Nice write-up. I did this to my wheels last year and I'll add that I had best luck moving the router around the wheel clockwise when cutting. The reason being that if you go counter clockwise it will be harder to control and it will try to pull the bit into the cut, and it will likely take too big a cut and break it. If you go counter clockwise you're pushing it into the cut instead of the tool pulling it into it, so it's easier to control. When I did mine I didn't realize this at first and broke a bit halfway through the first wheel. After I realized what I did wrong I was able to finish that wheel and do the 3 others without problem.

 

Thats actually the reason the first wheel got a bit messed up - the bit dug into the aluminum and pulled it in. when I went the other direction it didnt happen again.

Damn Burn, two excellent and useful write ups today!!! And these can save the members here some money!

Two gold stars for you:thumbup:

Thanks man; but this how-to is over 2 months old

 

I had mine professionaly done @ 65 bucks a wheel..... Nice wright up :bang:

 

wow!!! that is a lot i had my cadi wheels done for $100 the set ^_^

 

I did one of mine and 4 of LaColorados the same way. Its really easy. We busted a couple bits though. Probably should have used some WD40. We also had the bearing unscrew itself from and the bit broke. Make sure you have the right size alen wrench and tighten the bearing after every wheel.

 

Damn Burn, two excellent and useful write ups today!!! And these can save the members here some money!

Two gold stars for you:thumbup:

 

so go clockwise?

 

yes - i found going clockwise easier to do. If you go counter-clockwise then the router bit wants to dig in and jerk the router out of your hands.

 

just what i was looking for

 

nice burn. might want to add, what rpm you ran at if your router is adjustable. motor oil will also work.

strongly suggest wereing safty glasses, and or sheild.

totally agree with the clockwise direction(climb cut) verses c. clockwise(conventional) of cutting.

 

this is scary being a machinist completely wrong way of doing things this could lead to stress fractures because of the roughness of cut, if your routers one speed or adjustable and wrong it will heat the aluminum in an adverse way which will make it more likely to stress crack, and not to mention that will be horribly off center if you ran an indicator over it. We have this stuff at my shop that's a die penetrant it shows all the cracks and minor flaws that can occur from improper machining if I put it on that wheel you would cringe from what you saw. when your talking rims guys, that if one fails it could kill you, you don't want to cut corners pay someone to do it right, especially since this is maybe an hour of labor for any decent machinist and most are hurting for work so they would probably do it for whatever you reasonably offer.

 

not to disagree, but i too am a machinist. and people are going to do this no matter what. so i think all we can do is give them the best advise possible for the situation. i agree, having a shop is best. but most shops charge to much.

and what is a radiused tool??????

 

I assume he's talking about using a boring bar insert with a nose radius.

I'm a machinist as well, and the cut I got out of my router doing this was actually pretty smooth. I've seen rougher cuts by people using the right equipment. Yes, a boring bar on a mill would be ideal but the likelyhood of someone actually causing stress fractures in their wheel from doing this are rather slim.

 

i use an endmill, spinning 11500 rpm. hehehehehehehe

 

They make endmills with a radius on them, or if you're good you can grind them into them freehand. I'm sure you know this though. :kiki:

 

correct brakenit not much of a radius maybe .015-.030

at my job we do die-penetrant testing on almost all parts and parts that come back for overhaul and repair you'd be surprised how one small flaw can cause a real big stress crack down the road, you have to remember this is a rim which is getting torqued to a surface then hammered with stress everyday of it's existence. Yes it's slim odds it would cause an issue that could be catastrophic to your truck, but do you really want to take a chance when its over a small amount of money compared to purchasing a router bit and the time you will spend to do it? if you think about it that router bit and your time spent is probably only a little less than what it would have cost to have a shop do it.

 

i know we are on topic, but this is a how to, not, whats best and what we use. sorry burn

 

just wanted whoever goes to do this to read my statement before they go through with it because they are taking a risk and when taking a risk you should be aware of it.

 

cool.

 

Fixxer, if you lived by me, I'd pay that $10 per wheel. I routered my wheels and if they kill me, they killed me because I made them do that and not somebody else. Not everyone can afford "machined center bores" and for you to interject in a How To thread designed to help the commom man do his wheels, its just inane in your part. Keep your machine shop knowledge to yourself! Go make a How To "Machine your wheels with shop machines thread" if you feel the need to share.
Respectfully,


Freewood

 

X2. I called several shops before taking matters into my own hands and most shops was $75-100/wheel to do this. Fuck that, if they are so hard up for work then they shouldn't be asking ridiculous amounts of money for such a simple task.

Regardless; I did this last year - drove them all last year and when I took them off in November they were still mint.

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures, videos & threads on forums for pretty much every make & model of vehicle with people doing it this way and never has there been a problem. Im not worried about it.

i never said thank you, Your how to helped a lot! even tho i didn't finished them up i did 1, ran out of funds. Thank you Sir you are the man!!!

cheers.

 

great writeup

 

didnt know where to ask, Will this bit work to get the 1/2" width 1/2" depth?
835.350.11
Timberline Tools - Woodworking Tools & Accessories

The guy is right around the corner from me and selling for $20.

Any reason a laminate trimmer wont work for doing this?

 

yep, that bit should work but if you have the option I'd go with the 1/2" shank (835.850.11) cutting aluminum with a 1/4" shank you might risk bending the bit.

 

i never said thank you, Your how to helped a lot! even tho i didn't finished them up i did 1, ran out of funds. Thank you Sir you are the man!!!

 

does anyone have a pic of the titan rim bored out? i noticed that the back has gaps between the lug holes. my dad wants to take a dremmel to em, i said heeelll no.. trying to get someone to bore em for me. i dunno if the gaps make it easier or harder to do?

 

the gaps wont make a difference. just use a router like in this how-to, and take yout time, and youll be fine.

 

agreed. take your time.

 

found the pic i was looking for in an older thread so i wanted to post it here, maybe help someone else out. Thank jody for the pic.. lol

 

Helped me out, thanks cuz I too was wondering about the holes

 

:wavey:

 

Did another set recently, even better than the first. The alloy on these I think was different also. Had to go MUCH slower or the router would bind and try to kick around. BAD BAD BAD.

 

You see the LIP around the outer portion of the center of these?
Some guys with the silvy SS wheel's shave theirs down so it's ALL flush. Is it necessary to shave that down?

SloGT.. what bit did you use? I'm also interested in the one from lowes that the other guy is talking about.

Let me know! Thanks!:thumbup:

 

i wanna see them on