Fitting sleeves/hats in alloy wheels

[Vegard]

I've got a couple of aluminium and magnesium wheels that are quite corroded around where the nut sits. I've been thinking of machining this area and fitting a T hat sleeve. Has anyone got any experience on this?

[GraemeC]

I had some 10" Silverstones done as it worked out cheaper than getting nuts made.
We used inserts with a flat outer face bored to take the nuts that are sold for Exactons with the large captive washer.

You can buy inserts off the shelf from Grayston but they would've needed modifying for my application as I didn't want to adjust the bore of the hole in the wheel which would've left no wall thickness left in the insert.
Look at 'Conversion Collars' under 'Washers' on this website: http://www.graystonengineering.com/wheelnutmenu.htm
I may still have the set I bought somewhere...

[Vegard]

Exactly what I wanted, perfect
Now I just need to measure the ID of the wheels.

Is it easy to mill magnesium by the way?

[GraemeC]

If you can wait until after the weekend I'll see if I can find the ones I bought - may as well shift them on as have them sat around gathering dust.

[Vegard]

I can. Race season is far away

[mk1]

I too have put inserts into wheels & had no problems. I made them a good push fit but araldited them in too.

M

[Vegard]

I too have put inserts into wheels & had no problems. I made them a good push fit but araldited them in too.

M

That's exactly what I was thinking. Thanks Mark!

[Ronnie]

I think Ford comp's used the same mod on the Escort's and used standard nuts instead of Minilite nuts.

[1071 S]

"Is it easy to mill magnesium by the way?..."

Back when i was in the business of VERY expensive black boxes machined magnesium chassis were excruciatingly expensive because it was so hazardous...

Think a simple T section about the size of a Mini cylinder head machined from billet at about $10K a piece....

Cheers, Ian