Buying Old Alloy Wheels

[Ministrone]

Quick question:
I've got me eyes on a set of wheels for my GT but the owner says they don't hold air for more than a couple of days without inner tubes.

If the alloy is pourous, do you thinnk the wheels are safe?

[magnumpi]

Depends how cheap they are i suppose, i had the same thing with my old Mini alloys, the tyre shop cleaned up the rims with the tyres off, then used the glue stuff and it stopped them leaking.

Hope thats of some help!

[Ministrone]

No wheels for ADO16s are cheap

The leaking doesn't bother me, I'm happy using tubes its the safety that concerns me a little

[Brigsy]

They probably just need the insides of the rim cleaning up, get them shotblasted & powdercoated.

[arthurbrown]

What they said.

I had this issue with the KN Jupiters on my old Estelle. Did as per Brigsy's advice, sorted.

[Ministrone]

Cheers guys
A shall make them mine

[deathgaytothemax]

the surface of the alloy can corrode around were the tyre seats,bit sandpaper and they should be fine.as for the safety i cant see a problem.

[somegeezer]

The wheel can also become porous as your seller has told you, I have this with a set of Cosmic alloys on my Mini. I have autotested and done historic rallies with tubes in with no problems and no concerns.

These were definately leaking through the wheel, not at the tyre bead.

Russell

[g40jon]

a good test if a wheel is good, is that it should make a nice ringing sould when tapped with something reasonble hard in the same way a bell rings when its struck (this isnt a 100% perfect way of telling, but it does give a good indication) but as already said its often just the bead that leaks

[Mr K]

Oct 28, 2008 10:24:51 GMT g40jon said:

a good test if a wheel is good, is that it should make a nice ringing sould when tapped with something reasonble hard in the same way a bell rings when its struck (this isnt a 100% perfect way of telling, but it does give a good indication) but as already said its often just the bead that leaks

that will tell you if its cracked - not if its porus AFAIK.

[Nathan]

Lick'em, if your tongue goes dry they are porus

[arthurbrown]

Oct 28, 2008 11:50:46 GMT Nathan said:

Lick'em, if your tongue goes dry they are porus

GENIUS! ;D

[xbo11ox]

Give em a sandblast and a splash of paint before licking em otherwise you won't get a good seal on your tongue.

[surprisingskoda]

all the KN wheels go that way eventually

i painted them and ran tubes and hardslam and they never even hinted at exploding.