Wheel rims

[cadwell]

Can anyone advise me on where to buy bare 13” x 41/2j rims?

My Elan wheel centres were fine but rims were very rusty, so I bought some 13” x 41/2j trailer wheels, cut the centres out and welded in the Elan centres on a jig. I’m quite pleased with the result as max lateral and rotational run out is around half the recommended maximum.
I would like to make a few more but cutting out the centres of the trailer wheels is pretty time consuming, so a supply of bare rims would be very useful.

Thanks

Peter

[RichardHawkins]

Peter,

I did something similar about 14years ago. I was having difficulty with trailer manufacturers, I could not find a rim supplier, but I live near the north east coast of Lincolnshire, which is close to Hull, caravan country. The wheels used by caravans come from a German company called MEFRO. I wrote to MEFRO, who sold me a set of rims, at the time I think they were £20 each. These rims are not quite the correct size in that the inside diameter of the rim is a couple of mm too large. I am fortunate to have a lathe of the right size to mount an Elan wheel. I cut the old rims off, leaving part of the old rim attached to the centre (I think the correct term is knave) I then turned this down with my lathe to create an interference fit and pressed the new rim on. Having pressed them together I had them welded.

Hope this helps,

Richard Hawkins

[cadwell]

Thank you Richard, I will write to MEFRO to see if they will supply. I had the same size problem with a couple of the trailer wheels I used. I shimmed the gap, welded, then sealed the outside with epoxy. Seems to work well, but I would prefer your way if I had a large enough lathe!
It sounds as though you are not far from Scunthorpe where I lived for my first 32 years!
Now live near Matlock in Derbyshire.
Thanks
Peter