Need a Rim Hammered Out... Where would you recommend?

[CoyoteCreekGuns]

Hey guys,

A bit of irony here... as I was driving home last evening I heard on the radio that Indiana has budgeted and will spend more on roads this year (both building and fixing) than they ever have before, yet this morning on my way to work I hit a major pothole which apparently ate my hub cap as it was nowhere to be found. It also dented my rim (see picture below). This has happened before although this time I didn't immediately loose all of the air in my tire and I was able to finish my drive to work (approx 2 miles from where it happened). After getting out to check on it, it was quite a bit lower than it should have been but I didn't hear any hissing or loss of air after parking. Nonetheless, as it's supposed to rain this afternoon, I went ahead and put on my spare but I am wondering if the tire actually re-sealed itself (against the rim that is)?

Long story short I have two questions:

1. Does anyone know a very inexpensive place that could hammer this back out?
2. does it need to be hammered back out if it's not loosing air?

Here's the picture: (7 o'clock is where the dent is)

 

[inxs]

Had it happen to me before. Finding grass, gravel, and twigs inside of an inflated tire wasn't all that uncommon. I straightened them out with a hammer.....

 

[snapping turtle]

It will start to lose air eventually.

Try one of the used tire stores and get a new rim. Did it to my work van and they sold me the rim for 15 dollars and install the old tire on new rim balanced and installed. I believe it was just north of I-70 at emmerson in Indy. Took 20 min max.

Mine was worse than yours because it was in the Ice storm and got curbed at a rate of speed.

 

[cbseniour]

Hammer it out yourself or take to any tire shop and have it dismounted then flog the rim with a drift. You can replace that wheel for $15- $30 at any salvage yard.

 

[eldirector]

The impact likely forced the air out, and you don't really have a leak. Unless the bead surface is bent, it may never leak. I've done the same to my off-road Jeep, and just hammered that lip back in place. It takes a BFH to do the job!

I'd just hammer it back and use that one as the spare. Pick up another used rim eventually if it does slowly leak down.

 

[grimor]

2x4 and a heavy hammer will get it back about right.

 

[MinuteMan47]

Take it off, let the air out, try to break the bead with a sledge, then hammer out the bend, slap on some bead sealer, air it back up and viola....done.


The bend actually doesn't look that bad, I've seen MUCH worse that still held air.

 

[85t5mcss]

Agreed, Remove tire and hammer it out. If the bead sealing area is intact then u r good to go. Not much more u can do to straighten it. Some shops do aluminum (Northwest Frame in Zionsville) but usually not steel wheels. And to have them rolled back out is expensive. My Corvette wheel was $200 to repair (quote), I bought a used wheel for $150.

 

[aaronsbig16g]

Mr. Wheel in Fortville does great work but like most said it would be cheaper to go to a junk yard and pick up another steel rim.

 

[steve666]

Try Peterman's on Shelby in Indpls.

 

[Colt556]

Get some soapy water and soak down the area of the bend. If it bubbles you have a leak and it needs fixed, if no bubbles you're good to go. Do it with the tire properly inflated of course.

 

[CoyoteCreekGuns]

THANKS for all of the replies. I took it home last night and hammered out the rim myself and inflated it to proper PSI. I checked it this morning and it was still at that PSI although it was not under any pressure (i.e. it was sitting by itself not mounted on the car).

After I head home this evening I will do another PSI check and use the soapy water trick then will mount it and check it again in the morning. If all is well, I'll use it tomorrow and see how it goes.

Blessings!

Keith

 

[eldirector]

Good as new!

 

[MinuteMan47]

Soapy water trick is a good one, or if you have a big enough tub/trough or something, fill it up with water and sit the tire inside it. You will see bubbles if it's leaking.

 

[85t5mcss]

Sounds like all is well. Glad to hear it. Steel is a little more forgiving since it doesn't crack as easy, and the lip holds the sidewall in place and protects the tire more than anything. So don't fret and happy motoring