[teaston]

Originally Posted by TQMp5135

Will the wheel need balancing afterwards? I’d say I’ve sanded down between 1 and 2mm on the worst parts, just on the rim.

I've taken huge amounts of metal off before and never had any problems.

[Chubster]

I assume this can be done on the 403m wheels as well as they are diamond cut as well (?).

Wanted to try this now when the winter tyres are on

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Chubster

I assume this can be done on the 403m wheels as well as they are diamond cut as well (?).

Wanted to try this now when the winter tyres are on

Yes of course.

[TQMp5135]

Ok, the results are in.

I followed the instructions in the original post and used the same products. I must say, I am very happy with the outcome! Not as good of a job as Teaston but I am thrilled with what I managed to achieve given the starting point.

Before:


After:



The most noticeable part is where there is a transition between the original manufacturer lacquer and where I have sanded down to bare metal before re-lacquering. However, this is only noticeable in the right light (as I have tried to show in the second picture). The parts where I have only sanded part way through the manufacturer lacquer before re-lacquering are not noticeable at all (there was also damage around the right hand side of the wheel that I didn't show in the first picture). The only damage that remains are the notches right on the corner of the rim that I couldn't sand out without taking off a significant amount of metal and the one scratch further down the spoke that I simply didn't bother working on but these are far less noticeable now than the original damage in the first picture.

Thank you Teaston for the excellent instructions and product recommendations and hope others can get similar results too! It's well worth having a go at this before deciding on a full refurb as it's significantly cheaper and great results are possible.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by TQMp5135

Ok, the results are in.

I followed the instructions in the original post and used the same products. I must say, I am very happy with the outcome! Not as good of a job as Teaston but I am thrilled with what I managed to achieve given the starting point.

Before:


After:



The most noticeable part is where there is a transition between the original manufacturer lacquer and where I have sanded down to bare metal before re-lacquering. However, this is only noticeable in the right light (as I have tried to show in the second picture). The parts where I have only sanded part way through the manufacturer lacquer before re-lacquering are not noticeable at all (there was also damage around the right hand side of the wheel that I didn't show in the first picture). The only damage that remains are the notches right on the corner of the rim that I couldn't sand out without taking off a significant amount of metal and the one scratch further down the spoke that I simply didn't bother working on but these are far less noticeable now than the original damage in the first picture.

Thank you Teaston for the excellent instructions and product recommendations and hope others can get similar results too! It's well worth having a go at this before deciding on a full refurb as it's significantly cheaper and great results are possible.

That was some serious damage though!

Still it looks great, as I've always said you'll still notice it if you stare at the wheel, but nobody does that, it's just not noticeable under normal conditions.

So much better than spending £100 on a refurb that will corrode after a few months, and that you could go and kerb the wheel again a few days later.

[daveb666]

Just at the stage where I need to lacquer! Do you redo the whole wheel or just the areas you've been working on and blend into the centre?

[teaston]

Originally Posted by daveb666

Just at the stage where I need to lacquer! Do you redo the whole wheel or just the areas you've been working on and blend into the centre?

Just the area you’ve been working on.

And it’s a bit cold for spraying currently so make sure to heat up the wheel and spray can to at least 20°C!

[N44RTT]

Gave this a go as well for some minor-ish chips. Did the lacquer coats and waiting for it to dry. At the minute the lacquer looks slightly matte and under a direct light (LED lamp), grainy (very fine though). This is like, under 'starring' conditions though Is that normal and would you get it completely glossy with the final wet sanding stage and compound?

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Nart

Gave this a go as well for some minor-ish chips. Did the lacquer coats and waiting for it to dry. At the minute the lacquer looks slightly matte and under a direct light (LED lamp), grainy (very fine though). This is like, under 'starring' conditions though Is that normal and would you get it completely glossy with the final wet sanding stage and compound?

Maybe the can and wheel weren't warm enough, or maybe the coats weren't thick enough. I get a gloss finish without sanding or polishing.

Give the lacquer a light sand then with the can and wheel at at least 20°C put a thicker coat of lacquer on and you should see it gloss straight away, if not then spray a bit more on, best done with the wheel laying flat. Then leave for at least 48 hours before sealing, and keep above 20°C for at least the first couple of hours of drying.

[N44RTT]

Originally Posted by teaston

Maybe the can and wheel weren't warm enough, or maybe the coats weren't thick enough. I get a gloss finish without sanding or polishing.

Give the lacquer a light sand then with the can and wheel at at least 20°C put a thicker coat of lacquer on and you should see it gloss straight away, if not then spray a bit more on, best done with the wheel laying flat. Then leave for at least 48 hours before sealing, and keep above 20°C for at least the first couple of hours of drying.

I've been keeping the wheels in the house for the last couple of days as well as the can. They don't even have tyres on them (fitting new ones), so did everything with the wheels flat.

I'm thinking I might have been keeping the can too far away and the coats were too thin. I'll see how it looks once completely dried and after some wet sanding to finish it off.

[N44RTT]

This is what I mean by the way. The glossy-er bit is the original lacquer where the wheel was masked. Hoping to get the sprayed area a bit clearer with some wet sanding and compounding. Don't want to start again...

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Nart

This is what I mean by the way. The glossy-er bit is the original lacquer where the wheel was masked. Hoping to get the sprayed area a bit clearer with some wet sanding and compounding. Don't want to start again...

Oh you masked the other areas, I just blend it.

[Soul_Glo]

100

[Chas325]

I’ve just done a 403m and the rim seems to be painted? When I’ve sanded it down I’ve got to the darker metal so it’s obvious where it be done it....

[Blacktemplar]

I need to try this......

When I swapped to winter wheels back in November, I noticed that one of my summer rears had a screw in the central tread. The garage repaired the puncture, and I duly parked my wheels away in the shed for the winter.

This weekend, I took them back out to give them a quick clean before I got them put back on, and to my horror noticed a sizeable discoloured area per the photos below. I can only assume the muppets nicked the lacquer coat when they took the tyre off to repair it, and over the winter the changes in temperature & resulting condensation in my slightly damp shed has caused this. I did wash and dry them at the time, but they're not stored in wheel bags or anything to keep them completely moisture free.

The lifted edge of the lacquer was so sharp I thought at first the actual alloy itself was cracked.

Really gutted. I've been exceptionally careful with my 403's given how easy it is to damage the surface on diamond cut alloys. No point in going back to the garage after nearly 5 months - they'll no doubt tell me to f*ck off or prove it was them.

I guess all I can do is attempt a Teaston-esque repair and hope that white worm sets in so I can get it replaced under warranty.... any words of wisdom on how to approach this?



.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

I need to try this......

When I swapped to winter wheels back in November, I noticed that one of my summer rears had a screw in the central tread. The garage repaired the puncture, and I duly parked my wheels away in the shed for the winter.

This weekend, I took them back out to give them a quick clean before I got them put back on, and to my horror noticed a sizeable discoloured area per the photos below. I can only assume the muppets nicked the lacquer coat when they took the tyre off to repair it, and over the winter the changes in temperature & resulting condensation in my slightly damp shed has caused this. I did wash and dry them at the time, but they're not stored in wheel bags or anything to keep them completely moisture free.

The lifted edge of the lacquer was so sharp I thought at first the actual alloy itself was cracked.

Really gutted. I've been exceptionally careful with my 403's given how easy it is to damage the surface on diamond cut alloys. No point in going back to the garage after nearly 5 months - they'll no doubt tell me to f*ck off or prove it was them.

I guess all I can do is attempt a Teaston-esque repair and hope that white worm sets in so I can get it replaced under warranty.... any words of wisdom on how to approach this?



.

That should be very easy as the metal isn’t damaged, just sand off the damaged lacquer with 800 grit wet and dry, and use some wheel lacquer spray liberally.

[Blacktemplar]

Originally Posted by teaston

That should be very easy as the metal isn’t damaged, just sand off the damaged lacquer with 800 grit wet and dry, and use some wheel lacquer spray liberally.

Cheers teaston. I'm touched by your faith in my cack-handed DIY skills with the use of the phrase "that should be dead easy"

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

Cheers teaston. I'm touched by your faith in my cack-handed DIY skills with the use of the phrase "that should be dead easy"

Important to make sure the wheel and spray can are at least 20°C though, otherwise you’ll have a lot of wet sanding to get a high gloss finish.

[Blacktemplar]

Originally Posted by teaston

Important to make sure the wheel and spray can are at least 20°C though, otherwise you’ll have a lot of wet sanding to get a high gloss finish.

So I'll be leaving it until May or June then..... this is Scotland after all. 20C & dry is a rare occurrence this far north of the wall

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

So I'll be leaving it until May or June then..... this is Scotland after all. 20C & dry is a rare occurrence this far north of the wall

You can leave them indoors overnight or use one of these type heaters to warm the wheel up before and during spraying:

2 Bar Rectangular Portable Halogen Electrical Heater Quartz Electric Home Office Upright Energy Saving Safety Auto Knock-Over Cut Off Switch (Black) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07M6RHS..._xgmMCb9SNGGDD

[Blacktemplar]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know how much a mobile alloy repairer would take to fix a lacquer problem like mine?

There seem to be a few advertising on line that say they pitch up with an infrared heater to cure the primer, spray booth and oven to cure the lacquer coat. For example, this lot in Glasgow - anyone used them?

https://www.alloy-master.co.uk/

[Soul_Glo]

^ I used a heat gun to gently warm up the can. I also used a small digital point and shoot laser gun to check temperature. Then use the heat gun to dry the lacquer. It worked a treat. I was very impressed with the end result.