road wheel rim loading and strength

[JonE]

Just properly stripping a wheel down with the thought of putting new rim on and respoking. The return on the outer fold is perforated for 5" on one side only. While disassembling, I was struck by how solid the thing was despite 90 years of internal surface rust under the tube. 
Talking with someone about where exactly the loading is, they remarked that cars essentially hang from the upper spokes.
So that suggests that the spoke 'holders' are crucial first.
My question - IS it possible to safely repair a rim - and in what circumstances? I'm assuming the remaining 1928 metal will be of better quality than that of new ones today.

[JohnD]

I reently stripped a wheel of a tyre and tube, the rim has been bodged up with body filler in several places then painted. I decidd that the best way forward was to cut the centre out and send the rim to the scrap pile.

 Iam unsure how long it had been like this, and it must have given service for someone

[Howard Wright]

Hi Jon

Why would you repair a rim?  It is such an important safety item that a new rim is well worth the expense.  And while you are at it I would always use new spokes where possible.

Cheers

Howard

[Steve Jones]

I can't imagine how anyone would think it a good idea to weld up corrosion to a wheel rim or, indeed, use a rim with known corrosion.

Steve

[Hedd_Jones]

I can think of lots of reasons why someone would repair a rim, after all, not all vintage cars are lucky that what are essentially motorbike rims are easily available and fit.

Note that I said repair.

[JonE]

The question was IS it possible so worth asking for a component that is nonetheless eighty quid. It will move to the scrap pile!
Got spokes. I can see that JohnD's findings also compound the problem, as create a false security beyond merely stabilising surface rust at tyre change time.

[andrew34ruby]

Instead of welding and repairing components we could always replace with new, but somehow that isn't what many of us want. I would consider welding up a small rust hole in a rim but would want to use oxy-acetylene, as MIG is a bit too fast and not quite as controllable.

In the event I selected the best 5 wheels from my pile of eleven. These has some rust, some pitting, but no holes.

Recently I hit a nasty though small pothole. The bang was incredible but on inspection no damage - those wheels must be strong!

[Bob Culver]

Very many wheels would have been repaired on Sevens and similar. Important no kinks or wanders including welding induced as cannot pull into shape as readily as with bicycles. Think one of the Club sites covers rebuilding.
Based on wheel lifting antics with my RP I have great faith in origianal spokes. Often too stretched. Many replacements of single gauge and look clumsy. Often nipples damaged. Dunno if can get the exact obsolete non Whit form cycle thread, or taps and dies for.
(Spectators were amazed at the distortions of the wheels of the Rubber Duck car when cornering, but wheels survived. Seems slip angle was not confined to the tyres!)
Spokes should not be treated with acid rust concoctions.

[squeak]

My heavy 1929 Dodge has 19" wire wheels which are unobtanium, 50 years ago I had a tyre explode because the rim had rusted under the tyre bead. The solution was to put the entire wheel into a lathe, part off the edge beyond the spokes and full circle weld on similar from a grey ferguson tractor. Still going, well to be honest  I have'nt used it in 15 years.

[Dennis Nicholas]

Many years ago at first rebuild (70s) I had got to know a friend of a friend who worked with motorcycle wheels.  He made up 2 sets of wheels for my Nippy special (special = BMC A engine).  One set of standard size 19 inch wheels for shows and MCC trials but these are far too scary for normal (fairly fast) road use.  !6 inch wheels I had were just right but then 16 inch tyres of the right section for A7 became just about unobtainable.
  The next choice was 15 inch, my thinking being that several "modern" cars were using them so would continue to be easily available and cost was reasonable.  I chose Peugeot rims for the rear to take 165 X 15 radials.  The fronts were 2CV to take 125 X 15 radials.   In those days I was a bit younger and considered these stronger wheels would also cope better and safer with anything I could throw at them.  The centre of each wheel was removed with an angle grinder leaving just the rims including grinding down to the rim where the centre disk was welded to the rim.  The friend of friend was a bit doubtful at first that his dimpling machine would cope with the rims but said it was no problem in the end.  I specified thicker spokes.  He had a friend who did powder coating so that is how they were finished.  It was all very satisfactory for around £15.  
I am just putting wheels back on to get rolling chassis after rebuild No 2.  The 15 inch wheels are still very sound but now have the odd patch where rust  patches are showing.  I will be treating these patches with Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80 to kill/convert the rust then painting the patches with KBS Coating's Rust seal.  I don't know that I have the patience to lightly sand the whole wheel powder coating to provide a key for the "Rust Seal"  let alone also do each spoke, so could be running around with blotchy but very sound wheels.  .  The car handles (I don't go mad) well and feels very comfortable with these wheels/tyres and they have done around 60,000 miles.
Now that 16 inch tyres seem more readily available I may go back to them.....more MPG?

Dennis