How do you fix a bent wheel on a bmx bike?

Answer 1

If the edge of the rim is dented, which usually happens because of too low tyre pressure, you can sometimes bend it back with an adjustable wrench. Anything more serious is not repairable because the wheel will never be straight enough. If they're just a little bent they can be brough back to straight by adjusting the spoke tension. If the rim is badly bent the spokes has to be slackened and the rim straightened by brute force first, by clamping the straight part against a sturdy work bench and then forcing the overhang down. Then as the rim is reasonably true in a relaxed state the rest can be corrected for by the spoke tension. Do note that some claim that the method above would cause unacceptable weakening of the rim which would make further riding inadvisable. Opinions differ though, the "don't bend" people haven't been able to show any catastrophic failures, but those who do bend have been able to show wheels that continue to provide good service. Unfortunately "not having failed yet" isn't a guarantee for "not failing later". www.sheldonbrown.com and www.parktool.com has good info on wheel trueing.

Answer 2

Depends on how badly bent it is. If it's only a litttle off it can be trued by adjusting the spoke tension. If it's a lot off it should be scrapped, but they can be saved if unlaced, manually straightened and then relaced. This will leave the wheel an undetermined amount weaker, so it's on your own risk. www.sheldonbrown.com, www. bicycletutor.com and www.parktool.com will tell you about it.

Answer 3

Depends on how bent it is. Small side-to-side bends can be fixed by trueing the wheel. I'll post a link on that.

Bigger bends would need to have the rim straightened first, by unlacing and bending it back over an edge. There's a fair bit of work involved with that, so you might as well go for a new rim instead. Gives you a safer result for the same work.