Alloy wheels - lacquer or polish?

[geoff326]

My Stag returns from the bodyshop today after a bare metal respray. Can't wait to start reassembling it.

The previous owner had the alloys refurbished but they are starting to look a bit tarnished again. I'm not sure whether to rub them (the silver bits) down and just polish or to have them lacquered after removing the tarnishing. I've tried Autosol but with little effect so perhaps they are currently lacquered. What do you recommend? Were they lacquered when they left the factory?

Another problem seems to be holding air pressure. A couple seem to slowly deflate after a few weeks. My local tyre supplier thinks it is due poor sealing around the rims due to pitting. Is this a common problem and what is the solution -inner tubes?

Thanks everyone.

[DJT]

Geoff,

Slowly deflating alloys is very likely to be corrosion on the beads stopping the tyres sealing properly. It could also be corrosion around the valve seat. I have heard of people claiming that the alloy is porous, but I'm not convinced about that.

Some alloys are lacquered, others not. Don't what was OE, but I wouldn't recommend lacquering them. If yours are lacquered then this will have to be removed before polishing. Either way, the tyres will have to come off to resolve the sealing problem. You can then attack them properly.

With mine, I sanded the tyre rim with 340-grit sandpaper wrapped around a suitable piece of dowell. I then removed all the loose paint inside the rim, sprayed with etch primer followed by black paint. The back of the wheel was similarly treated. Don't forget the recess where the valve sits. I used a grinding tool in a Dremel to remove the corrosion and smooth the recess, before painting with etch primer and engine enamel using a small brush.

The front paint was stripped off. The 'shiny' areas sanded with 340-grit, followed by ever finer grades of wet-n-dry starting at 400-grit. I then used a polishing wheel in a mains-powered drill using alloy polishing bar. This was followed by Solvol Autosol, then Auto Glym. The painted sections were treated with etch primer using an artists brush, followed by black engine enamel.

The whole process took at least a day per wheel, but the results were good. The new tyres have not lost any pressure in over a month.

[mjheathcote]

As above.
They last well being polished, only requiring a buff up once a year or so.

[V Mad]

I was speaking to one of our members at Bromley, and he has a set of laquered wheels that still look good many years later. Yet some only last perhaps a couple of years before they start to corrode.

I think if they are properly prepared/degreased, and several coats of quality laquer are used they will last.

[geoff326]

Thanks for all your input.
Thinking about it, my alloys can't be lacquered as there is plenty of black residue when I polish them with Autosol. But I can't remove all traces of tarnishing. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and start rubbing them down with fine wet & dry as Dave suggested. I've also tried Halfords rubbing compound and T Cut but the blemishes remain, though the surface is completely smooth to the touch.
As for the loss of tyre pressure, wouldn't fitting inner tubes be a simpler option?

[len]

hi
I think Chris (V Mad) is referring to my lacquered alloys ! They were lacquered nearly 11 years ago and still look great. They were done by Lepsoms in Tonbridge I believe. I was fortunate at the time to be working next to a car bodyshop and they sent them off for me. I wouldn't hesitate in getting the same process down when mine eventually break down ( I wont hold my breath on that though ! )
These alloys were very well painted on the inside by Lepsoms as well
Len

[DJT]

Geoff,

What you describe is what I found. The wheels weren't lacquered, but the surface had developed a hard surface which, whilst clean and smooth, wasn't brilliantly shiny. Using abrasive paper cuts through this surface to the clean alloy beneath, which can then be polished to a shine. Wheels that are polished professionally are often done on a lathe where they can be cut back much quicker than by hand.

[V Mad]

hi
I think Chris (V Mad) is referring to my lacquered alloys ! They were lacquered nearly 11 years ago and still look great. They were done by Lepsoms in Tonbridge I believe. I was fortunate at the time to be working next to a car bodyshop and they sent them off for me. I wouldn't hesitate in getting the same process down when mine eventually break down ( I wont hold my breath on that though ! )
These alloys were very well painted on the inside by Lepsoms as well
Len

Yes, it was your wheels Len, they do look amazing for that age, and it saves you all the hassle of polishing.

[edd]

polish polish polish , you have a classic car for me its part of the fun its not a chore . Why not lacquer your bumpers while your at it too
Edd

[edd]

Geoff,

Slowly deflating alloys is very likely to be corrosion on the beads stopping the tyres sealing properly. It could also be corrosion around the valve seat. I have heard of people claiming that the alloy is porous, but I'm not convinced about that.

Some alloys are lacquered, others not. Don't what was OE, but I wouldn't recommend lacquering them. If yours are lacquered then this will have to be removed before polishing. Either way, the tyres will have to come off to resolve the sealing problem. You can then attack them properly.

With mine, I sanded the tyre rim with 340-grit sandpaper wrapped around a suitable piece of dowell. I then removed all the loose paint inside the rim, sprayed with etch primer followed by black paint. The back of the wheel was similarly treated. Don't forget the recess where the valve sits. I used a grinding tool in a Dremel to remove the corrosion and smooth the recess, before painting with etch primer and engine enamel using a small brush.

The front paint was stripped off. The 'shiny' areas sanded with 340-grit, followed by ever finer grades of wet-n-dry starting at 400-grit. I then used a polishing wheel in a mains-powered drill using alloy polishing bar. This was followed by Solvol Autosol, then Auto Glym. The painted sections were treated with etch primer using an artists brush, followed by black engine enamel.

The whole process took at least a day per wheel, but the results were good. The new tyres have not lost any pressure in over a month.

Dave I can confirm the alloy is porous . I had a leak test done and couldn't believe my eyes when a tiny bubble appeared in the middle of the outside rim . I painted the inside with etch then engine enamel and it's fine now .
Edd

[m9fdb]

I have a set of stag wheels i need to do in fact i have 2 sets although i was hoping to sell one set as they are for the new owner to do

So if anyone wants a cheap set of stag alloys to polish up they have no tyre's on them and just need a refurb ( a few days work for you Dave and will prob return a nice profit) LOL

[TR5convalescent]

The lacquer can also get damaged by careless tyre fitters. I had a set of very nice Speedlines on a Golf GTI about 25 years ago and a certain firm (on whom you apparently could not improve) damaged the lacquer. Water crept in underneath on all four wheels and lifted the lacquer off the rim, corroding the surface underneath.

It's worth asking the tyre fitter what they do to protect the wheel when pulling off the tyre.