Peeling lacquer on wheels.

[Andy Sayle]

Hi folks.

 

I think I alredy know the answer to this, but someone might have some good ideas.  Our Yeti has silver AnnaPurna type alloys.  all four of them are suffering from various degrees of corrosion under the lacquer finish.  On two of them, it is just a white squiggly pattern in a few places (around the centre caps for example).  On the back wheels, the lacquer has actually bubbled up and cracked in a few places, mostly on the corners of the face of the spokes on the wheels.

 

I'm assuming that the only way to fix this, is to get them stripped, and re-lacquered.  I'm a little reluctant to spend a wedge of cash on it though, for it to happen in a few years time again, so is there anything I need to be looking for in particular to get a hard wearing finish on the wheels.

 

I am considering a change of colour at the same time, I've never been a fan of 100% silver.

 

Cheers

Andy

[BobbyG79]

Hi again Andy

 

The same issue struck 2 of my wheels.  I had them stripped/blasted and powder-coated (then lacquered) by a local motorsport engineering company who specialise in metal finishing.  The powder-coat shouldn't suffer from the same corrosion issues in future, something to do with how it bonds to the alloy.  It cost me about £70 per wheel, and there were a number of different colours/finishes available.  They're also easier to keep clean, and you definitely don't need to use alloy wheel cleaner on them, which I suspect (when used incorrectly) can cause some of the corrosion issues in the first place 

[137699]

The issue is standard fayre on all diamond cut alloy wheels.

The permanent solution is to have them powder coated instead and you won't have lacquer issue again.

There are some really good "high-gloss" finishes available in powder coat these days which look very close to the original diamond-cut finish.

[kenfowler3966]

I had specked the option of diamond cut wheels but then found the dent and scratch cover does not include these wheels. I would have had to take out an expensive extra cover for them. Swapped wheels for rear camera for same cost; much better value and useful. Wheels don’t change driving experience, rear camera does.

[BobbyG79]

Apologies I hadn't realised we were talking about diamond-cut wheels...mine are Spitzbergs with a "standard" silver finish

[Andy Sayle]

I should check on here more often

 

Yep, these are Diamond cut Annapurna alloys.  I really like them, but I want something hard wearing.  I do a bit of rough roading around Wales in the search for funky photographs, so I expect the root cause of the corrosion is damage to the lacquer from the non paved roads I drive around occasionally.

 

On 22/11/2017 at 12:00, BobbyG79 said:

Hi again Andy

 

The same issue struck 2 of my wheels.  I had them stripped/blasted and powder-coated (then lacquered) by a local motorsport engineering company who specialise in metal finishing.  The powder-coat shouldn't suffer from the same corrosion issues in future, something to do with how it bonds to the alloy.  It cost me about £70 per wheel, and there were a number of different colours/finishes available.  They're also easier to keep clean, and you definitely don't need to use alloy wheel cleaner on them, which I suspect (when used incorrectly) can cause some of the corrosion issues in the first place 

 

I've had some prices for powder coating, and it seems reasonable.  I'm not convinced that the sharper corners will stand up to much abuse though, after coating.

 

Hmmm.  Anyone want to swap wheels ?   That said, I'm half considering swapping this car for a newer one now.  The cambelt needs doing in 6 months, the brakes need doing soonish, and I think the sunroof drain needs clearing again.  There's a lot to be said for a car in warranty!

 

Andy

[ejstubbs]

Is the ashtray full as well?

 

[Andy Sayle]

4 hours ago, ejstubbs said:

Is the ashtray full as well?

 

Ha ha, don't think so!  Unless the kids have been putting sweet wrappers in there again.....