Firko, just out of interest and you being a welderman, why is it fruitless to try and reweld rims successfully? I mean they are welded at the factory and it is only regular alloy. If it were vee'd and welded would this not work? Just curious as people do weld them and others say no way. When I sit and look, for me it appears the spokes and the triangulations of said spokes seem to be where the strength is, the rim takes some shocks yes but for most part it just carries the tyre.
Are not the spokes actually under tension and not compressive forces thus the wheel is being held in shape by all of these tensions balancing out throughout the hub and rim. Am I wrong? It doesn't sound like the best practice I realize but welding a frame, shock mounts and hubs doesn't seem to bother people yet this also has a potential for major disaster if not done correctly? It just seems to me the actual rim isn't the main load bearing item with stresses shared over the entire wheel. Curious is all.
LATE EDIT: been thinking more and now it's beginning to hurt but mmmm..(new years res, don't think so much!) the lateral forces with a cracked rim could be the greater issue. If the rim is cracked then these lateral forces when turning hard into a loamy/sandy corner or berm where other forces are applied could distort the rims. This in turn would loosen spokes and loads would not be shared evenly thus a collapsed wheel could result from a hard landing on the next jump. hmmmm..the thlot plickens..best to buy a new rim and be done with it!
