Crx Aluminum Rim Straightening - Diy
#1
Posted 29 December 2021 - 01:17 AM
I have a couple IS300's. Have 7 spare rims from over the years. 5 were bent pretty good and weren't worth putting a tire on.
I copied this guys process. Heated the aluminum w my propane torch. Heated to the point i could spit on the aluminum and it would flash off. But not enough heat to smoke the paint. You can see from the pix how I pushed out the kinks. This only works on the inner kinks. I was able to get the lexus rims true to about .010". Tire shop guy was impressed w the work
used the bandsaw and sander to shape the wood.
I'll report back when I try this on CRX rims.
#2
Posted 31 December 2021 - 10:25 AM
WOW that is impressive. Another 1gen fan in FL shared with me he had done this on some racing wheels. He also had great results.
Victor
86 K24 Powered CRX SI (SMF Solo2, HPDE-4 NASA & TA-A Time Attack
85 CRX DX totally original
07 Harley FXST Softail
2021 Tacoma Tow/Daily
#3
Posted 09 September 2022 - 09:38 PM
Finally got to straightening some phone dials.
i had picked up 3 more from a hatch si a few months ago. Discovered 3 more in storage last week. so 22 rims in all. probably 7 are good to go as is. 4 need to go on Mad max. Leaves 18 to work with. Theres a refurbish shop in a Houston. Several are crap. im going to investigate and give them a try
This blow torch / tire jack method works great. I noted before how soft lexus rims were compared to phone dials when stamping id numbers on them. i assumed bending phone dials would be just as hard. They reshaped quite easily. My advice is to practice on a trash rim if you can. i did over bend and edge and had to pound it back the other way
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Most of my rims are bent on the inner rim, easily fixed. The outer rim i might be able to do. im thinking a wooden shim hammered into the slot around the phone dials w enough heat?. An experiment for another time.
I fixed 3 rims inner edge. I focus on the bead where the tire rides only. Put the rim on the rear axle, spin and mark w a sharpie, then torch/bend. i had one w 4 bends. worked each one individually. Got them out. Id say about a .010 hop as it spins is all thats left. spent the time. Was meticulous process. Worth it.
Crx#1 has 4 straight rims. im working on a set for Madmax. and another set for highway tires for my trips
I have a detailed log of each rim now. Spin tested each, stamped numbers on them and have them sorted by condition for use (beater, highway, show, dds, and trashed ones to use as storage rolling wheels at the farm.
I sanded down the lexus beads and spray painted them. Let the paint cure overnight. The tire place popped on the new ties and one leaked. pulled the tire and the spray bomb paint wrinkled. i think either not cured long enough, or the tire shops lubricant reacted w the paint.
The phone dials i cleaned all the tire residue off the beads w gas. then lightly sanded off any corrosion/rough/tool mark spots. I decided not to paint. barely got to the aluminum. i know this isnt the best practice for corrosion protection. i recorded what i did. Will re-evaluated next time the tires come off. I went to a different shop. They didnt use tire lube on the crx rims. i think ill do a very thin spray bomb coat on the next set i do and see what happens
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Ill post a pix shortly
#4
Posted 22 December 2022 - 11:32 PM
Safety lesson 101.
When spinning the rims on the car, keep ur fingers on the outside of the rim.
I was doing several Lexus rims a couple weeks ago. My middle finger was inside the rim a little too far. It got jammed against the caliper as I was spinning it checking roundness. Tore it up pretty good. Should have been an ER visit.
Embarrassing, but it’s what happens when you work w ur hands
First real injury working on/with machinery. Ouch