WF recommends welding 3 pc wheels, help?

[kenneyd]

Hi,

So i had wheelflip drill some custom barrels/ lips for my hamann pg3 wheels. He sent them back but said he recommends i weld the rim halves together. he mentioned the center register and the low bolt count. Pg3 have 30 bolts

What are your thoughts? this is my first set of 3pc wheels so i have nothing to compare them to. the centers do have a register:


Here is the other issue:
The factory bolts are titanium $$, and are not sold anymore, havent seen any on ebay ever.
20 of the 30 are slightly to short. To fully thread the nut, it needs 5.5 full turns, and im getting 4.5 full turns when i torque them. This applies to the 20 through bolts, the other 10 are exactly the right length since Hamann has thick washer of the 10 that go into the center from the back side, with a thinner washer, they get the same depth as before.
I see options are :
A. mill the halves down about 0.02" each $$
B. buy steel, non OEM style bolts $$
C Counter sink the holes 0.04" or so (worst option)
D Do nothing



I want to get these done though, they look really good and are exactly the right offset!

[zoo]

I would run steel bolts, most likely. It does not cost that much to get new ones.
I also have oem OZ spares btw.
30 is not really a low count. Does the inner barrel contact the face?

[danbarnett123]

Get the weld, don't machine anything. Wheels were designed by engineers with specific measures and tolerances.
You can always have the weld cut if a lip or barrel is damaged.

[kenneyd]

I would run steel bolts, most likely. It does not cost that much to get new ones.
I also have oem OZ spares btw.
30 is not really a low count. Does the inner barrel contact the face?

Have you found any bolts that look like the OZ bolts? mine are approx 14x7.5mm



The inner barrel does not appear to touch the face, the lip or register on the center is about .2 to .25 deep and the outer half is .2". so barely, or no.
However, (they might all be like this) the bolt face of the inner is tapered, and the outer bolt face is convexed,so they line up nicely

Get the weld, don't machine anything. Wheels were designed by engineers with specific measures and tolerances.
You can always have the weld cut if a lip or barrel is damaged.

I double checked the measurements: The stock OZ barrels bolt face were exactly .18 +.18" for a total of .360" and they were welded from the factory. The WF ones are .2 + .18" for a total of .380" so the machining would be just .02" from the outer only.

Wish WF would have offered to weld them BEFORE they shipped them back lol


Those of you who have welded wheels. are you taking them to a welder or to a wheel shop? I called a half dozen local wheel, wheel repair etc... they didnt know anything about welding.

[zoo]

I have those exact bolts.
Talk to a fabrication/welding shop.
Where are you located?

[kenneyd]

I have those exact bolts.
Talk to a fabrication/welding shop.
Where are you located?

Jacksonville FL
I called just about all the wheel shops/ wheel repair people, all who had no clue.
I called some welder/ fabricators who said they could do it, but had never done it before ... which makes me a little wary

[zoo]

Wheels need to be assembled prior to welding the barrels. At least to measure runout and make sure everything is straight.
Then tack together a few spots, pull the faces and then complete the weld.

Im sure there is at least one or two places around you well capable of this task.

[kenneyd]

Wheels need to be assembled prior to welding the barrels. At least to measure runout and make sure everything is straight.
Then tack together a few spots, pull the faces and then complete the weld.

Im sure there is at least one or two places around you well capable of this task.

When welding, they shouldn't use any sealant, correct?

[zoo]

Nothing while welding, after the weld I would seal just in case.

[kenneyd]

Nothing while welding, after the weld I would seal just in case.

I do have some leads on welders who want to see the wheels first. 2 others said, dont weld since welding the aluminum will weaken it. < IS this true?
One of those asked me if i ever wanted to take them apart, i said no, he actually said "use liquid nails before bolting. < is he crazy or has anyone ever done this?

Sorry for all the questions