Removing dent in ally rim?

[TreaderSteve]

Having deep-cleaned an M231 front wheel there is a slight inward dent as viewed from the side, and a slight impact 'downwards' dent toward the hub which I'm probably less bothered by. Someone hit a rock, created a wee bit of a flat spot and turned the outer edge of the rim inwards. With my rubbish camera I could probably not get a good picture but it's not too bad - far from terminal - just annoying.
Anyone got any tips to ease such an impact out gently outwards? I could leave it - it might not irk under braking tooooo much. I have mole grips and I have a bench vice! Yet I don't want to go at it quite yet without experienced feedback.
Thanks

 

[bikeworkshop]

Use a piece of wood to spread the impact, then lever or hammer it out.

There used to be a special (park?) tool to ease out a flat spot, but as it didn't actually work, they stopped selling it.

The trouble is that the dented area is usually now harder than the surrounding material so it's easy to end up with a ripple.

But you can then file the braking surface flat to avoid brake grab.

 

[mk one]

Always used mole grips, gently though as it bends quite easily

 

[Woz]

Good advice above from @bikeworkshop -

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/removing-dent-in-steel-chrome-rim.451935/

AL will not "re-form" like steel.

I've been brutal in the past with AL rims, but sorry to say, while they can be rescued for a beater bike they are done with as a whole. It's incredibly hard to re-create that factory machined brake track at home.

 

[ishaw]

Leave the hammer in the toolbox.

When I've had the need to do this I've used an adjustable spanner and a couple of thin bits of metal (steel rulers are good for this).

Metal bits either side of the rim (in all honesty, outside on braking surface is the key one to avoid damaging the surface). Get the spanner tightened down and use it as a lever to very gently encourage the rim back into position. Gently does it, smooth and a little bit at a time until it's back where it needs to be. Depending on rim width you might be able to use a rotor truing tool rather than a spanner.

The trick is to position the end of the spanner at the point of the dent and tease it gently back.

 

[TreaderSteve]

Thank you all for the advice. We have a good metal warehouse nearby that has £1 offcuts - I was thinking two of those and then in the vice to squidge those two pieces together on the dent. I'd probably end up with indentations the shape of the steel pieces which would worse!
I don't think I could comfortably get the wheel properly flat before whacking with wood - if it were just the rim maybe so.
It's not a big dent so I'll try easing out between 2 thinner pieces of steel.
Cheers

 

[TreaderSteve]

Got some thin metal pieces from work today - it eased out with mole grips almost 100% perfect. Happy!