Rim straightening machine

How common are these machines? any one ever use one on a old rim, what did it cost to get done?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igaivX4b1hY

 

That is a very interesting machine!!

 

I had a pair of Aluminum Front wheels straightened for $50.Most large towns have some one who straightens rims.

 

Has anyone straightened a steel rim manually?

 

Yes, I want to know the answer to that one. I have an IH rim that I need to straighten. Anyone got any ideas on how to?

 

if youbend it someone will build a machine to fix it

 

many years ago Bear Alignment use to make a wheel straightening machine. i have been checking ebay , cragislist , farm auctions, etc trying to find one for myself with no luck. fortunately a local shop has one...i have a `40 Ford 16" X 4" there right now for straightening

 

what he said... check around some hi-end body shops and see who they sub out to. Can't think of the local off hand, but I see they have runners out to pick-up/drop off on the road all the time.

 

I know a guy that has one straightens wheels for $20 each.

 

Yeah...I used to straighten 'em at Reinegger's Frame & Wheel on Alma Street in San Jose.
Old Mr. Reinegger passed away, and the new owner didn't know the function of the horizontal spindle was to check runout, and straighten bent wheel rims. (he had an ego syndrome that refused to allow him to believe me that I was able to straighten bent wheels)

There was a spindle head (flat round heavy steel flange drilled for various lug patterns: largest were for Ford Wide-5.
There was a mechanical rack pressbar that came down to push the outside back to center.
(the wheel then could be inverted, to push the 'inside' back out.
Amusing phenomonem about bent wheels: Seemed that the real bent ones straightened with one push; the slightly bent ones had to get adjusted 3 times!
I always bent them cold. Hydraulic bottle jack indexed from radius allowed spinning of wheel in between pushes. Also, a set of 'spanner' wrenches, 12"-16", with 30* angle; looked like non-adjustable 'crescent' wrenches, with fixed size slots, 3/32", 1/8", 5/32".

The shop had been there since the 1880s. The new building went up in '50, but the old shop adjoined it, right behind. It had an ancient blacksmith's forge, used by Mr. Reinegger's Dad, and the best anvil I ever laid a hammer to. Loved that shop. Wish the new owner had had a brain.

 

Anybody on the East Coast straightening rims. I need to get one straightened very soon or buy new.

 

East Coast? There is a place in Columbus Ohio that does a great job on straightening wheels. I'll get the name if nobody else comes up with it.

I believe they have a trailer that they travel in also. They did a couple very expensive Mercedes wheels for a friend of mine. Excellent job.

 

I think that is what our shop has, large overhead arm?

 

Sure, lots of them too. Sock the rim down on an old Coats 20/20 and have a go at it with a truck tire hammer!

Bob

 

I have one for sale

 

in new jersey cell number 805-612-2444

 

Call around your local tire stores, someone in your area must do this. While you are at it, they can bead blast and paint your rims too.

 

I just straightened a wheel with a bent bead to mount up and use as a roller. 18" pipe wrench and a hammer. It looks true and the tire is holding air.

Blue

 

I had an old Cragar Dragstar done in Orlando last winter at http://www.bentrimrepairorlando.com/
It took them about an hour while I waited. $60 - Excellent job!

 

Speedway has a tool for straighting the lips of wheels. Most circle track guys that run steel wheel have one.

 

I also used this company to straighten a steel 17x6 rim for my '38 Chevy truck. $50 and did it while I waited.

 

Just did another one yesterday. Same thing, excellent job!