Basic alloy wheel repair

[sprinter12345]

Do you want to know how to repair basic alloy wheels
16 years experiance in the vehicle body repair game
run a smart repair business and have done for 4 years
city n guilds 1&2
nvq higher level
imi registered
And 9 gcse
No uni wish i bloody had though !!
Any way over to you guys

[sprinter12345]

oops 1 with laquer on

[ITSRICKSCIVIC]

Yes please

[sprinter12345]

OOh so soon oh well here goes
Have a look later on gona take some time on info

Thanks D

[sprinter12345]

Will only give basic info after all running a business
Now you could use a hobby aircompressor basicly 1hp with a 5ltr tank for this job and a GOOD spot repair spray gun ..As you will only need around 1-1.5 bar of presssure for such a small job


First clean all area to be painted with degreaser get rid of that tyre slick (nasty stuff) if you silicon presure wash of with very hot water
The scrape has been sanded down with an orbital sander "electric"
Must be figure of eight orbital as spinning will cut the surface and we dont want that on a basic graze
Use 180 grit orbital discs to sand down "by hand 120 freecut grade"
Finish off with 400 wet and dry and finally 1000 wet n dry for primer
only sand the area that will be primed with 1000 do not do the whole area where paint will carry out to "next stage followed down"
This repair will be around 6" from the graze with silver cromium fine lenticular on this type of silver ...As the finish will not show any grain of allu particals
Next
Use what we call a scotch bright "basicly a pan scourer" colour will be gold or if not available grey ...Rinse the scourer in warm water to soften the fibres then basicly rub where you will go with the laquer..with water or a prep paste for scotching 3m or glazurit and farecla have one."i use 2k isocyianate free product "Do nut use acrylic as will not conform to new iso laws unless in a spray can but personaly no good at all ...
Clean area off after prep and mask ....
First primer to use i would reco a good etch primer do not use red oxide this has alot of chromates in the mix and can sometimes blead through the silver in weeks to come
Next use a good paint brand if spraying i use water based from the leader in car paints "will not say what that one is but heres n idea" have used standox ,ici,ppg,glazurit,and sikkens....Other paints are also good from your local autofacters ask for a match to your wheel....Silvers in a can can be obtained from halfords but i am not going down the can route in this little thread...
Next picture to follow....

[sprinter12345]

The total areas of spraying will be done with a compressor and spot repair gun ....
Do not use an airbrush
A spot repair gun is basicly a fully functional spray gun but smaller... and dual action dont use a bleader gun where pressing the trigger and oophh loads of paint ,,,No Good<<
Running 1.2 nozzle on primer gun
0.7 on waterbase
and 1.0mm on laquer gun
Please be aware try to get the gun set up right before going arse over tit and making a muts nuts out of the work
If at all get hold of a heat gun or wifeys hair dryer ideal for water base as the product dries on air circulation better and not heat ...The flash off temp for water base is 100c !! Yup so plenty of air or hair!!
Now apllication should be done carefully dont rush car paint it bites...
Make sure each coat is flashed off before the next in the first few stages
Finallly
Laquering areas to finish off
First coat lets say no finish just a basic area coverage ...Dont load it up for a finish unless you have abucket ready for the runs...
Next coat go for the finish after leaving to tack off on first ,,,,
Dont worry about the area where you stop ...
Use a good fade out thinner or add little thinner to the laquer in the gun around 75%more then you have left apply over the final ends of the laquered area ....Dont doddle about on final coat as this will react if left to dry too long or loose the shine ...
Dry off for 10 mins with a good heat source walk away and have a cofee
Finally finish off with a good finishing polish ie fine compound or used car polish ..."cutting particles in the product" DO NOT use T cut as the amonia is no good for finishing off faded out repairs ...
Or if you want just laquer the whole wheel and forget last para
Hope this helps
Like i said will only give basic info ...
Next up can give ideas on
1 polishing scratches out that you can not get rid of with rubbing compounds
2 How to touch a scratch in with out paint and get good results "only on some colours!"
3 bumper repairs heavy and light
4 how to bring that shine back to your car again
5 Panel paints how to do outside and get a pro job done !!
6 the list goes on
All the best D

[ITSRICKSCIVIC]

Thanks for the info but after reading it i think i leave it to the pro's

[sprinter12345]

No probs ...
I think i tried to help on a hard point of repair i will do a thread on polishing with products to use
Plus getting that anoying scratch out that you just can not do with polishing only
Thanks
All the best

[elfa7]

Thanks for the info. Very professional. I always leave it to the experts for repairs/spraying.

[Bog]

I doubt the average mobile repairer or garage would take that care and effort - you are obviously very professional (and a rare!)

[sprinter12345]

All fully skilled trained guys take care ,,,
And the moto is you are only as good as your last job in the vehicle body repair game
There are alot of guys out there that will do mobile repairs excellently ...But they must be in the business to love what they do not flinch the customer for what they can get ....!!
I could bang on for hours of the vehicle repair trade but its not my style ...
As its hard enough and we all try are best to help each other out
Did train and work in the bodyshops for 12 years but eventually got bored and smart repairs was my next step ....I love to help the owner of a 50k car thats scraped it and the dealer wanted 10000000000k to repair it ...
We live in the most wealthy SMALL country in the world but for some reason pay the price of high inflation and taxes .......Ooh dear gone off again !!
Sorry all the best
D

[sprinter12345]

1 last post then im logging off
Repaired i nice old gents car last year a merc c class ...Came from a dealer ship i do work for "service handing cards out"
Couple of bumper scuffs and a wheel arch repair in brilliant silver ....
Had a call earlier on this year has he purchased a new HONDA TYPE S 1.8 in silver ..."bit of a daddy racer "...
Had a hard nock on rear end dented the bumper and plastic moulding at the base of tailgate ...Not saying i dont respect this but honda estimated £1160 including parts fitment and labour ....//After all we are all in business
As this is a returning customer taken upon my self to repair work at fraction of price ....Recently repaired his NSF bumper vallence ...At a minimul price ....
This is why i love this trade of customer relations ...Repay the custom and rewards do return ...
C u all later ...
Thanks

[ghowarth]

Quality stuff Mr Sprinter........however no way I would even attempt this, having knicked my two front alloys myself, am considering getting them repaired, is it worth it, and will it be expensive?
Where are you located, it doesn't say?

[rallakias]

I don't trust Greek technitians for this repair
and I have to admit I could never think of repairing an alloy this way...
It's an excellent job

[Munro]

Is there such a thing as an alloy wheel paint touch up brush ? (like a bodywork paint touch up brush)

I have a stonechip on one wheel.

[Dimplyred]

Originally Posted by Munro

Is there such a thing as an alloy wheel paint touch up brush ? (like a bodywork paint touch up brush)

I have a stonechip on one wheel.

I don't know if this will help, but I have found a touch up stick from my wifes old silver 206 is a very good match.

I had a stone chip too and used that.

[Unknownsoldier]

I'm going to use a local wheel repair guy, while you wait, as I caught my rear wheel in a car aprk a while ago, bl**dy Volvo's can't park in spaces and wedge themselve in..... anyway I got quoted 50 quid for one wheel if no grinding reshaping required, I've coated it for the time being, so it shouldn't get too bad. I'l post soem befores and after when I get it done (I do a yearly thing where everything required gets done in one go, i.e. collinite, wheels repaired, chips touched in etc. etc.).

Tom

[Munro]

Originally Posted by Dimplyred

I don't know if this will help, but I have found a touch up stick from my wifes old silver 206 is a very good match.

I had a stone chip too and used that.

Good idea - I also have a silver touch up stick from a previous car. I hope it matches well.

[daiashthomas]

how the hell would you do that on the black storm alloys ?