How To True Rim That Has Slight Bend

rpowell600
Profile picture for user rpowell600
Posts
6
Joined
1/9/2018
Location
Glendale, AZ US
rpowell600
Edited Date/Time 1/12/2018 2:20pm
Im trying to true my front wheel but the rim has a slight dent that is pushing outward in two different spots that makes it seem impossible to true. How do you go about truing a rim that isnt perfectly straight like they are out of the factory?
|
rpowell600
Profile picture for user rpowell600
Posts
6
Joined
1/9/2018
Location
Glendale, AZ US
rpowell600 1/10/2018 12:28pm
1/10/2018 12:28pm
I was hoping that wasnt what I had to do. Im riding in the desert and doing hill climbs and already dented this rim within 5 rides. This is getting real expensive, quick lol.
Acidreamer
Profile picture for user Acidreamer
Posts
1794
Joined
8/25/2015
Location
Mansfield, OH US
Acidreamer 1/10/2018 1:02pm
1/10/2018 1:02pm
Still less expensive than medical bills after your wheel blows apart.
FWYT
Profile picture for user FWYT
Posts
3308
Joined
5/25/2014
Location
San Diego, CA US
FWYT 1/10/2018 8:54pm
1/10/2018 8:54pm Edited Date/Time 1/10/2018 9:04pm
How tweaked are we talking about here? Is it like the center line of the rim will roll
straight but there's a little smiley on the side? If no cracks, hell, I'd run it.

If it's tweaked through the center line, you should be able to get it back.
Might have to loosen everything up and kinda start from the beginning.
Most rims I've pulled out of the box are nowhere near perfect. It's
the lacing and truing that straightens them out.

The Shop

See All »
rpowell600
Profile picture for user rpowell600
Posts
6
Joined
1/9/2018
Location
Glendale, AZ US
rpowell600 1/10/2018 9:35pm
1/10/2018 9:35pm
Acidreamer wrote:
Still less expensive than medical bills after your wheel blows apart.
Yes that is true I suppose!
rpowell600
Profile picture for user rpowell600
Posts
6
Joined
1/9/2018
Location
Glendale, AZ US
rpowell600 1/10/2018 9:39pm
1/10/2018 9:39pm
FWYT wrote:
How tweaked are we talking about here? Is it like the center line of the rim will roll straight but there's a little smiley on the...
How tweaked are we talking about here? Is it like the center line of the rim will roll
straight but there's a little smiley on the side? If no cracks, hell, I'd run it.

If it's tweaked through the center line, you should be able to get it back.
Might have to loosen everything up and kinda start from the beginning.
Most rims I've pulled out of the box are nowhere near perfect. It's
the lacing and truing that straightens them out.
Its not really twisted up or anything. I dont know how to describe it but if you were to remove a brand new rim from the box, stand it upright and smack it with a metal hammer so it was a flat spot on the rim and slightly bows it out.

If I were to put it on a truing stand 80 percent of the rim would ride perfectly against the pointer but then it would hit a flare on the rim due to damage so it would never show true on a stand. If that makes sense...
FWYT
Profile picture for user FWYT
Posts
3308
Joined
5/25/2014
Location
San Diego, CA US
FWYT 1/10/2018 11:15pm
1/10/2018 11:15pm
So if you had the pointer on the opposite side of the rim, that side stays even?
I'd probably just run it.

I've seen guys do a little squeezing with hydraulic press. Also heard of guys using a large crescent wrench.
Tighten it down onto the lip and massage it back into shape.

Yeah, you're out in the desert; you
going to put some smileys in some rims! Smile Add a couple pounds of air pressure.

KDXGarage
Profile picture for user KDXGarage
Posts
2562
Joined
12/16/2010
Location
AL US
KDXGarage 1/12/2018 3:27am
1/12/2018 3:27am
One trues a wheel, not a rim. You sound like you are asking how to repair a dented rim. At some point, it is too bad to try to run it as - is or bend back into shape vs. just buy a new one.
RussB
Profile picture for user RussB
Posts
851
Joined
7/12/2014
Location
GB
Fantasy
986th
RussB 1/12/2018 3:50am
1/12/2018 3:50am
You either need to find another point on the rim to set your dial on, or repair the dented areas back to flat so that you can true of the rim edge.

Sounds as though you could benefit from running mousses or a Tubliss system!
TrailDigger 1/12/2018 5:24am
1/12/2018 5:24am
If you can, put a 2x4 in a vice as an anvil and put the rim against it. “Massage” it with a plastic dead blow or rubber mallet; try to just shape the worst of it out.
rpowell600
Profile picture for user rpowell600
Posts
6
Joined
1/9/2018
Location
Glendale, AZ US
rpowell600 1/12/2018 2:20pm
1/12/2018 2:20pm
I was able to true the wheel as best as I could side to side only to find that the rim had some damage on the up and down movement. I took the bike around the block and it could definitely be felt. I decided to buy a tusk impact rim with spoke kit and a new mx52 front tire since it was past due.

Post a reply to: How To True Rim That Has Slight Bend