Seattle Area Steel Wheel Straightening

[Jam3422]

I have a set of CMR Alpina steel wheels that need some love.  Does anyone have a recommendation for a shop in the Seattle area that can I can trust to straighten steel wheels, and maybe paint them?  I stopped by Dependable (Tim Foster) in Renton today, and he's retired.  He was in the shop wrapping things up, and couldn't recommend anyone local to the work.

 

Thanks

[bluebmw]

I've used Complete Wheel Repair in Queen Anne right off 99, and they were good, but not the cheapest at $125/wheel for a small bend in the lip (13" wheels). Factory Direct Tire in Edmonds fixed a couple bent wheels for me last week, and they also did a good job at ~$85/wheel for straightening (15" wheels). Not sure if either will do a paint job, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

 

Now let's see some photos of the CMR Alpina wheels!

[Jam3422]

Great, thanks for the info.  Were your wheels steel?

[bluebmw]

2 hours ago, Jam3422 said:

Great, thanks for the info.  Were your wheels steel?

Both instances were with alloys.

[Jam3422]

Thanks.  Here's the worst of the bunch, but they all need some work.  Skip's in Portland is highly recommended for vintage steel wheels, but I'm trying to avoid that drive (or shipping).

 

 

[roadhog0]

On 6/23/2016 at 4:20 PM, Jam3422 said:

I have a set of CMR Alpina steel wheels that need some love.  Does anyone have a recommendation for a shop in the Seattle area that can I can trust to straighten steel wheels, and maybe paint them?  I stopped by Dependable (Tim Foster) in Renton today, and he's retired.  He was in the shop wrapping things up, and couldn't recommend anyone local to the work.

 

Thanks

 

Woah woah woah. Back up. Dependable wheel is closed?! That's a shame.... I just called a couple weeks ago to ask about getting a wheel fixed and they said nothing about this. Shame to loose another good, old school business. I've already lost Vic's Renton Frame, now Dependable Wheel.... :/

[Jam3422]

Yeah, I agree, big bummer.  He's having some health issues I guess.  His website now has the announcement up.  He knew what I had, and said without really saying, he wouldn't recommend any of the alloy shops in town for these steel wheels.  He said there was a guy in Centralia that could do it, but he was an "oldtimer" the last time he had contact with him, which was more than 5 years ago.  I'll probably just end up sending them or taking them to Skips in Beaverton.

['76mintgrün'02]

Or bring them over here.

I'll bet we can get them straightened out.

One of my early steel wheels looks a lot like your 'worst' one.

I will give it a shot and let you know how it goes.

Toby replied to a similar question on the forum yesterday, with a technique similar to what I want to try.

Installing the wheel on the front hub of my car, I will set up a pointer and give it a spin.

I will cut out a block of wood, to match the OD and set the wheel/car down in it, to pound it back.

I will do the pounding with another block of wood, cut to fit the ID of the lip and may use some aluminum bar stock as well.

That steel is soft and easy to move, assuming the bend is just in the outer lip.

If it has warp or wobble, that is beyond what I would anticipate being able to correct.

 

I have a degree in Pottery ... same thing, only steel, instead of clay  : )

['76mintgrün'02]

this set up showed me that my worst one is bent more than I'd expect to be able to straighten.

.100" out of round... in 'several places'

(I did add lug nuts to the equation)

 

it was an easy set up... which inspired me to take the axles off the trailing arms.

that in itself is progress.

I like the idea of spinning the wheels on this, while cleaning them up with a wire wheel.

In fact, the wheel does a good job of spinning them.

 

I have a hard time paying anyone to work on my stuff, but I do see the logic in sending things to people who specialize in what you need done.

 

This particular rim is 'done'.

...merely an early 4 1/2" rim.

not Alpina.

 

Edited July 2, 2016 by '76Mintgrun'02

[roadhog0]

Dont tell me I gave you crappy wheels.... And glad you added lug nuts since a 2002 is a lug centric car!

['76mintgrün'02]

well, I was only looking for one and you brought two!

one that is nice and straight and another one to learn on : )

['76mintgrün'02]

hey, that trailing arm came from you as well, Nathan      : )

[roadhog0]

Well, glad I could supply at least a few good parts! LOL

[Fatherof3]

What was the outcome?

I've done it similar to what Mintgrun showed but still on the car and was happy with the results.

[Jam3422]

I found a place in Tacoma that straightened and powder coated for $100/ea (cash).  That's cheap in the wheel conditioning world.  The lips are not perfect, but they are very good.  They nailed the color I was looking for.  The guy that mounted and balanced said they were "dead straight".  I think the guy that did the work was pretty young - I never actually met him, I dealt with his father.  Let me know if you want his contact info.  Like most people, he mostly deals with alloy wheels.

 

 

 

 

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