Is it possible to fix 2 piece wheel barrel without removing center piece?

[PROXUS]

One of my wheels came defective from the factory (barrel geometry was not perfect » VIDEO), and I shipped it back. Manufacturer offered to fix it but in the same time they want to keep the center piece and put it back once barrel is fixed and straight.

Well....I'm not a wheel expert but those 2 piece wheels are welded, and I assume that in order to fix the barrel, you would need to disassemble those pieces (unweld the center)

If I'm correct, how safe and possible is that. Unwelding and welding the same piece could degrade the strenght of the wheel I guess

Up to date manufacturer and dealer are very responsive and helpful but I want to be 100% sure that I get quality product.

[Capt. Obvious]

If it isn't safe to do, the company that manufactured the wheels isn't going to do it. There is WAY too liability on them to do something unsafe.

Hell, BBS and HRE won't even sell you new bolts for your wheels unless you are an authorized repair shop.

[quattrotman]

If it really is a 2 piece wheel it is not welded. If it's welded, it's 1 piece. If it's 2 piece the rivets/bolts can be removed and the center comes out. that's why its called 2 piece. They only thing you need to worry about when you put them back together is that:
A. You torque those bolts back on in a star pattern to the correct torque specs
B. Mark the wheels so that they go on EXACTLY the same way and line up with the same holes as when they came apart.
I had a prob when I refinished my 2 piece Oetty's. The refinisher did not mark them and they ended up having problems balancing so they all had to be straightened and re-done.
They should come apart though.

[Re5pectThe_Cuz]

are those iForged? Good luck getting them back in a timely fashion. and technically that wheel is now a 1 piece. it was a 2 piece but was welded

[DUDEFROMRI]

Not to mention, If it is welded it can be heat treated to obtain its required strength after the re-weld.

[boostinmr2]

If it really is a 2 piece wheel it is not welded. If it's welded, it's 1 piece. If it's 2 piece the rivets/bolts can be removed and the center comes out. that's why its called 2 piece. They only thing you need to worry about when you put them back together is that:
A. You torque those bolts back on in a star pattern to the correct torque specs
B. Mark the wheels so that they go on EXACTLY the same way and line up with the same holes as when they came apart.
I had a prob when I refinished my 2 piece Oetty's. The refinisher did not mark them and they ended up having problems balancing so they all had to be straightened and re-done.
They should come apart though.

Wrong- it's two piece still.

Check with Work, many of their wheels even LACK the rivets and the such and are still 2 pc. Generally speaking it means that the two pieces are constructed separately and then welded together to give more options for offsets/different discs and the such. One piece wheels are cast as one piece from the get go.

Even three piece wheels like HRE - they are welded. The disc is 1 pc. The inner barrel is 1 pc. The out barrel (meaning lip) is 1 pc. How does the inner and outer connect? They are welded...

[actlsub9]

yea, to fix the barrel they may only need to remove the spokes and leave the weld...

[2k1s]

are those iForged? Good luck getting them back in a timely fashion. and technically that wheel is now a 1 piece. it was a 2 piece but was welded

wrong. they are still 2 piece. which has already been said. I know some of the guys over there through my truck. My buddy is the marketing manager for intro wheels, the company that actually produces iforged's stuff. Even if they aren't iforged, all custom wheel companies do the same thing.

The way they do the wheels is they heat up the barrel, slip out the center, and reweld the centers in. It won't affect the strength of the wheel. I had them done multiple times on my truck, since I kept bending 20 inch hoops. The center is the only expensive part of the wheel. The hoops aren't made by iforged. In fact HRE and iforged uses the same company to produce their forgings and their hoops. All HRE offers is a higher price, same quality of machining.

[boostinmr2]

HRE, Iforge and DPE use the same barrel manufacture.

I just don't support Iforge because it's more like iForgery.

[boostinmr2]

yea, to fix the barrel they may only need to remove the spokes and leave the weld...

This is a 3 pc wheel, not a 2pc.

The center (disc) clearly separates making it the third piece.

[Eric@SupremePower]

It is completely safe to do this and is an industry standard with all that manufacture two piece welded wheels.

[Re5pectThe_Cuz]

wrong. they are still 2 piece. which has already been said. I know some of the guys over there through my truck. My buddy is the marketing manager for intro wheels, the company that actually produces iforged's stuff. Even if they aren't iforged, all custom wheel companies do the same thing.

The way they do the wheels is they heat up the barrel, slip out the center, and reweld the centers in. It won't affect the strength of the wheel. I had them done multiple times on my truck, since I kept bending 20 inch hoops. The center is the only expensive part of the wheel. The hoops aren't made by iforged. In fact HRE and iforged uses the same company to produce their forgings and their hoops. All HRE offers is a higher price, same quality of machining.

please re-read..i said technically. Not that its officially a one piece wheel, but rather you cannot just remove the rivets and unbolt the wheel. That is all I meant.

[quattrotman]

This is a 3 pc wheel, not a 2pc.

The center (disc) clearly separates making it the third piece.

I don't know if all these wheels are made the same or someone is wrong here. My Oettinger RZ's are 2 piece and they seperate just ike the pic above. The center comes off when you remove the rivets and the hoop is not welded or anything.