Scott
Tom is correct about Magnesium being lighter and stronger than
aluminum. How ever they can not be magnafluxed. This procedure is
for steel parts only. Nonferrous metals can not be magnetized.
I think you would have to have them dye checked or use an ultrasound
device like "eddy current". For the most part the wheels should be
true. They do not go out of round for no reason. Look for obvious
damage to the rim lips (curb shunts) or scars from improper tire
removal/installation. Magnesium has a bad habit of wanting to
oxidize almost immediately after any cleaning or polishing. Sometimes
clear coating is a good idea after cleaning. I would take them to be
media blasted but make sure they use one of these types of media:
glass, plastic, baking soda, or wheat/starch. I do not recommend
sand. Some places can safely remove the oxidation chemically but
again use caution. Certain types of acid can be very aggressive on
Magnesium. If it is not neutralized properly the acid will continue
to eat away the wheels.
Find a place that can spin balance tires. The same machine can tell
you if a rim is out of round. For the quick check you need flat
plate that you could lay the rims on and eyeball them.
I have seen several ads in Autoweek for places that repair cast
wheels. I have no experience with that however. My guess is that it
would be fairly expensive.
If all checks out they are definitely worth putting on. I think they
look great on TR-4's and 250's.
Happy Holidays!
Pat in NC
|