stuvy
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How do you police it? If a wheel is welded and powder coated you can’t see if it’s been repaired at all
- Thread starter moggywelder
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How do you police it? If a wheel is welded and powder coated you can’t see if it’s been repaired at all
PhillipM
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Would the guys advocating it be happy driving around after welding up a crack in an Elise aluminium chassis?
Because the factories stance - after actually testing it for their own repairs (with help from TWI, fwiw) - and that of insurers - is any cracks in the chassis that require welding work = write off, and chop it into bits at salvage so that someone doesn't attempt it (because as with wheels, someone always will).
The cost of inspection, NDT and treatment to ensure the weld is up to spec exceeds that of the chassis. It certainly exceeds that of 50-100 quids worth of wheel.
Even the lotus race cars after a shunt just get straightened if they can, a replacement section riveted and bonded on if not, and if cracked, new chassis.
Just because a lot of people do it, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do - a lot of people drive around chatting on their phones too, I don't do that either.
Without spending more than the wheel is worth on NDT testing and heat treat/aging it, you cannot know if your weld is good enough, and in all likelyhood, it and the surrounding area are now significantly weaker on a part that has already cracked once.
Because the factories stance - after actually testing it for their own repairs (with help from TWI, fwiw) - and that of insurers - is any cracks in the chassis that require welding work = write off, and chop it into bits at salvage so that someone doesn't attempt it (because as with wheels, someone always will).
The cost of inspection, NDT and treatment to ensure the weld is up to spec exceeds that of the chassis. It certainly exceeds that of 50-100 quids worth of wheel.
Even the lotus race cars after a shunt just get straightened if they can, a replacement section riveted and bonded on if not, and if cracked, new chassis.
Just because a lot of people do it, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do - a lot of people drive around chatting on their phones too, I don't do that either.
Without spending more than the wheel is worth on NDT testing and heat treat/aging it, you cannot know if your weld is good enough, and in all likelyhood, it and the surrounding area are now significantly weaker on a part that has already cracked once.
slim_boy_fat
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Every car I've ever bought had 'part worn' tyres on it - they came with the car....
If you buy a used car how do you even know if the alloys have been repaired? You don't!
I know it is standard practice to refurbish fleet car's wheels before sale.
https://www.itfleet.co.uk/services/refurbishment
premmington
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Every car I've ever bought had 'part worn' tyres on it - they came with the car....
Yes this is true... But they have not been demounted - stretched over another four tyres - stacked on a dock side with tons of other tyres on them - have an unknown history - then refitted to your wheels.
stuvy
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So your assuming the previous owner only ever fitted brand new tyres?
Even new tyres age on the shelf and won’t be as grippy due to aging and going hard
slim_boy_fat
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PhillipM
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So because some cowboys might repair and hide it, it's fine?
I don't get the point here? Some people used to weld two cars together and hide it too...
Welding a bent/tweaked aluminium wishbone, track rod, etc, is an MOT fail. And insurers won't allow it either. They're functionally the same as a wheel in the end.
premmington
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By law they should be marked "PART-WORN"...
You are correct - tyres do age - most CE marked tyres - you can tell the age from the markings.
And yes people do ride about on very perished tyres as well...
premmington
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stuvy
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I had an Audi Rs6 which had full Audi service history and was in chronological order in a proper binder the chap had it from new and did 158k on the nose it was part ex’d Against my old bike and was a brilliant car but just not for me.
He had receipts for t shirts from Audi, bulbs he even went to them for tyres to be fitted.... more money than sense!! Iv previously worked in the motor trade for around 12 years and even my mate who has over 250 cars in stock said the service history was an almost one off at that point but cars like that command a premium compared to small cheaper hatchbacks that are ten a penny
He had receipts for t shirts from Audi, bulbs he even went to them for tyres to be fitted.... more money than sense!! Iv previously worked in the motor trade for around 12 years and even my mate who has over 250 cars in stock said the service history was an almost one off at that point but cars like that command a premium compared to small cheaper hatchbacks that are ten a penny
premmington
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I suspect that many of the alloy wheel refurbishes who take pride in their work would take umbridge at being called cowboys.
Large fleet operators are not going to use back street garages.
And if the practice was frowned upon they wouldn't be offering the service.
stuvy
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Sadly not as many as I’d like!
Having worked on land rovers of every year and model it’s rare to find any consistency with electrics etc apart from someone’s been behind the dash wiring in spot lights etc and making a pigs ear of a job. Then being a home mechanic receipts get lost and you buy something reminiscent of triggers broom
stuvy
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The chap that diamond cut my series 1 rs turbo wheels has the majority of Kia’s ex fleet cars. He has three shifts going as there so busy with work
How do you know? The last owner may have bought part worns as well.
PhillipM
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No, they'll be using a welders that have the same attitude as many on here "Looks okay, haven't had many back"
And they'll be using the biggest firm that can knock a load through the powder coating oven as cheap as possible.
As already mentioned, welding an aluminium HGV wheel is an MOT fail. So I hope your fleets aren't running any haulage...
Isn't it funny how all the dodgy scrapyards now have the word environmental tagged onto their names. And yet the people operating them still seem to run around in Transit tippers......................
And I have lost count of the number of tyre recycling places that have had strange fires - never mind it's all good for the environment
And I have lost count of the number of tyre recycling places that have had strange fires - never mind it's all good for the environment
