Thread: D.I.Y disco rim off-setting..

I forgot to mention, if you offset 30mm, you'll need to cut about 15mm off the back edge of the center to mate up the welding surfaces..........as someone said earlier, expect to go through quite a few grinding disks.

Murray

I had 1 set done in QLD and one set done in WA. For $40 per rim I couldn't be arsed doing them myself.

The ones I did in QLD were cut and flipped, and the old valve holes welded up. These were +30mm offset.

The ones I did in WA were +20mm - they spun them on a lathe and machined down the flange (as Rigidij mentions above). While they were done very well, I think this method concentrates the load on the rim, which is not ideal. They also welded them up using one continuous weld (not great for crack propagation). However they are very nicely welded and needed almost no lead to balance.

Evening All, thought I would throw my 2 cents worth in as I have just gone through this process myself and hopefully the many mistakes that I made may save you some time if you do decide to have a crack yourself. I'll put them in point form as it's easier for me to remember all the good and bad bits along the way

1. grind the welds on the back of the rim down (obviously) and then use a ultra thin cutting disc to cut a groove around between the inner and outer rim. Do it deeper than you think you need to go as the centre rim is pressed in bloody tight and it is amazing how much corrosion is still in there.
2. Weld up a "cross" using heavy flat bar welded "on edge" so that it fits snugly inside the outer rim and sits on the inner rim. I tried pressing out the middle without doing this the first time and bent everything to buggery. (Rims 1- Dave 0)
3 Find a 14 inch rim that your 17 inch rim can sit on when you press the centre out as otherwise all that happens is the outer lips/edges of the outer rim flatten out. Took 2 rims for me to work out what was happening (Rims 3 - Dave 0). You may also need to weld some extra plate in the bed of the press so that the 14 inch rim sits flat all around the edge otherwise it will buckle and so will your 17 inch rim.
4. Find a good machinist who can put the centre back in for you at the correct offset. We ended up mounting the rim on a landy hub, holding that in the chuck and then running the tail stock with a live centre into the middle of the hub so that everything ran true. Tack in place
5. Reweld the centre back in place only AFTER taking the rim to a tyre dealer to check it for trueness and balance. Found this out the hard way as well. had to cut and grind out the centre for a second time on 2 rims.
6. Rust converter + precoat x 2 + white top coat x 2 and the rims look smicko.
7. 130 nows manages o turn inside a hectare instead of the 5 hectares it use to take along with the 16 point turn.

I'll try and post up some photos at a later date when I've finished the last 3 rims. Cheers and good luck.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

I had 1 set done in QLD and one set done in WA. For $40 per rim I couldn't be arsed doing them myself.

The ones I did in QLD were cut and flipped, and the old valve holes welded up. These were +30mm offset.

The ones I did in WA were +20mm - they spun them on a lathe and machined down the flange (as Rigidij mentions above). While they were done very well, I think this method concentrates the load on the rim, which is not ideal. They also welded them up using one continuous weld (not great for crack propagation). However they are very nicely welded and needed almost no lead to balance.

hey mate where abouts did you get yours done in Brisbane?

Originally Posted by Newbs-IIA

hey mate where abouts did you get yours done in Brisbane?

Wilson Wheels at Mayne used to be the wheel people in Brisbane.
200 Abottsford Rd, ph 3252 3891

Originally Posted by Newbs-IIA

hey mate where abouts did you get yours done in Brisbane?

I knew a race car builder who did stuff like that in his back shed. Don't think he is there anymore. Race engineering do them as well, but from memory they were $60-80 per rim.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

I had 1 set done in QLD and one set done in WA. For $40 per rim I couldn't be arsed doing them myself.

How long ago did you get them done for $40. Cost me $60 ea about 8 years ago. If I could get them done for $40 it wouldn't be worth doing it yourself.

Murray

Originally Posted by rijidij

How long ago did you get them done for $40. Cost me $60 ea about 8 years ago. If I could get them done for $40 it wouldn't be worth doing it yourself.

Murray

The last set was a year ago in WA - $40+GST. The set in Brisbane were $40 cash each, 7 years ago,