Rim about to crack?

[Tommy27]

I brought them as part of a 89 Fisher Procaliber second hand off someone I trust (but not on this forum). There are a few little chips here and there, but these look more than coincidental. I did hold the rims up to a powerful light when checking over to see if the crack had gone through.

That said, these were quite dirty with brake grot, I took the pics as soon as I noticed the issue.

I'm going to go out to the Garage to take something done anyways so I'll have another look.

They're Araya, can't see a model number but states the size (26 × 1.5) and they're on Deore hubs.

 

[Tommy27]

It is pretty flinty round here and I did make the mistake of cutting down a notoriously flinty bridlepath the other day which was very muddy. One of those I've got half way I might as well carry one moments... coukd be I gouged them then?

 

[TreaderSteve]

Could give them a good de-glaze - I think Scotchbrite pads are rated to do this? De-grease fully as well then hopefully you'll be able to see a bit more of what's going on - plus check for curvature as above.

 

[Tommy27]

Probably a good idea to put a straight edge on the rim surface and look for light poking through.

View attachment 799880

Doesn't look healthy for me. Join would be bang in the middle of adjacent spokes and directly opposite the valve hole if the rim was any good to begin with.

Tried this, few places where maybe tiniest spec coming through, but generally OK. Rear maybe a tiny bit more, but nothing like that pic. Did notice there were a few more scratches on the top of the rim, nothing else that comes down onto the braking surface though.

I couldn't find anywhere else other than where the straight line with a scratch is that could be the join and it's not where you're telling me it should be on a good set of rims so that's not great. Gonna start looking for a new wheelset regardless

 

[Aech]

If the straight mark in the second picture is the weld then there will be an identical mark at the same location on the other braking surface. I suspect it's not the weld point as they usually are exactly halfway between spoke holes.

Also there is a gouge at the inner end of that mark so I'm confidant is just a scratch rather than the weld point.

 

[Aech]

Here's a picture of one of my rims that clearly shows the join in the rim straight down through the "S", as you can see it's exactly halfway between 2 spoke holes and yes it's exactly opposite the valve hole.

 

[Tommy27]

So I had a really good look this morning and cannot see a join. Front of back

Thought that was weird, but checked some other bikes.

H-SON TB14 on Mercian doesn't have them (Google says 'invisibly welded').

Super Champion of Jack Taylor Tandem, has them.

Mavic Cxp 22 on missus bikes, has a join.



Any label on these rims long since gone, but hubs are late 80s.

 

[averagebiker]

For me....
Top one looke like a scratch/gouge
Bottom one is where the rim is joined together after the circle has been formed

Just had another look at the second picture and zoomed in this time for a better look.
I now believe that one is a scratch/gouge too.
Rich.

 

[novocaine]

just scratches and they've been there a while looking at them (trailing edge has worn on both of them). given the proximity, reckon they are spoke scratches buy a heavy handed monkey with a spoke key.

 

[legrandefromage]

Give the wheels to me, I'll test them for you, it may take about 20 years or so though