My latest project... Rim rehab on some old equipment. [pics]

So the last few times I had to do anything, I had to buy new rims to replace old ones that were worn out. For example, last year I put this new rim on my WD. And these two new rims on my tillage disk. Just buy rims, paint them, and get tires.





Well, we had an old John Deere grain drill that the tires were rotted on...



So I peeled them off, but the rims were just rusty but no holes or anything. Just heavily pitted.





So got the old tires off, degreased them and used a knot cup brush to take some of the gunk off.



However, that was all leading nowhere fast... So then I had a buddy let me use his sand blasting booth. This changed everything.





Amazing what the right tool for the job will do. Then after that, hit it with some primer and some finish paint.





Then took the rims to FS and got tires on Monday. So yesterday I finally got around to putting the rims back on what I took them off of probably... a month or so ago.





All in all, pretty pleased with the results. So... The time savings of just buying new rims is immeasurable. But, I feel very accomplished having rehabbed these old rims. My first "restoration" project of any type. Just hope the paint holds up for a long, long time.

Great photos and you did a nice job ..... if you used rattle can paint, don't expect it to stand up or resist fading like
"real" automotive paint with hardener, etc.

That looks very nice. They will last for a LONG time now.
Richard in NW SC

(quoted from post at 12:21:36 08/19/18) Great photos and you did a nice job ..... if you used rattle can paint, don't expect it to stand up or resist fading like
"real" automotive paint with hardener, etc.

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Thanks. And yeah, I will confess I used the rattle can... The orange WD rim has held color well. The John Deere disc has faded badly already. Hoping for better results with this go around on the drill. I assume the only way to get a good "auto" paint job would be with some sort of airbrush and can paint?

(quoted from post at 12:22:20 08/19/18) That looks very nice. They will last for a LONG time now.
Richard in NW SC

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Thank you!

Several years ago, when scrap prices took off and finding used JD rims inexpensive was almost impossible, I started slicing pieces out of other
bad rims and getting a patch welded in. I have done at least 6 tractor rears and 2-3 implement rims. Takes maybe about 1 hour to cut and fit the
patch. The patch goes on the outside and I JB weld fill the inside. Works great.

What color white do you use for rims? I always have trouble finding the correct white to repaint rims.

NICE job.

I've been wanting to clean up a couple of nasty front tire rims, as well, gonna try eletrolysis ('cause I'm not as ambitious as you) but haven gotten a "round tuit" yet!

I have worked on a pile 38&34 inch rear rims this year some were scaled so bad I had to get air chisel out.Weld stem holes with patches.Followed by wire cup brush and grinder.Waiting for my arms to feel like somthing so I can finish painting two rims for 15x38 tires.Rim cleanup no matter how big or small is time consuming.Scott

Done some 38s for H farmall. Sandblasted 4 rims took 2 best,cut pieces out of bad ones, welded in newer sections, ground smooth and sandblasted again then primed and painted

Northvale PA - I have the old rusted out rim I pulled off my WD sitting in the garage. It has a thin hole that could probably be welded but the entire inside of the rim is a rusted mess. Would take a lot of work to rehab. I don't have welding skills so I never attempted. Managed to trade off the disc rims though, but they were rusted thru completely at the valve stems.

hydro70guy - I wanted white primer but the best I could find that worked with the rattlecan stuff I was doing was grey. Cleaned with mineral spirits, let dry, two quick coats, let dry, clean a bit more, then two top coats. Pretty happy with the finish. No big runs or anything. A few spots where it was pitted bad I wish maybe I had fillered or something.

Bob - Thanks! Curious to hear it electrolysis works. I'd love to use my leftover from rim from the WD as a test run on welding and rust clean-up and all that.

scott mcintosh - I'm afraid my two bad rear rims on my WD may be in that neighborhood of sadness and awful.

shaun wallace - I wish I had that kind of welding ability. Or a way to sandblast something that big. This was my first foray into sandblasting, but really happy with how it all turned out.