I've been searching too long. I know there is a thread about how to reverse a rim on here somewhere, but I cannot find it. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thank you in advance. Mods: move this to the correct place if you need to. I wasn't sure where to post it.
I drilled the rivets, but I had to press the center out, and I bent the first rim doing it. I'm missing something, but I don't know what.
I never used a press. Just beat the center out with a big hammer. Maybe that is your problem pressing it doesn't jar the rust loose and just bends the rim or center. Get a bigger hammer.
^^^^^is that the T that goes to LARS every year? There is not much on the planet cooler than that thing.
I did a pair a little while ago, I beat the center out with a big hammer after drilling the rivets. Welded up the rivet holes, put it back together, put it on a spindle with a dial indicator and adjusted till it had less than .030" runout on the inside of the bead lip. Welded them back together, filled in the valve stem hole, drilled a new hole on the outside. they work pretty good.
I started with a hammer, but it was making marks in the wheel center. I want to chrome them, so . . . Did you knock the center out from the back or front? Was the rim laying flat or standing upright? Sorry for all the questions, but I already ruined one, and I only have four left. Nobody does this professionally anymore, and everyone makes it sound easy (hell! It looks super easy) but the centers ain't budging.
I don't remember which way I knocked them out, probably hit it on the back so it came out the front. If you're getting them chromed, you want to get the chrome done before you put them back together, or the chrome won't get into the area near where the pieces join.
doesn't the extra plating make them harder to get back together? And When I weld them back up, won't that effect the chrome? Do they chrome new wheels in pieces?
Try a big hammer and a wood block on the wheel, and hit from rear, if You heat it a bit with a torch You might then cool the center with some ice , and Yeah if chromed before putting together the thickness of the chrome may make it hard to put together, but the big problem( I think) would be the heat from welding may discolor the chrome( after all They don't chrome stuff as well as They used too) and might even make some of it pop off, so if it were Me I would reassemble then send out for chrome, If they were My wheel.s anyway good luck Von Doc
Look closely at the center since it has a taper to it where it contacts the rim, that will tell you which way it comes out. I used to make up wheels for my stock cars, follow what Squirrel suggests and you'll be okay.
Also make sure you are drilling the rivets completely out and not just the centers and leaving a thin outer shell. If it is drilled a little off center then it can leave a small ridge along one side. Good quality sharp bits might help also, even the slightest ridge left where the two parts meet can really increase the effort to get them apart.
I'm also gonna soak them with penetrant to break down the rust. I was so disappointed with the first try, but chrome reverse is what I want, and there is no substitute.
When the first one came apart, did you look at the parting area closely to see if you could figure out what was holding it up? I would look closely at where the rivet holes were drilled out to see if there was any shearing to indicate something was still holding it. Also take a good look at the outer rim part to see if you can detect any tapper. That rim might be your best guide as to what was going on. Two things that will loosen a rust area are heat and shock. If it doesn't come apart somewhat freely I would try a couple of heat cycles along with some sharp hammer blows. What you need is a lead hammer, that is what we used all the time on this stuff, but don't think you can get them anymore. might try a dead blow, a steel hammer is going to mark the metal. Another tip, mass is your friend, a larger hammer with more mass is better than betting the hell out of something with a small one.
I believe it was tapered. The rivets were completely drilled, and there was nothing holding it up except rust. Incidentally, I started with a hand sledge and all it did was clang and bounce around, and I find another post on here about how you have to press out the centers but now I know that is malarkey. I made a lead hammer in Metal Shop, but gave it to my Auto shop teacher when I graduated. Now that I know, I think the heat cycles and whacking will be the best bet.
I have done many wheels and never used any heat, 6lb hammer yes, press no... Rim goes face down on a sheet of plywood, a chunk of 6x6 standing on the rim center and start pounding. If you lay the wood on its side it will absorb most of the energy you are delivering with the bfh and you will get tired. If you work on a concrete slab, w/o the ply, you will go deaf... Assemble in reverse order. If you have the parts chromed first then tell the chrome shop to avoid the mounting spots. Proper welding should not burn the new chrome. .
Also, the welds can be at the back edge of the wheel center, they will be an inch from any part of the wheel that shows. If you look at some new chrome steel wheels, you might see paint over the welds, indicating they were welded after plating.
Call Jimmy at Rallyamerica.com he can probably make them for you and have them chrome all at the same time! He's a Hamb Vendor too!
Is that a Grabowski knob? Norm was good friends with my grandfather when he built the T in my avatar around 1961. Gramps joined the LA Roadsters with the "Instant T" and we still own it today. I've seen you're car a few times and would like to build one just like it for my son some day. I wish, but I have no budge for that. I'm not sure I have the budget for the chrome even, but I'll get it done.
Soaked them in oil for a few days and Voila! They came out with minimal effort. Now its off to the chromer.
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