Alloy Car Wheels - Repairable?

[Pete W.]

Hi there, all,

A friend had two new tyres fitted to her Mini.  It has alloy wheels.  She then fell out with the tyre place over some other work.

She subsequently went to another car repairer to have them perform the annual MOT test.  The car passed but the tester posted an 'advisory' that the inner rims of the two wheels with the new tyres are deformed.  (Sorry, no photos.)  Both the two new tyres are suffering a very slow leak.  It seems likely that the rim damage was caused by incompetent handling of the tyre removal/refitting equipment but because of the elapsed time and the subsequent dispute with the tyre fitters, she feels unable/unwilling to have any further dealings with them!  Her first fear was that she would have to buy new alloys.

I don't know whether the wheels concerned are aluminium or aluminium/magnesium and I don't know whether the tyre fitters attempted to 'cure' the rim damage.

My question is this: is it feasible to repair rim damage on alloy wheels? 

[seadog]

I don't see why not. I had a significant dent in the rim of my Kawasaki front wheel sorted out many years ago.

[Jo]

When I had a damaged alloy on my car a original replacement cost less than the tyre that was fitted to it. By the time someone has been paid to remove the tyre, someone else paid to "fix" it and then someone else paid to put the tyre back on (not having the car available in the mean time  ) and then balance it, and you are left with something that is very important for safety that is not 100%. Is it worth it? 

Car alloy wheels are made of a very nice aluminium for making model engine castings out of 

Jo

[AdeV]

Interesting to know.... I have a number of spare alloy wheels (mostly for cars I no longer have)....

Need to get the foundry going.... (project #417B part 2, on about page 17 of the "Book of Ongoing Projects") 

[Pete.]

Maidstone Motoliner will fix those wheels. It's what they do.

[chipenter]

When the lacker is scratched the aly oxidises and becomes porous , I have repaired rims by claming the tyre away from the rim using g clamps and repainting , only do one side at a time then the tyre does not move and the ballence stays the same .

[mexican jon]

I have a mate that works for a wheel repairers  nearly all wheels can be repaired  would you like his details 

[Biggles]

i had a couple of wheels repaired on my American SUV the alloy was built up due to kerb damage and re- lacquered which cost me £50 a wheel some 8 years ago. This was feasible for me as new alloys would have cost some £400 each. For a mini the repair could be as much as a new wheel that is if they can find the leak. You need to check the cost of repair against the new price of the alloys.