It is enough to drive into a hole (which is inevitable in winter), catch the wheel on a curb, or drive too quickly through the release threshold and damage the finished rim. Is it possible to straighten steel wheels in a cost-effective way? How else can you take care of them?
Straightening your steel wheels will restore driving comfort and safety. So when you feel vibration in your steering wheel, especially when braking, when the car lifts while driving, or when the tires fly off the air, it's worth paying attention to the wheels. It may be enough to straighten them so that all symptoms stop interfering with driving.
How to restore steel wheels
Steel wheels can be easily straightened
Straightening is nothing more than the action of restoring the rim to its original shape. The process consists of eliminating all kinds of irregularities and deformations of the steel wheel that occur during everyday driving. For this purpose, special machines are used, which, due to the elasticity of the alloys, eliminate unwanted changes in shape.
It seems that everything is simple, but it is not. Depending on the alloy rim used for production and how it is made, the straightening procedure and heating temperature vary. Therefore, rim straightening should be done by someone who is experienced and knows what they are doing. Otherwise, you may do more harm than good.
Steel discs can be easily straightened - a broken disc is bent
The basket of straightening services usually does not exceed 900 rubles for one steel rim, but it all depends on both its size and the degree of damage.
Rolling and painting of discs
Both steel and cast car wheels can be repaired. The only difference is the price of the work. But a stamped rim is much easier to repair, since the steel is more malleable. But a cast one is more difficult to fix, and severe deformations on it cannot be removed. If you plan to completely restore the disc, then in addition to rolling it will also require painting.
You may be interested in this About the sizes of wheels for VAZ cars
After the deformed rim is returned to its original shape, it is time to prepare it for painting. In auto repair shops, sandblasting is most often used for this type of work. It involves cleaning a car wheel from old paint and rust using abrasive particles. Using special equipment, the rim is cleaned to bare metal and re-primed and painted.
Sandblasting
Typically, professionals use powder paints as a painting material. This type of coating is very popular, as it is the most durable and resistant to chemical and mechanical damage.
Painting is carried out with a special gun with an electrostatic effect. Due to the static charge, paint particles stick to the surface of the car disk. The final stage is paint polymerization. It is done in a special chamber at high temperature.
Important!
This type of painting can only be done in a car service; doing it yourself is unprofitable, since the equipment is very expensive. This method allows you to paint the rim not only in one color, but also in several.
Of course, this is not the only coating method; liquid rubber, acrylic paint, and aerosol in a spray can are also used for this purpose. But the powder material is considered the most universal. Rolling metal wheels and painting will cost more than stamped ones. So this needs to be taken into account when planning their restoration.
Restoring steel wheels
If your rims aren't looking their best, might it be better to do a full regeneration with sandblasting and painting? Then they will return to their ideal appearance, which will benefit the entire car.
Sandblasting of steel wheels is carried out in an automatic sandblasting machine. Has a speed regulator that prevents damage to the coating. After this treatment, the rim must also be additionally protected with anti-corrosion liquid.
Steel discs can be easily straightened by rolling the disc on a machine
Then it's time for sanding to remove any scratches or dents, followed by powder coating. There are many colors to choose from, so you can really stand out.
Painting steel wheels starts with a powder coating and then electrostatic powder paint is applied. The part is then sent to an oven where the paint is cured at 180°C. If the chosen color requires it, the rim can also be coated with a clear varnish.
It is worth noting, however, that painting and sandblasting a steel rim costs from 1,700 to 2,700 rubles, which, combined with the cost of straightening, may not be profitable.
Editing a disk yourself
If the damage to the disc is minor, then the car owner does not necessarily need to contact the technicians at the technical center, since the entire procedure can be done personally by the owner of the vehicle in his own garage.
To do this, a car enthusiast just needs to have an absolutely rigid steel base on hand, for example, a vice or just a block, a sledgehammer and a hair dryer or a gas torch, which can easily be replaced with a blowtorch. Next, all steps are done in the following order:
- Similar to the previous method, you need to remove the wheel, wash it and inspect it for other defects other than the jammed edge.
- The next important procedure is heating the damaged area, which is best done with a hair dryer, since the flame from the burner will hopelessly stain the surface of the product. As the temperature rises, the steel will become more pliable, but at the same time, in everyday conditions, the temperature is still not enough for the material to lose its structure or for any changes to occur in it.
- Next, you need to carefully place it on the metal base with the straight deformed part, fix it or hold it securely with your hand. For these purposes, it is best to use the help of another person.
- After the product is securely fastened to the steel backing, you need to take a sledgehammer and apply several precise blows to the bent area to straighten it.
- The procedure for straightening alloy wheels is completed using a 1-kilogram hammer, which strikes and the remaining deformations are straightened until the wheel reaches the required shape.
- Of course, in the process of straightening car rims, the paintwork can be damaged, especially when the product is heated over an open flame. If this is a stamped product, then the car enthusiast can restore it on his own, but in the case of casting, it is still worth contacting a service station where there is a paint booth, and specialists will do the work in compliance with the necessary technology.
You might be interested in the size of stamped and forged wheels on the Lada Vesta
Installing the disk before editing
Important!
Despite the straightening of the disk, after manual straightening it will not regain its former geometry, and this will almost certainly cause runout when driving a car at high speed. This means that after such an operation the driver needs to go to a tire shop, where his wheel will be installed on a balancing machine, and if there is no balance, the master will attach additional weights to the appropriate places on the disk.
Expansion of steel rims
... of course, you need to take into account additional costs, and this is not so small. Depending on the size of the rim, the price for a set can be up to 12,000 rubles.
Widening steel wheels for tuning?
Why are the disks expanded? Well, it's a matter of taste. Some say the extension looks better on sports cars or classic cars. They also have the advantage of being able to fit wider tires, which improve traction and make the car better on the road. Others who see such discs have mixed feelings.
Steel wheel flaring starts at 1 inch wide and then at intervals of every 0.5 inch. The next step is to finish the edge so that it looks good after welding. You should also remember to straighten first and then expand.
Making a stand for wheel correction
The stand is intended for correcting uneven stampings and light alloy wheels with your own hands and can be developed at home. Compared to manual processing, it significantly improves productivity and quality of edits.
To make a disk straightening machine, follow this procedure:
- install the shaft on the frame, where fasten the universal hub;
- Place the product that needs to be fixed on the hub;
- secure the bed to the stand. The stand itself is attached to a hydraulic station, which will power the mobile hydraulic cylinder. A tool for straightening discs is mounted on its rod;
- control the cylinder using a hydraulic distributor with a pressure reduction valve;
- To be able to install the cylinder at any angle relative to the product being repaired, use a pair of movable brackets.
Read also: Spray foam gun how to use video
In order for a machine for rolling cast discs to fasten products with different diameters, its hub must be equipped with centering washers of the required diameters (a total of 18 fasteners will be required).
Don't repair steel wheels - it's easier to replace them
Some damage, such as deep scratches, large bends or damaged edges, is not suitable for repair. Rims with heavily raked edges may even break when trying to warm them up.
New steel wheels
In this situation, it is better to simply buy new disks than to play with your own safety. It's worth converting everything because the cost of straightening and painting the rims usually exceeds the new price. So why overpay? It is best to consult a specialist in such a situation and rely on his opinion.
Welding discs.
As a rule, stamped rims rarely suffer from cracks. Most often they bend. In this regard, straightening is more often used for this type of rim than welding. Casting, on the contrary, is often subject to cracks. As a rule, cracks can be detected by professionals and only using special equipment. Argon welding is rarely used for casting. This is explained by the fact that welding is not very productive for disc restoration. The casting has a rather fragile structure that is difficult to reconstruct. Even experienced specialists will not undertake welding, taking care of the safety of the car enthusiast.
Read also: Applying chrome to plastic with your own hands
Thus, it becomes clear that repairing light alloy rims is a complex procedure requiring expensive equipment and special skills. Steel wheels are less finicky to maintain and can be easily restored. If the structure of a light alloy wheel is damaged, it is imperative to stop operating the vehicle and contact a professional. Timely elimination of the malfunction will preserve the safety of the driver and passengers, and will also extend the life of the vehicle’s chassis and tires. Be vigilant and regularly check the condition of your vehicle's wheels. Good luck in servicing your favorite car.
Hello colleagues! Today I flew right side into a hole (filled with water). I bent the front disc and it flattened almost immediately. I had to put on the spare tire in the rain (as luck would have it, it was deflated and I also had to pump it up). The dent on the inside is decent. Is it possible to straighten it with a hammer or just roll it?
If “rolling”, then where do they do it and on what? Or is this only relevant for cast and forged?
“rolling” turned out to be an ordinary sledgehammer Got it
I'll have to take another look at the rear disc. Although it didn’t go down there, it did.
In general, anyone can skate. On what equipment? Probably not every tire shop has this.
Later I'll replace the disk with a whole one. It's in stock, but it's a long way to get there.
If the shelf (the place where the tire sits) is not bent, then it’s ok. If it weren’t dented, then the tire wouldn’t go flat, IMHO. I'll try to straighten it and pump it up tomorrow.
If it gets bad, I’ll try to take it to the nearest tire shops. Otherwise, you will have to drive 50 km with the spare tire to a garage in the Moscow region.
On the Yauza, on the descent from Preobrazhenka to the Gannushkina embankment, there is a good ride for discs at Tinomontazh! vosmilie:
To everyone who responded, THANK YOU! The problem is solved. :ura1 Using a hammer and a bottle of water. After the first edit and pumping it was poisoning quite a bit. Subsequent light chasing and testing by pouring water into the groove around the disk eliminated all problems. There were no bubbles at all. I pumped it up to normal, set it up, and drove it forward and back with sharp braking (so that the tires sat down without strain). Control measurements after an hour and two did not reveal any pressure drop. I will monitor the first few days (measurements in the morning and evening with an electronic pressure gauge. By the way, a good Chinese thing).
Read also: Triangular metal file
And now I decided to carry the hammer with me in the trunk. Just in case.
By the way, at the moment of falling into the hole the pressure was rather low. I usually pump more. They recently lowered it at the wheel alignment. Probably, if not for this, then maybe there would have been no dents.
So, the answer to the question in the title: “YOU CAN.”
Even a very careful driver cannot be protected from the appearance of dents and cracks on the wheel rims that form when the car gets into holes in the asphalt. Even a 10 cm deep recess can seriously disrupt the wheel geometry, leading to the following problems:
- Suspension failure.
- Uneven wear of tires.
- Problems with steering rod.
Disc rolling machine
In cases of violation of the parameters of components in wheels, a machine for straightening cast wheels is indispensable. This disc setter allows you to correct the geometry and eliminate dents, giving the product a completely smooth appearance.
Typically, a machine for straightening cast wheels can only be found at a car service center, and there you will pay a considerable amount for such a service. However, not everyone knows that you can make a wheel rolling machine with your own hands, thereby significantly saving money on periodic wheel rolling at a car service center. When carrying out work, you need to understand that repair differs from disk recovery as follows. After restoration, the product can be used for a long time, unlike repair work.
Disadvantages of straightening alloy wheels
If you come across reviews from motorists who have already adjusted alloy wheels, then most likely you will be surprised how many people speak extremely negatively about this procedure. However, there are objective disadvantages that are definitely worth paying attention to.
Why you can’t straighten alloy wheels:
- It is not safe . Indeed, no one can give you a guarantee that the disk will serve you for a long time and will work absolutely as it should. Also, no one guarantees you that problems cannot arise with the disk that will lead to an accident right on the road.
- The discs still take their original form . Of course, you can be happy that your alloy wheel has finally been patched up and now looks decent (almost exactly the same as before). However, no matter what they do with your discs in the salon, after some time they will still take their original shape (the shape in which you brought your disc to a repair shop or car service center).
- In the end, you will spend a lot more . Of course, the procedure itself will cost you less than buying a new alloy wheel (and they are very expensive), but the repair will most likely not last long, and the wheel will bring new problems to the car owner. Then you will either have to go to a repair shop or service again, or buy a new wheel.
- After heating, the cast disk will be much more susceptible to various kinds of dangers . Any bump or hole, any collision with various kinds of obstacles can lead to a wheel split. Who knows what consequences this may have?
- The threat of getting to a bad master . If you end up with a bad mechanic who doesn’t have the slightest idea how to properly handle alloy wheels, then you may end up in some kind of trouble on the road in the future.
These are the main disadvantages of straightening alloy wheels that should not be ignored.
