[S1NGH]

Just wondering if these are any good or not, thinking might get some for one set of my painted wheels.

Apparently they are not recommended for diamond cut wheels as they can remove the lacquer, which is a shame as they are more expensive to refurbish.

Thanks

[GMT234]

They are pretty good, very tough, much better than rimblades, not used them myself, but have a driving instructor friend, car is always hitting kerbs, batters the alloygators, but wheels are fine underneath.

[AP_75]

Yes I do as car is London street parked so a must for us - I share the car with my wife and saying no more.

They get a bit tatty after a while but sods law says they got kerbed again soon as I replaced them while having new tyres fitted - was about £120 fitted I think and you get a spare as obviously no spare wheel

[S1NGH]

Originally Posted by AP_75

Yes I do as car is London street parked so a must for us - I share the car with my wife and saying no more.

They get a bit tatty after a while but sods law says they got kerbed again soon as I replaced them while having new tyres fitted - was about £120 fitted I think and you get a spare as obviously no spare wheel

Thanks, do they look ok though?

They seem to have lots of colours but will probably go for black to blend in with tyres.

[Russbmw]

Oh God no!!

I too suspect that in the wetter winter months, grit and grime will find its way in between the gator and the wheel, which will then no doubt rub and damage the lacquer (on any wheel, but will obviously be worse on diamond cut ones as they're fragile anyway).

IMO they look dire - the simpler solution is to just be careful.

I've only kerbed one wheel in 23 years driving, and that was because bus who didn't have right of way decided that he did anyway, came hurtling towards me on a road not wide enough for 2 vehicles, leaving me the options of (a) involuntary collision with said tosser or (b) take an emergency dive into a small turning....with large kerbs....and hope I make it. I made it. My rear passenger side wheel didn't.

[Blacktemplar]

Originally Posted by S1NGH

Thanks, do they look ok though?

They seem to have lots of colours but will probably go for black to blend in with tyres.

The only thing I would say about the black option is that unless your alloys are black as well, it makes your wheels look smaller... go for the gunmetal/silver option instead.

[ewanc]

We used them in work. We run a fleet of Merc's with lots of different drivers and abilities... We were often required to park bigger vehicles in tight spaces.

Yes, they worked to protect the alloys from kerbing, however, they were then chewed up themselves.

Also, ours were forever loosening/jutting out, so it looked like the wheel bearing had gone. There were two schools of thought to the cause of this: 1) The act of being kerbed "pulled" the protector away from the rim, OR 2) Tyre dressing had slipped down the protector and acted as a lubricant.

In the end, we removed them, as a kerbed alloy looked better than the jutting protector.

[greatbm]

Originally Posted by ewanc

We used them in work. We run a fleet of Merc's with lots of different drivers and abilities... We were often required to park bigger vehicles in tight spaces.

Yes, they worked to protect the alloys from kerbing, however, they were then chewed up themselves.

Also, ours were forever loosening/jutting out, so it looked like the wheel bearing had gone. There were two schools of thought to the cause of this: 1) The act of being kerbed "pulled" the protector away from the rim, OR 2) Tyre dressing had slipped down the protector and acted as a lubricant.

In the end, we removed them, as a kerbed alloy looked better than the jutting protector.

I read awhile back that someone had fitted and came adrift at speed damaging the alloy surface and also the trailing part was whipping against the bodywork also incurring damage, expensive mistake but just may have been badly fitted.

[jav_ski]

If your running diamond cut alloys as most of us are then they are apparently are a no no - it's in the facts on their website they do not recommend them.

[S1NGH]

Originally Posted by ewanc

We used them in work. We run a fleet of Merc's with lots of different drivers and abilities... We were often required to park bigger vehicles in tight spaces.

Yes, they worked to protect the alloys from kerbing, however, they were then chewed up themselves.

Also, ours were forever loosening/jutting out, so it looked like the wheel bearing had gone. There were two schools of thought to the cause of this: 1) The act of being kerbed "pulled" the protector away from the rim, OR 2) Tyre dressing had slipped down the protector and acted as a lubricant.

In the end, we removed them, as a kerbed alloy looked better than the jutting protector.

Thank you, that's very interesting..

Having looked at peoples experience on here and other forums I am starting to think just take a chance. They seem more of a problem than a solution.

[S1NGH]

Originally Posted by jav_ski

If your running diamond cut alloys as most of us are then they are apparently are a no no - it's in the facts on their website they do not recommend them.

Thanks, yes as mentioned in my original post that is a concern. Was originally thinking of using them in my winter powder coated wheels, not my DC ones..

[S1NGH]

Originally Posted by Russbmw

Oh God no!!

I too suspect that in the wetter winter months, grit and grime will find its way in between the gator and the wheel, which will then no doubt rub and damage the lacquer (on any wheel, but will obviously be worse on diamond cut ones as they're fragile anyway).

IMO they look dire - the simpler solution is to just be careful.

I've only kerbed one wheel in 23 years driving, and that was because bus who didn't have right of way decided that he did anyway, came hurtling towards me on a road not wide enough for 2 vehicles, leaving me the options of (a) involuntary collision with said tosser or (b) take an emergency dive into a small turning....with large kerbs....and hope I make it. I made it. My rear passenger side wheel didn't.

Thanks, that's bloody good in 23 years. Most I managed was 6 years without kerbing one.

I do see your points.

[S1NGH]

Originally Posted by greatbm

I read awhile back that someone had fitted and came adrift at speed damaging the alloy surface and also the trailing part was whipping against the bodywork also incurring damage, expensive mistake but just may have been badly fitted.

Yes, I have seen similar reviews in other forums today...concerning.

[S1NGH]

Originally Posted by greatbm

I read awhile back that someone had fitted and came adrift at speed damaging the alloy surface and also the trailing part was whipping against the bodywork also incurring damage, expensive mistake but just may have been badly fitted.

Yes, I have seen similar reviews in other forums today...concerning.

[RichardM]

I fitted them to my 18" winter wheels when I bought them to keep them pristine for selling later. They were fine for the first few months and looked ok but then started to come away from the wheel. I contacted Alloygator who's response was they were not compatible with my tyres (pirelli sotto zero) and I should remove them completely. Not great.

I added my review to their facebook page which just got deleted and me blocked, that is why you will only see good reviews on there.

[Watsey]

I went to an AlloyGator stockist last year to have a look at them.

Several things put me off.

They don't just protect the rim, they cover it - this ruins the look of DC wheels.

The fitting procedure is : deflate the tyre, then knock the 'Gator between the tyre and the rim with a rubber mallet. This can only damage the lacquer, which already a weak point on DC wheels.

I just park carefully. Much less hassle.

[RichardM]

Originally Posted by Watsey

I just park carefully. Much less hassle.

Easy for me to do but it seems much harder for my other half to manage!

[ewanc]

Originally Posted by greatbm

I read awhile back that someone had fitted and came adrift at speed damaging the alloy surface and also the trailing part was whipping against the bodywork also incurring damage, expensive mistake but just may have been badly fitted.

Ours came from our transport hub fitted. When they popped out, we took them to two different national tyre suppliers to fix (our work changed supplier). Both times it re-occurred.

For the record it was mostly slow, stop-start city driving we were doing.

I initially thought they were a great idea, and was going to have them fitted to my own car, I have since changed my mind.

[vadimo]

Originally Posted by S1NGH

Just wondering if these are any good or not, thinking might get some for one set of my painted wheels.

Apparently they are not recommended for diamond cut wheels as they can remove the lacquer, which is a shame as they are more expensive to refurbish.

Thanks

I learned about these 2 weeks ago and was going to buy to protect my beloved, immaculate 403s however after reading some reviews where owner had protection material coming off then flapping and hitting/damaging body work.

It put me off, plus you got to do some DIY to properly clean alloys prior to application and then glue them on to the alloys. I wonder what marks it may leave on the alloys should you decide to remove them.

I stick to 3 simple rules:
1. Minimise need for parallel parking and if i must always lower mirror to see where wheels are in relations to kerb
2. Dont let my wife drive it, sorry but her Ford alloys are mangled and she is the only one that drives it.
3. As a last resort I am relying on my tyres that have rim protection however i believe Goodyear tyres have more potent rim protection than my current Bridgstones and i shall get Goodyear ones soon.

[S1NGH]

Originally Posted by vadimo

I learned about these 2 weeks ago and was going to buy to protect my beloved, immaculate 403s however after reading some reviews where owner had protection material coming off then flapping and hitting/damaging body work.

It put me off, plus you got to do some DIY to properly clean alloys prior to application and then glue them on to the alloys. I wonder what marks it may leave on the alloys should you decide to remove them.

I stick to 3 simple rules:
1. Minimise need for parallel parking and if i must always lower mirror to see where wheels are in relations to kerb
2. Dont let my wife drive it, sorry but her Ford alloys are mangled and she is the only one that drives it.
3. As a last resort I am relying on my tyres that have rim protection however i believe Goodyear tyres have more potent rim protection than my current Bridgstones and i shall get Goodyear ones soon.

Thank you, that makes sense. I have now decided to leave it and just be extra vigilant and careful.

[RichardM]

Originally Posted by vadimo

It put me off, plus you got to do some DIY to properly clean alloys prior to application and then glue them on to the alloys. I wonder what marks it may leave on the alloys should you decide to remove them.

Unless it has changed since I fitted mine you do not glue them to your alloys. You just have to glue the little metal clamps to the plastic.

[TheLastofTheV8s]

Originally Posted by S1NGH

Just wondering if these are any good or not, thinking might get some for one set of my painted wheels.

Apparently they are not recommended for diamond cut wheels as they can remove the lacquer, which is a shame as they are more expensive to refurbish.

Thanks

Don't do it. I bought some in good faith and the slightest bump (5 mph) on the kerb dislodges them from the rim making your wheel look awful and very dangerous when rotating at speed. I also had the car valeted, not long after having them fitted and the shampoo discoloured the black colour making them look awful. Oh and they also scratch your alloys where they grip your rims.