How to fix a bent rim with a hammer (6 step guide)

Content

Required Tools
How to fix a bent rim with a 5lb sledgehammer
Remove car tire
Hammer the rim into shape
Replace the rail

In this article, I will teach you how to fix a bent rim with a few hits of a 5-pound sledgehammer in a few minutes.

As a jack-of-all-trades and self-proclaimed gearbox, I often use a few hammer tricks to quickly fix bent rims. Flattening the curved sections of the rim reduces tire pressure. Correcting a bent rim is very important, as bending can cause tires to burst or the car to lose balance, gradually destroying the suspension if left unattended.

Here are some quick steps to fix a bent rim with a sledgehammer:

Raise the car wheel off the ground with a jack
flat tire
Remove the tire from the rim with a pry bar
Hit the curved part with a hammer to straighten it.
Inflate tire and check for leaks
Use a pry bar to put the wheel back on

I'll go into more detail below. Let's start.

Required Tools

Sledgehammer - 5 pounds
Safety glasses
Ear protection
Jack
There is a pry
Blowtorch (optional)

How to fix a bent rim with a 5lb sledgehammer

Bent rims cause the tire to bulge. This is very dangerous as it can throw off the balance of your car or motorcycle, which can eventually lead to an accident.

The repair process usually involves shaping the rim with a sledgehammer of the appropriate weight—preferably five pounds. The goal is to align the ring and lighten or completely compensate for curved areas.

Remove car tire

Of course, you cannot remove an inflated tire. So let's start by flattening a tire. You don't need to deflate it completely; you can save some air or pressure that won't affect your performance.

To remove a tire:

Step 1 - Raise the car

Place a jack under the car near the curved rim
Jack up the car
Make sure the jack is under the vehicle frame when it is raised.
Raise the vehicle until the wheel is off the ground.
Check vehicle stability

Step 2 - Remove the bolts and then the tire

Remove the bolts/nuts from the wheel.

Then remove the tire and rim from the car.

The tire will be flat for badly damaged rims, making it easier to remove the tire and rim.

Step 3 - Separate the tire from the rim

Take a pry bar and separate the flat tire from the damaged rim.

Insert a crowbar into the tire seal and move it in a circle, slowly pushing the tire. I like to get the tire on its feet by turning the crowbar outwards while slowly spinning the tire (sometimes I also use a hammer or chisel style tool to remove it. Depending on what you have on hand, you can easily get this step off the tire from the rim.

Continue until the tire is completely removed.

Hammer the rim into shape

Now that we have separated the tire and rim from the car, let's fix the rim.

Step 1: Put on your protective gear

If the rim is struck, small pieces such as metal chips or rust may be ejected, which may damage the eyes.

In addition, hitting with a hammer produces a deafening noise. I would wear sturdy goggles and earmuffs for those two issues.

Step 2: Heat up the curved part of the rim (recommended but not required)

Use a blow torch to heat up the curved part of the rim. Heat the section continuously for about two minutes.

The extent of the damage will determine how long you have to heat the bent rim. You must heat longer if there are several curved spots. The heat will make the rim more pliable, so it will be easy to shape.

This is not required, but will make your job a lot easier and cleaner.

Step 3: Smooth out bumps or folds on the rim

After you have removed the tire, carefully circle the bent sections of the rim. To see clearly, turn the rim on a level surface and check the wobble. Stop the rotation if you notice any loose parts or lips and work on them.

Place the rim on a solid surface so that it does not tip over during hammering. Assume the correct posture and hit with a hammer on the broken or bent edges of the rim. (1)

You can also use a wrench to straighten out bent lugs on the ring. Simply insert the broken section into the wrench and pull it back to its original position.

Step 4: Repeat steps two and three

Hit the bent parts until they take shape. In practice (if you used a blowtorch) you won't do this for long, as the heat will help the rim's recovery process.

Next, wait for the rim to cool and restore the tire to the rim using a pry bar.

Step 5: Restore Air

Inflate the tire with an air compressor. Check for blisters and air leaks; if there are, mark the locations and repeat steps two and three.

To check for air leaks:

Apply soap between the rim and tire with soapy water.
The presence of air bubbles indicates the presence of air leakage; Seek professional help to fix air leaks. (2)

Replace the rail

Step 1. Roll the tire next to the car wheel. Raise the tire and insert the lug nut studs into the holes in the rim. Put a tire on your car.

Step 2. Attach the lug nuts to the wheel studs, starting with the bolt nut at the bottom of the rim. Connect the lug nuts together so that the tire rim is pulled evenly over the studs. Go ahead and tighten the top nuts. Tighten the clamp nuts on the right and right side; re-tighten the nut on the right side.

Step 3. Lower the car jack until the car touches the ground. Carefully remove the jack from under the car. Tighten the bolt nuts again while the wheel is on the ground.

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