Gentlemen, i have in my Felicia those Tecnomagnesio 14" wheels with 175-60 tyres :

 

 

From the side look like this:

 

 

 

Unfortunately the spokes are prone to scratches in the pavement because i park the car in the street every night almost with not enough space from the concrete, things are not comfortable especially if other cars are behind you waiting so it's very easy to make a scratch to the spots that i am showing with arrows because they stand out a bit.

If a let big space between the car and the pavement there is a risk for a truck to scratch my doors or hit the wheels, the roads here are not like USA country and every night i struggle to find a space to park properly.

 

 

 

It's already time to paint them (no cracks and never crashed them) but soon or latter the scratches will show-up so my thought is to give them for a modification so they will look like these:

 

 

 

 

 

The mechanic will cut and weld the 6 spokes a bit inside so there would be a gap between the spokes and the rims.

 

 

I can protect the outside of the wheel with a stripe which are made for this cause and the spokes can not be scratched while parking but:

 

1) Is it safe? Yes the guy which make the project is the most famous here in Greece with a repair-shop dedicated to wheels but i still feel that i have to ask other drivers first

2) there would be an Offset change? This will make the car turn in different way that i have use to drive?

 

New wheels means: 145 euro per unit plus installing = at least 620 euro so forget a new purchase.

If he is a wheel specialist, and has a machine designed to hold the components of the wheel in place while he does the work then It should be fine: surely it would cost nearly as much as new wheels though, when you consider that you may be able to sell these scratched wheels for £ 200 euros or more, and spend it towards new wheels.

Obviously you would have a unique set of wheels if he did this work, and the offset isn't a major issue: moving the spokes would result in larger offset , which effectively widens your car's stance, giving more grip. You would just have to check that the tyres didn't foul the wheel arches when the suspension is compressed. Buy some cheap wheel spacer plates and some threaded rod that matches your wheel bolts if needed to put two plates behind one front wheel, then without driving the car, sit on the front wing to compress your suspension and check for contact on top of the tyre. If you are unsure, repeat the test with a lump of play dough sat on top of your tyre.

If there is contact without the play dough then you would be better to buy different wheels, because it would be even more expensive to change the car's suspension to correct the contact.

You are proposing to let a mechanic cut through the cast wheel spokes and then weld them to the rim set further back.

 

You might want to ask a coded welder whether he would do such a thing and then be liable for someone driving his work on the highways.

 

I think I already know the answer.

I'm not proposing that solution, D.fylaktos has had that offer from a wheel specialist: I haven't heard of that procedure before, but that doesn't make it impossible to do...

I still believe that a set of different wheels would be cheaper than all of that work.

?

How much is this highly skilled person with the equipment to be able to do this modification charging for the work?

 

It is nothing like just banding steel wheels.

9 hours ago, Favorit Fan said:

If he is a wheel specialist, and has a machine designed to hold the components of the wheel in place while he does the work then It should be fine: surely it would cost nearly as much as new wheels though

 

Gentlemen, i asked 2 mechanics so far, the one said NO and the other said that the cost of the work would be equal to a cost of 4 new wheels.

 

8 hours ago, J.R. said:

You might want to ask a coded welder whether he would do such a thing and then be liable for someone driving his work on the highways.

 

In iron wheels many things can be done.

 

 

 

 

 

The majority of drivers in forums that i have asked said the same, NO because is aluminium and soon or later the ''crack'' will show-up.

 

On the other hand someone said to buy a set of 4 new iron wheels and go to a Water Jet machine to make me some ''artistic work'' but in my mind came this video:

 

 

 

It's a very controversial matter and very risky.

 

Common in the UK especially among customisers, VW enthusiasts.

Done by people with all the gear and more than ideas.

 

http://gcfabrications.co.uk/banded-wheels

http://usherengineering.co.uk/ecom/?product=banded-steel-wheels

http://bandedsteelwheels.co.uk

 

 

59 minutes ago, toot said:

Common in the UK especially among customisers

 

https://pavlospettas.gr/episkeves-metatropes-zantwn/

 

https://www.nikospettas.com/en/photos/rim-wheel-repair

 

I don't know if this is a ''custom'' work on spokes.

 

 

 

 

 

but since it's Alloy there is a risk.

 

 

 

Here is for Alloy from Pakistan and a s you can read in comments everyone is referring to ''Safety'' later on the road.

 

Steel wheels yes, I have done some myself but you wanted to cut & weld your Tecnomagnesio alloy wheels which is an absolute no-no in my book.

@D.FYLAKTOSyou just posted a picture of modular alloys that someone took apart to powder coat, stove enamel or paint did you not.

 

I have modular alloys / split rim alloys on my 4x4 which can be taken apart just like that.

So encyclopaedically we say: do alloy spokes with a steel rim can be welded?

 

My thought is to paint the wheels in a proffesional repair-shop (the spokes in black) so in the future any scratch could be covered easily by me.

Are you asking if cast alloy spokes can be welded to a steel rim?

 

If so the short definitive answer is no.

5 hours ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

In iron wheels many things can be done.

 

Steel wheels are made by welding two pieces together - so cutting them and weld them with a different offset is relatively safe and it's done frequently.

 

Alloy wheels however, are die cast as a single piece. Plus, the material is quite thick around the spokes and not trivial to weld.

2 hours ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

So encyclopaedically we say: do alloy spokes with a steel rim can be welded?

 

My thought is to paint the wheels in a proffesional repair-shop (the spokes in black) so in the future any scratch could be covered easily by me.

NO!!

 

Here's a picture of a dissembled BBS split rim

I would not even consider that, my life is valuable so is yours