The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Rims, how rusty is too rusty?

I just aquired the last two rims out of the five I need for the 52. The rims both had inflated tires with tubes on them. They both held pressure. When I removed the tires and tubes, one had some rust inside, but the other was very rusty. No rust through or anything like that, but flakes of rust. I probed with a screwdriver and tapped the rim with a ball peen hammer, and it seems sound enough. I am thinking that this rim would be ok for the spare, but would like to hear from some of the guys that have been around the trucks for a while. Oh and the truck has stock transmission, engine, and rear end.

If you have any question about its safety, the choice seems obvious to me.

Jeff

I think getting that rim sanblasted so you can inspect it thouroughly would be the best call.
seems most times the flaky rust looks worse than it really is ...but after blasting you will be able to clearly see how deep the cancer is and make a decision from there on its condition, last rims I had blasted at my local monument place was like $5.00 each.
Tim

Either sand blast it or wire wheel it. If you are planning on radial tires, you must remember that radial tires put much more stress on wheels than bias.

Don't be fooled by flakey rust. Especially if it's rather thick. I've seen rims with rust like that after cleaning, were junk. They would end up having either very thin cross sections or be pitted to the point of having holes in them.