Wheel refurb

[RWG]

Hi All,

I have stripped my PRR and am in the process or restoration I am looking at having the wheels repainted so I need to remove rivets, is this something that is right to do as painting in situ just won't work.

Can any one advise on what type of rivets are used and where I can obtain some, Help much appreciated.
Cheers
Paul
RWG

[hairygit]

DO NOT under any circumstances try to dismantle comstar wheels, you will be left with nothing but a pile of scrap metal

[RWG]

Thanks you Hairygit for guidance, but if you dont part them how do you get about painting to a good standard. Back of spokes are a pitted as front

Cheers
RWG

[K2-K6]

You get into an area that needs significant knowledge/experience there, don't know of anyone that routinely takes them apart.

If you subsequently get a wheel failure it's very often going to be a very sery serious accident as  a failing wheel will often stay intact under giro load and then when it comes to direction change the failure really gets going JUST WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT.

Unless you know otherwise skill-wise then I'd leeave them as one as you are into significant material spec and stress loads particularly at the spoke end.

I hope we have made you aware of the risks, but of course its ultimately up to you.

[the-chauffeur]

Get hold of a copy of issue 14 (Dec 2011) of Practical Sportsbikes.  There's an article in there on a bloke who's worked out a way of taking them apart and rebuilding them on small capacity 125's, but . . .

 . . . like the others have said, this really isn't something you want to try to do it yourself.  It's a seriously specialised job - at the very least you'll probably have to make up some triangular-oval spacers and make rivets out of aluminium rod.  The guy who was interviewed about the job for the article only does them for himself and says he wouldn't want to attempt to rebuild wheels from bikes bigger than 125's because of the risk of something going wrong.

Sorry chap, but your best bet is probably going to be to look for a more tidy set.

[K2-K6]

Just the rivetting of stress critical parts gets you into a more specialised area than seems apparent.

In a near equal application of stressed airframe for example, you have to have the correct material spec for the rivetts, the age before use is critical as it's ductility changes with age and if you use it with too much age then you effectively run the risk of stress fracture to rivett the material as you are applying it to fix the parts together with potentially fast and total failure during use.

There is not exactly an excess of them to start with, so any single failure puts you into a very high load on the remaining parts to quickly raise the stress there too.

[simongi]

I have restored my F2 wheels, but I just spent a lot of time internally cleaning with emery paper and a lot of patience. I masked them off neatly for spraying. They don't look to bad. If you do de rivet them you will need a professional rivet gun a blocks, and as mentioned the exact spec for rivets. I don't know the spec but if its aero spec contact Light Aero Spares (google) they may be able to help.  This is part of my job as an aero engineer.  Stick with Plan A, it would be easier. Good luck

[K2-K6]

The originals do seem to last well, indicating a good material spec to start with so you ahve to at least match that.

Ever thought about how they get them to run straight without any spoke tweaking to tune them as well?

[RWG]

Thank you to all, what a hell of a response you have all given good sound advise and to be truthful I will as mentioned try plan A first I will take them in to the chap who presently has my frame and associated parts to powder coat and will see if he can clean them up, I will keep you all posted.

I have to be truthful if I had not of posted my question when I did, I proberbly had started to strip them down this weekend

Great advise and much appreciated
 
Regards
Paul
RWG