Alloy refurb woes

[dalmarshall]

I put these in for a refurb a few months ago and firstly got them back untouched because they were buckled a little bit and they couldn't straighten them.

 

So I find a place that can straighten them, powder coat and diamond cut them......brilliant!!

 

I went to collect them last month and was disappointed to find the laquer was very thick and formed a 'ridge' at the bottom of each spoke. There was also a bit of black 'spotting' under the laquer.

 

Not a great pic but you can see the ridge of clear laquer

 

 

I obviously rejected them and asked him to do them again, as for £390 it wasn't good enough! (4 x straighten buckles and 4 x powder coat and diamond cut for £390)

 

He told me that it's old alloy and it holds oxygen and that's why you get pitting and spots in the diamond cut surface , he can't really odds it! It'll never come out like a modern alloy!

 

So, today I go back to collect them after another cut and laquer and this is what I'm presented with

 

 

They're even worse!!!!

 

As well as all the popped bubbles, the rim is Cloudy under the lacquer.

 

 

 

He's doing them AGAIN now but tells me that he can't guarantee they'll be any better due to the oxygen in the alloy.

I'm no alloy expert but I've seen many decent rs alloys without these defects, is this bloke fobbing me off??

[khanlad]

Ive got a mate that does wheel refurbishment, see him up to school when i drop my little guy off, ill ask him after Christmas what he thinks. See how big a pile of bollox hes talking?

[JP.]

Its not bolloks. Its what you can expect to happen with those poor moulded quality aftermarked wheels like Midland sels.

They are bad moulded with insufficeint quality alloys ( mostly scrap alloy from Russia ) and contains lots of air bubbles and air pockets inside the moulding.

 

Genuine Ford RS alloys are much better quality and more suited to recieve the diamond cut threatment.

[khanlad]

I think they are genuine mk1 rs alloys jp? Might be wrong though

[dalmarshall]

Yes they are genuine alloys, Grp1 ronal 6'.

He also said that the result would be better if he wet laquered them rather than powder coat.

I'm not sure how that makes a difference TBH!

[Danish]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the guy who does my wheels heats them in the powder coating oven first to drive out any gas, then later puts the powder on and heats them again. 

[katana]

Looks like contamination to me! I would guess they haven't been thoroughly degreased after being cut! Porous casting is possible but unlikely to occur at powder coat temps! 

[JP.]

Sorry, didn't see any signs or marks on them beeing genuine RS alloys. I am used to see RS markings in the spokes.

[dalmarshall]

The markings are on the backs of these, although you can barely see any now due to the thickness of the powder coat!

[Vista]

Sorry to hear your tale of woe Dal, tell you what as they're so bad, I'll do you a favour and take them off your hands for £50

 

Is he going to charge you? If not I'd take them somewhere else and brief them thoroughly of the claims by this guy and see if they'll take them on with a guarantee of a better finish

[dalmarshall]

I gave him the option that I'd take them elsewhere and just pay him for the straightening, but he said he'd cut them again then call me to inspect them before lacquer.

If he's fobbing me off with the oxygen story then I suspect it's as Katana says...contamination.

I suspect he's also probably inexperienced, 25-30 years old max

[guido]

when i look at close-up 20151218_132439.jpg i would say it has something to do with the process of prep. and coating.

Some residue or deposits from grease or oxidation or something with the coating powder or paint aint right.

I don't think its the material of the wheels. If there any air pockets due to imperfect casting, they are so small within tolerances

a layer of powder coat shuts them of, you wont notice hardly any of them, such tiny are they.

 

just a note, if you put your fingers to it even after washing them before, it can leave little grease and acids from skin behind, especially

when sweaty too. So i always using cotton /synthetic gloves for paintwork

[Tuffer's]

Dal I'll get you a number tomorrow and talk to this company who dose our wheels

[John escort mk1V6]

I did also have problems with a wheelshop , at first a did make a call and ask theme do you polish wheels yes we do.

But when i got theme back , they weren`t not polished but they did get a cut and then a clearcoat , with dust and little holes thats in the alloy.

And they were very cheap with the paint [front/rear] , and one wheel they a spot to cut a way 7J RS.

And the 4  7,5 RS have now cutting scars , so it`s hard to find the right men that knows alot and do a good job.

[jamesmk1]

I use these guys all the wheels i have had done come back better than new.

 http://www.premierwheelrepairs.com/Contact_Us/

[Mickey Stewart]

If you want some really good advice then I use the company below, might be worth a call to see what they say?

 

http://www.pristinealloywheels.co.uk/

[mk1parv]

i work at pristine and unfortunately the casts of old 70's and 80's wheels are not great. they have cast holes inside the alloy and we never lacquer the machined areas on those wheels along side the triumph stag wheels, dolomite or anything as old as that.

[dalmarshall]

Would it better maybe to leave them with NO clear coat?

I assume they would be quite porous and need regular autosol!

[mk1parv]

Would it better maybe to leave them with NO clear coat?

I assume they would be quite porous and need regular autosol!

That's how they came originally from the factory, autosol and maybe a wax like 'poorboys' helps them from corroding sooner. unfortunately its just the way it is and the best way to keep the shine. If the wheels were lacquered, the corrosion comes from inside out.

[iandq]

I've never been a fan of lacquered alloy, unless it's painted of course. shiny ( polished ) alloy is best left open for regular autosol / t cutting, if you are regular enough, just a wipe will keep them nice.

cheers, ian

[sierra1off]

That is a common problem with old alloy wheels.

 

Cannot be helped, as they have said, air in the casting forms bubbles under the laquer ( even when  they are pre heated)

[katana]

This 'air bubbles in the alloy' is BS! There maybe air bubbles there, but unless 'surfaced' through when cutting, they'll never surface - they don't migrate to the surface like bubbles in water! Its a piss poor excuse for piss poor work. As said before, powder coating heats the alloy but not enough to 'float' air bubbles! and lacquer is cold application so shouldn't either otherwise..... how can some companies achieve flawless results with the same wheels, manufactured by the same companies, of the same age?

[colr6]

You do get so called air bubbles in aluminium,but would suggest these imperfections are more due to bad cleaning of wheel after cutting which has resulted in a reaction in the lacquer of which you would not normally see if done correctly

[dalmarshall]

Hmmm....its hard to decide what I should do with these now, take them without lacquer or do them again.

Lacquer ends up chipping or getting moisture underneath anyway so the answer might be to keep them diamond cut and maintain them regularly with autosol or some kind of wax?

He can't keep cutting them until they're right as there will soon be no 'meat' left on them!

[katana]

Personally i'd hand polish them ..... T-Cut or Autosol, your choice although I'd only use Autosol on dull / corroded alloy as it is quite abrasive for regular use and then use good quality wax regularly to maintain the look. Its std. practice on early bike alloy wheels which are rarely diamond cut but suffer equally badly on our salty roads once it gets under the japanese lacquer.