Scratched alloy rims - help!

[miyata]

Does anyone have advice on getting scratches out of unpainted alloy rims? I have a deep (but short) groove and some minor scratches.

I've read that you can buff them out with fine sandpaper (e.g., 1000 grit) followed by metal polish. I think that might work on the minor scratches but not the deep groove.

[GeorgeET]

Photos showing where the scratches are would help, BUT polishing removes metal and if you take a lot off you will weaken the rim. It may all ready be weakened by the deep scratch. If you cannot clean them up with some automotive polishing compound leave them alone.

[Joe_W]

I'd say that the only negative effect is that debris collect in the deeper groove that might embed itself in the brake pads, so inspect them regularly (well, do that anyway).
Additional thought: rims are consumables anyway.

[miyata]

Thanks so much for the tips.

Here is a picture of the groove (actually, it's two grooves forming a skinny heart shape).

There was a sharp metal flake sticking out, which I already sanded down because it was cutting the brake pad. You can see some minor scratching where I accidentally touched the smooth rim. (I probably should have masked the undamaged rim with tape before sanding the flake but I didn't think of it at the time - ugh!)

[nfmisso]

i'd replace that rim. You will feel that divot every time you brake; and removing enough metal to remove that divot would result in a dangerous reduction in rim strength.

Time to make that rim into wall art or scrap.

Looks like there is a bit of corrosion on the spoke and nipple too.

My current favorite rim is the Sun CR18 which is available in many sizes; the Velocity Dyad is nicer and more pricy. The Alex DM18 is also a very nice rim.

[GeorgeET]

10-4 to what Nigel said , that's a bad notch. If you want to play with it you can get one of the aluminum or JB weld epoxy, very strong, and fill the notch than sand and polish. AS per rim the cost of rim and relacing may exceed the cost of a new wheel.


http://www.raydobbins.com/polishing/

[nfmisso]

(10-25-2012, 03:58 PM)GeorgeET Wrote:  ...... AS per rim the cost of rim and relacing may exceed the cost of a new wheel......

Thx George

I never think of the cost of relacing as it is my labor

[Bill]

Just to add, not suggested to go with a used wheel as you may be getting someone elses problems .

[GeorgeET]

Ye, I know you lace your own wheels, Nigel, but how many can do that especially newbies. I am pretty good at repair but If I had to get relacing I'd get a new wheel, or pay a builder to do it if the hub innards were good....Last time I checked labor was $60 per wheel when I wanted to put on SS spokes. I just cleaned and painted my spokes black with oil enamel paint that is very hard. Came out nice.

I ride mostly on the LA beach bike path and SS spokes do not rust from the ocean air.

[Joe_W]

Well, if that is 60 bucks including the spokes it is a great deal, assuming it is high quality double butted ones (DT Swiss, Sapim, Wheelsmith to name a few). I agree with both Bill and Nigel (in general), but getting a decent second hand wheel can be a good thing. Just make sure the hub bearings are still ok-ish. That said: I mostly build my own wheels...

[GeorgeET]

As I said above the $60 was for labor, spokes are extra. Sometimes one can find a good used wheel although parts for hub repair, like cones, are very hard to find. We do not know what bike or what wheel so new wheel price can be from $50 to $ 1300.

If you get a new wheel if its cone type make sure that its greased. Most likely however new wheels will have sealed bearings.


http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/wheels/622.html

http://www.bikepartsusa.com/bikeparts/category.cgi

[nfmisso]

In San Jose, there are a couple people that advertise on CL charging $25- plus materials to build a wheel.

[GeorgeET]

(10-29-2012, 02:07 PM)nfmisso Wrote:  In San Jose, there are a couple people that advertise on CL charging $25- plus materials to build a wheel.

WOW, great price, but I do not know the way to San Jose. :-))) Definitely a great deal if done right.

[Bill]

Yea that's a really great price!

[Joe_W]

There's also a store in Germany ( http://www.komponentix.de ) that has very competitive prices on hand built wheels (the high end components they use are expensive, the labour not so much). I don't know how they manage to offer these deals, those guys have to be really fast when building a wheel (or they earn most on the parts)! Since they do guarantee their work they do not seem to cut corners. That's the only caveat: Often you get what you pay for. If people cut corners on the building the wheel will be... cra not optimal.