Can This Rim Be Saved? Yes It Can!

[Perazzimx14]

Have to ask.  Would vapor blasting have worked?  (I know nothing about the process... educate me.)  My 30 year old R100GS needs the rims cleaned up, but I don't want to dismantle them.  There's only a handful of folks that know how to lace the Akront rims on these bikes, so I'm wondering if I could vapor blast them on the bike with the tires on(?)  They are in much better condition than the ones Dave is restoring ..... not pitted, simply discolored in places.  Sort of dull in appearance.

Media blasting (no matter the media ice, sand, walnut hulls etc.) will clean the wheel of dirt and debris but will not make it shine. If you want it shine you have to polished.

[lucian]

wow, never underestimate determination.Nice work Dave.

[ahaussmann123]

What about if there is peeling?

I have a rear, I can get photos, but the finish appears to be peeling off. Saveable? Or should I look into buying a new rear wheel?

[Tom H]

Very very nice

Tom

[Dave Swanson]

What about if there is peeling?

I have a rear, I can get photos, but the finish appears to be peeling off. Saveable? Or should I look into buying a new rear wheel?

It sounds like you may have one of the chrome plated alloy tubeless rims for an EV.  Correct?

[Huzo]

Buggerising around like that, not only saves you a lot of money and gives satisfaction..
But you are now way up the scale as a go to guy for similar pursuits by others and also as an aside, you have greatly  added to the collective knowlege pool.
Any bozo can go and shell out on new rims and pay through the nose to end up with shiny wheels, but you have a lot of thought and effort in those, you will love them more as a consequence.
Very well done I say...! 

[ozarquebus]

That looks very good to me!

slightly adrift:

Here is a question for someone,

 Is there a  19" rim that would fit a Guzzi rear hub?

[Huzo]

That looks very good to me!

slightly adrift:

Here is a question for someone,

 Is there a  19" rim that would fit a Guzzi rear hub?

It’s a matter of the number of spokes.
Behr or Excell have a great range, however if you are going blind nipples with o rings, then spoke angle is critical..
Notwithstanding that, you can lace anything up..

[Dave Swanson]

The rear rim went faster.  I was able to start with 2000 grit and then polishing compound.  I was able to finish it while listening to disc 2 of the Allman Brothers at Filmore East which is over 1 hour long.   Mountain Jam being one of the best songs to listen to while polishing known to man.   

I still have 80 spokes and nipples to polish, but the befores and afters are pretty dramatic.

As with most of my restorations the level I aim for is what a very well cared for machine might look like after 40 years or more, rather than trying for the "new" look.   I admire those that can accomplish the new look level, but I never seem to have the patience to take it to that level. 

Rear before.



Rear after.



Front before.



Front after.

[ahaussmann123]

It sounds like you may have one of the chrome plated alloy tubeless rims for an EV.  Correct?

Nah it's the spoked wheels for a jackal

[Dave Swanson]

Kind of a dramatic change now that it is laced up!  Spoke are loosely assembled.  I need to install the bearing hubs before I can start any serious truing.

Each spoke and nipple was polished with my buffing wheel.   The nastiest wheel I have ever worked on. 

[Markcarovilli]

Really nice Dave - so there looks like new hope for mine.

Mark

[Huzo]

I reckon the inherent patina of a refurbished wheel, is superior in a lot of ways to new rims...

[Tom]

Great job!

[reidy]

I reckon the inherent patina of a refurbished wheel, is superior in a lot of ways to new rims...

Huzo has a good point. I have rebuilt a couple of bikes and have learnt to consider what the bike will be used for and the big picture of a finished bike. If the bike is to be ridden you don't need show finish. That does not mean you accept second best but perfection takes a lot to achieve and will not last.

The second point is the bike should be uniformly finished. So if you put brand new wheels and show finish paint job, you should aim to do everything to that standard. If you go for the really well looked after look you can get away with a bit more. In the end it is what the owner likes. 

Steve

[Dave Swanson]

Huzo has a good point. I have rebuilt a couple of bikes and have learnt to consider what the bike will be used for and the big picture of a finished bike. If the bike is to be ridden you don't need show finish. That does not mean you accept second best but perfection takes a lot to achieve and will not last.

The second point is the bike should be uniformly finished. So if you put brand new wheels and show finish paint job, you should aim to do everything to that standard. If you go for the really well looked after look you can get away with a bit more. In the end it is what the owner likes. 

Steve

I believe the wheels are brought up to a high enough standard that they will not unduly clash with the freshly painted and plated parts.   It is impossible to make rims with 112,000 miles on them look completely new, but they look quite good.   I will try my best for this bike to not end up a hangar queen.  My plan is to ride it quite a bit. 

[balvenie]

Wow Dave! You've made a huge difference   Congratulations

[garbln]

I did the same with my 70 ambo wheels, it's what we do during the winter in the north country.