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I have a spare rim that I've finally gotten the urge to clean up. I've heard some stories that sandblasting is not a good idea. I've also heard that it won't do any harm. What is the general concensus on this issue?

Budd rims clean up well with blasting due to their thickness-I wouldn't hesitate to use this process.
Gary

I have been blasting the rims to get all rust off the rim and out of the deep pitting then welding the worst of the pits, grinding the welds flush and reblasting the area before I apply paint. With no rust left the steel is less likely to re-rust under the paint in a couple of years. The inside of the rim that is out of sight once the tire is mounted is the area that most needs protection and almost never seen unlike the outside surfaces that are easily spot painted once rust becomes visible. The pic below is of a rim blasted to near white and not yet painted. After the shot was taken the exterior was also done, primer and then a top coat applied.

Nice and clean metal. I like it.

I'm planning to blast my rim tonight if the weather is decent. I took a close look at it last night and its really only the locking ring and the corresponding area on the main rim that need to be blasted. The rest seems pretty clean. Since this is simply for a spare, I'm not going to blast the entire thing. Just want to remove the scale and maybe weld up any deep pits as carter suggests. Then some primer and a halfassed coat of OD and then will reassemble.

I seriously dout I'll ever need to use this spare however as they say, better to have one. I've been lucky so far running around without one.

I made that mistake 4 wheeling once - Back in 1984 when I had an S10 Blazer. Got a flat out in the middle of nowhere and had stupidly removed the spare back at camp. Long walk back and plenty of time to think of no good reason not to have a spare at all times. We laugh about it to this day.

Now that I've blasted, painted and seated all 5 tires and rims', I know how easy it will be to R&R a tube on the trail with the M37. All I need is to plumb on board air and make sure I've got the right tools to R&R.

Cleaning the rim to serve as a spare will be a good workout for that new compressor Nick, and as SierraM37 commented, " Long walk back and plenty of time to think of no good reason not to have a spare at all times." and that is justification enough to do exactly what you are planning plus the extra weight of the tire and wheel will help keep that power house engine/truck combination of yours under control.

Carter;



Aww that compressor can easily handle the job. I have all the confidence in its ability. I'm anxious to use the compressor for this kind of job. Should go pretty quick. I put the new hose on the pressure blaster (old one dry-rotted), and I have a new deadman valve to install from our favorite store. In fact I have to do that before I use the blaster. I hope to get it all blasted, or at least all that I choose to blast tonight.

My old compressor used to die pretty regularly when using the blaster. What a pain in the ass waiting for that thing to air back up to pressure. I don't miss that P.O.S......My neighbor uses it now to blow debris out of his garage. For him its perfect, for me it was not up to par with what I needed.

When you coming up to check it out?

Nickathome

If I may inquire, what size and manufacture of compressor do you happen to own (currently)? While I'm at it, do you have a siphon gun type blaster or a (large) blasting cabinet?

Thanks,
Matt

MikeOneSix wrote:Nickathome

If I may inquire, what size and manufacture of compressor do you happen to own (currently)? While I'm at it, do you have a siphon gun type blaster or a (large) blasting cabinet?

Thanks,
Matt

MikeOneSix;

My current compressor is an Ingersoll Rand, 60 gallon single cylinder, single stage unit. It replaced my old Sears 33 gallon portable which I sold to my neighbor across the street. He just uses it to fill car tires and to blow debris out of his garage.

My blaster is one of those Red pressure units that sprays the sand all over the driveway.....Its a pain in the ass, but does the job. Plus, I can reclaim most of the sand when I'm done. I have a sifter that I put the sand through to take out any big debris and then right back into the blaster. It goes through those deadman valves pretty quick though. This is the third one I've had since I've owned this unit. They're cheap though so no big deal for the amount of time I use this thing(maybe once or twice a year).

" Aww that compressor can easily handle the job. "

Nick, I was not suggesting the compressor could not handle the job but that it would be a good test of the unit to be sure all was right with it. Ingersol compressors have a good rep. but every once in a while defective parts do slip through the quality contron process and blasting is a perfect way to make sure it is OK. I have used mine for many hours over the past weeks and am satisfied it is good to go. I stop blasting and it shuts down without and extended pump-up run time. Love those Ingersols!

Carter;

Don't sweat it.. I took no offense to what you said......It was a good little workout for the compressor. Worked great. This unit goes for alot longer before the motor starts up than the old one did. The motor on the new one can keep up with my spraying which is great, however it does run a bit to refill the tank after I stop.

With my old compressor, the motor would kick on and wouldn't be able to keep up with my spraying or grinding or whatever, so I'd have to stop, wait for the tank to refill, then start the process over again, then stop, wait for the thing to fill up and repeat. What a joke......With the new one, I just do what I have to do, then stop when I want to.....

Yours is a 60 or 80gal? I don't remember.....I do know you have a V-twin two stage motor correct?

It's a 60 gal. 2 stage V twin with a 230 volt 5 hp. Emerson motor.

10-4.

Mine is 230V but its only 3HP I think.

A question regarding Budd wheels;

I'm in the process of stripping paint from the wheels of my 52 M-37 and it appears that they were originally "plated" before being painted. It looks like cad plating. Did they do that on all there wheels? Just curious.