Can I heat and bend cast aluminum? (8" Pre-unit brake plate)

[Lurkingclass]

I have an 8" Triumph brake plate that is cast aluminum and it has a few flaws. The scoop is dented in a bit, the mount is a bit twisted, and there is very small screw broken off that needs to come out. Can I try to heat and rework this cast part or will the bent parts just snap off? Also, if I do bend it, can I rely on it being strong enough to use? Any one have any advice or another brake plate?

[MIKE47]

I'd do some Googling for repair techniques, but some heat will probably be the way to go. I know they say not to beat wheel lips back cold . I used to do them at the dealer with some heat and had good success with small repairs. I know that the wheel repair guys do the same. Be careful with the torch or it will disappear. 500 degrees or so should be be plenty hot. Again take some time to read up to be sure.

[DanK]

I agree with Mike47. Should work to for small repairs. The hotter the torch the weaker the aluminum will be afterwards.

[hillbillyhell]

What these guys said, go easy and low heat. A propane torch *should* get enough heat in it to bend it, and it will be a lot easier to control the heat than with an oxy rig. If the screw is being a bitch coming out, when it's good and hot rub some parrifin across it so it melts down into the threads, works better than penetrating oil when you're using heat.

[Fredo]

Or you could just come over and buy the complete wheel I have for almost nothing.

[Troy Fab]

Never tried this on cast Aluminum:
On Aluminum sheet 1/4 thick you can use your torch set up. Turn on just the Acetilene, (black smoke everywhere). No Oxigen! Heat your piece evenly, when the piece turns black all over it is the right temp to bend. (same black as smoke) Make sure you are ready to bend before you start.
Learned this from Hot Rod Builder.

[hillbillyhell]

Originally Posted by Troy Fab

Never tried this on cast Aluminum:
On Aluminum sheet 1/4 thick you can use your torch set up. Turn on just the Acetilene, (black smoke everywhere). No Oxigen! Heat your piece evenly, when the piece turns black all over it is the right temp to bend. (same black as smoke) Make sure you are ready to bend before you start.
Learned this from Hot Rod Builder.

Heh? You're describing 1/2 of how to torch anneal a non heat treated alloy. Covering somethign in soot doesn't put any heat in it to speak of. After you soot it, ou have to burn the soot back off....theory being that the temp required to burn the soot off is about what's neeed to anneal the material.

Doesn't really apply here, you don't want a dead soft brake plate.

[MIKE47]

Originally Posted by hillbillyhell

Heh? You're describing 1/2 of how to torch anneal a non heat treated alloy. Covering somethign in soot doesn't put any heat in it to speak of. After you soot it, ou have to burn the soot back off....theory being that the temp required to burn the soot off is about what's neeed to anneal the material.

Doesn't really apply here, you don't want a dead soft brake plate.

Yep, this is an annealing process. If you want to keep an eye on the temp while you heat you can use one of those infra-red thermometers or temp-stick markers.