Sealing a rusty LMTV rim bead.

[hethead]

Beside's the obvious advice of "get another rim", has anybody had any luck with repairing a rusty, pitted rim where the tire bead seals? I'll clean it up with a wire cup brush on a grinder and get it clean first, but I was considering some filler to fill in a couple if pitted areas before I repaint it. I was thinking I'd use an epoxy to fill it. I can fill it with stick/tig weld too, epoxy just sounds a lot easier than filling with weld and grinding the steel flat, because I can smooth it to shape as I apply the epoxy (JB weld probably).

I can't be the first to find themselves with this problem, so I'm asking for others personal experience with what worked for them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[HDN]

Have any pictures? Mine were in various states of pittedness, but I just wire wheeled, primed, and painted the sealing surfaces.

 

[hethead]

Have any pictures? Mine were in various states of pittedness, but I just wire wheeled, primed, and painted the sealing surfaces.

I didn’t get any pictures. The bead isn’t completely rusted, but there are quite a few pitted areas that are probably dime sized and 1/16” deep. Too deep for paint to really fill. I’d hate to wrestle these things back off a rim if I can avoid it. I was figuring I might need to fill the pitting before paint or use some extra thick goop to help make a good seal.

 

[HDN]

I didn’t get any pictures. The bead isn’t completely rusted, but there are quite a few pitted areas that are probably dime sized and 1/16” deep. Too deep for paint to really fill. I’d hate to wrestle these things back off a rim if I can avoid it. I was figuring I might need to fill the pitting before paint or use some extra thick goop to help make a good seal.

That sounds a little worse than my rims were. My pits were probably 1/32" at the most. I think the tightness of the rims with the squish of the sealing rubber compensated for what my rattle cans couldn't make up for. I'm not sure what others have done here except may apply additional coats of paint to build thickness in those pits.

 

[hethead]

That sounds a little worse than my rims were. My pits were probably 1/32" at the most. I think the tightness of the rims with the squish of the sealing rubber compensated for what my rattle cans couldn't make up for. I'm not sure what others have done here except may apply additional coats of paint to build thickness in those pits.

Yeah two are great, ones not bad and the last one is the worst I’ve used. I’ll just lay the paint on real thick and hope for the best. Only one way to find out...

 

[US6x4]

I would give the jb weld or metal glaze a try. Seems like it couldn't hurt.

 

[hethead]

I would give the jb weld or metal glaze a try. Seems like it couldn't hurt.

I’ve had pretty good luck with JB “steel stick” for patching small holes in rusty steel boat hulls. These aren’t holes, but it’s important that it stays put and doesn’t pop out from the tire moving around on the rim (which is why I’ve hesitated). Unless somebody else has had success filling pitting with epoxy, I may just end up filling the holes with the tig torch and blending them in with a flap disk. Trying to avoid spending a day doing that but I may regret it if I don’t…

 

[hethead]

I ended up filling the deeper pitting with the stick welder and blending it in with the flapdisk. Really quick and easy and I’m a lot more confident the bead will seal now.

 

[hethead]

After filling in the pitting on the rim bead with a stick welder and grinding it smooth, then painting.… I mounted the rims using a handful of grease (to help seal against the rim during inflation).

All 4 are mounted and holding air.