alexjc4

I have a set of 8 and 9.5 x 18 inch wheels I've been refurbing. Before I bought tyres I though I measure the radial and lateral run out with a dial indicator.

The 8s both have <1mm radial run out at the inner and outer bead seat.

The 9.5s have <1mm on the outer bead seat (spoke side). But on the inner seat one has +/- 0.7mm (0.030inch) so a total from lowest to highest points of 1.4mm and the other has +/-1.3mm (total 2.7mm (0.11inch) low to high point).

How bent is too bent?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67059665@N07/7226667644/

Makmov

should be zero. I have not be able to find a max out of round spec but the bead is generally machined so sould be zero. Of course on a street car with road tires there is probably some forgiveness there.

Being told is 0.03 mm or 0.0014 inches so I would say they are out of spec anyway.

alexjc4

Thanks makmov, yes, obviously ideally you do want round wheels

In this case the beads don't look machined, but they may be under the coating.

Hmm 0.03mm seems unrealistic, variations in paint coatings could blow that. Maybe as a manufacturing tolerance but my D90s have 10x more than that!

Googling around tyres seem to have tolerances around 1mm when new, better quality tyres have less variation than cheap.

UK MOT test for motorcycles allows upto 3mm radial runout for alloy wheels, less for steel.

Some of my googling is coming up with 0.030 inch for cars. Not sure if that would be total or a +/- around a mid point.

There's a local wheel refurb specialist very close by, maybe I'll call them on monday see what they reckon.

warmfuzzies

Too much IMHO, think of it at speed, If I remember correctly when I rebuilt my split rims, I had about 6 thou TIR.

Kevin

alexjc4

I've just dropped the wheels off to the specialists who confirm as we'd expect that the bad one will need considerable straightening, with a reasonable chance of cracking it in the process, which would then require welding.

They were originally bought cheap from ebay but the seller explicitly stated they weren't buckled, and I believe he's a stand up guy so he probably thought they weren't bent. I've sent him a message through ebay, to see what he suggests to resolve...

Bit of a bummer given the effort I put into refinishing them but at least I hadn't yet forked out for tyres!

crg53

Did you check for runout on the hub/mounting surface on the car. It could be the wheels are within spec, but your rear hub isn't.
Just trying to cover all the possibilities.

alexjc4

Yup worth checking, but yes the hub was true, no measurable run out. Also spun my design 90s and they were under 1 mm. Once they guys had it spinning on their machine you could really see the low spot.

g60pops

a real pity that you did not check them before refurbishing them

alexjc4

Glass half full; really lucky I happened to buy myself a DTI (for no real reason other than its a fun toy) and was looking to test it out on something! The wheels were only £200 and the tyres would have been 2 or 3 times that, so I feel like I've dodged a bullet more than anything.

The fella I got them from has come back quickly offering to refund me.