What do others do with corroded or damaged wheels?

[Donkey Hotey]

For those of us who have made a lifestyle out of hoarding these fine machines, or buying, refurbishing and selling them, what do you do with damaged wheels that you've replaced? I now have three or four sets of extra wheels, all with bad chrome. They have been replaced with new old stock wheels and I'm growing tired of tripping over the old ones.


I don't see new wheels becoming unavailable in my lifetime. The cost of delacing, having them stripped and rechromed would probably be a thousand dollars for a pair. I briefly had fantasies of painting a set of rims and hubs red and putting the wheel back together but, I always end up going back to stock.

So I'm curious what others have done with spare wheels? Giant wind chimes to hang from the trees? Spare parts in the pile, just in case you need a spoke or nipple some day?

[Berlin Bob]

Greg ....  sand blast them and powder coat ?  black would be nice  with a red pin stripe  on the rim or try and match color of bike....

like blue with gold pin stripe  or green with grey or gold... chroming is out of site price   ?    I had a few sets  (HAD of few)  don't anymore

[Berlin Bob]

Greg ... sand blast with spokes intact ...make sure they are tight

[Donkey Hotey]

Yes, I considered painting rims and hubs to do different looks but, as I wrote: I end up buying new wheels and putting them back to stock.

I'm wondering if others hang onto their old wheels or if they throw them out.

[bobbybhb]

Keep them. Paint a spare set black that you could change out on any of your bikes. Go big and colour match as Bob stated. You now have choice to go back to stock.

[Berlin Bob]

I think they throw em out...back then there was  a shit load of them on skids... which were bought out...mine are all gone from the

 restorations I have done ...should have bought more then,when I had money...now ?? screw it ...keep the bikes in garage ...helps with

the humidity ... sheds are bad though

[Donkey Hotey]

Wait, you guys park your bikes in the garage? 


 Every time a bike has needed wheels, the porch faeries dropped them off for a reasonable price.

I'm a packrat so the crunchy ones will probably stay a little longer. I will admit to having recently tossed a rusty rim and spokes from my Kawasaki Drifter. The extra hub is here somewhere and will follow (I tore down a shiny wheel for the rim and spokes and laced them to my old hub). It made me take a long look at the E-H wheels but, I wasn't so quick to dump them.

EHparts has NOS wheels. They aren't give-away priced but, they're cheaper than a chrome plater would be.

[franknsr]

so... hypothetically, if someone had a set of old wheels with bad chrome would you be willing to sell them to a guy who has more time than money so he could strip them down and power coat the rims? Asking for a friend.

[Donkey Hotey]

I am sure I can hook you up with a set of corroded wheels. Let me dig through what I have.


The sad thing is the spokes don’t corrode. For the makeup of these wheels, it’s the hub and rims that take the corrosion beating.

[wytfut]

Good one Frank.... got me chuckling...
Guess I've been lucky as my spares haven't gotten grungy as of yet.
Sold a front one to Bobby Baum this past year..   it was dirty, but great shape.

In our past we have powder coated 2 sets. One set (currently on my X) is translucent black. The other set now in the owner ship of Mike Seastrom was flat black rims with shiney red nipples and hub.

Hate to suggest this,.... but I'd hang onto them. Hoping someday when they are as rare as hens teeth, that they'll be cheaper to rechrome...   maybe a pipe dream

I've parted with my pack rat ways, but I just can't throw away any of my X parts, broken or substandard, I just can't do it.

happy new year everyone
Bruce