fixed in a home workshop. Use soft-jaws of some sort in the vice (even thin blocks of wood or a bundle of rags) so you won't do too much damage to the rim where it's being held.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

I am trying to visualize how this will go.

Do I put the block of wood in the center of the rim and press with the vice from either outside edge?

If you are describing what I think you are, no. The issue would be that both rim edges are not parallel to each other so squeezing them both in a vice at the same time would be a bit rough and cause flexing. Do one side at a time.

If you look the rim, the edges flare outwards from each other. The steps are to take two thin and narrow strips of wood and place them in the vice. Next, insert one rim edge at a time in between and compress the vice, causing the bend to straighten until parallel. They have to be fairly narrow (top to bottom) as you can see that when the rim drops into the vice there is only a little bit that it slides down before it will strike the inside of the rim. Hence the suggestion to use a rag, it's usually a bit easier to work with and all you are really doing it providing a buffer between hard steel of the vice and the softer metal of the rim. Have fun:)

I have used a small amount of heat and a mallet to straighten several rims on motocrossers. One problem is the elasticity of the metal in that you have to take it past straight for it to come back to the straight position if you use a vice.
You will have more of a problem if there is a flat in the rim which I can't see in the photo.
Cheers
Ian:thumbup1: