Thread: Can Alloy rim's be Repaired?

Qld. Transport state "The welding, chrome plating, heating or bending of axles, suspension, or steering components, as a method of repair or alteration, is not permitted." Also "The only welding permitted on wheels is a circumferential weld joining the rim to the centre."

A friend recently enquired as to repairing a front rim from a late model MV Agusta motor cycle which had a largish piece broken out in an accident. "No way", said the people who inspect repaired written-off vehicles preparatory to re-registration, "welded wheels not permitted". A new one had to come from Italy and cost A$2650.

I enquired of Accurate Welding Works, a fifty year old Brisbane firm of high repute, who used to do a lot of alloy wheel repairs. They said they don't weld any wheels these days because of the rules and because they don't want to get dragged into court if they did these repairs purely on the basis of customer request and "just another engineering job", and later there was an accident attributed to the repair.