Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: omega3000 on 22 July 2014, 20:56:28

Title: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 22 July 2014, 20:56:28
Anyone refurbished alloy wheels ? Not looking for a professional to do them , it will be diy ... Is there a special paint to use , heard of etching primer but never used such a thing . Dremmel and plenty of sandpaper  :-\
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 22 July 2014, 23:07:11
me.. me.. me.. ;D 


its a headache.. takes long time to sand the corners .. and forget the dremmel..


sand the surface to matt , erase the scratches and stone chips.. then use a good quality primer (several layers to cover the surface problems) , sand again paint and laquer.. :y

holes are trouble , mask the surface and paint them first without laquer/clear coat dont sand them deeply


Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 July 2014, 03:47:54
For the £50-60 it costs to get someone else to do it, you might as well let them :y

Chips away and the like will even come to you :y
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 08:06:23
Quote from: Taxi Al on 23 July 2014, 03:47:54
For the £50-60 it costs to get someone else to do it, you might as well let them :y

Chips away and the like will even come to you :y

Is that for each wheel Al  :-\
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: Mr.OmegaMan on 23 July 2014, 08:22:57
Quote from: Emd on 23 July 2014, 08:06:23
Quote from: Taxi Al on 23 July 2014, 03:47:54
For the £50-60 it costs to get someone else to do it, you might as well let them :y

Chips away and the like will even come to you :y

Is that for each wheel Al  :-\

Most definitely, Can't see anyone doing x4 wheels for that much in the UK at least  ;D

Did mine myself and won't be doing them again too much work, Unless you enjoy that kind of thing go for it  :y
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: razzo on 23 July 2014, 10:32:56
done a fair few alloys & found it easier with a spray gun instead of rattle cans, just painted them star silver & clear coated them. If you go down the etch primer route you will need to ensure the wheel surface is clean from old paint otherwise it scab up. Custom wheel paints are available

http://www.wheelpaints.co.uk/  :y
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: tunnie on 23 July 2014, 11:10:49
Interested to see how you get on EMD with this, at some point i'd like to get the 3.2's alloys done. Really set the car off  8)

Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 23 July 2014, 11:19:07
Emd, if you decide to remove the old paint and primer completely , you have a long way to go.. although it will be safest and strongest , I'm not sure its worth that hassle.. buying new is sometimes cheaper :-\
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 July 2014, 11:19:35
Quote from: Taxi Al on 23 July 2014, 03:47:54
For the £50-60 it costs to get someone else to do it, you might as well let them :y

Chips away and the like will even come to you :y

Mr Emd has a limit of 99p. ;)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: Andy B on 23 July 2014, 11:31:31
There's a wheel re-furb down the road from me. My Dad's single alloy was £70 & I was quoted £240 for all four off the Smart ...... that's delivering them with tyres etc, he removes tyres, re-furbs the rim & then refits & balances the tyre
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 23 July 2014, 11:38:39
240 £ phew..


but must admit sandpapers, good quality primer (can) + good quality paint (600-700gr) + laquer (can) + hardener (can) + paint reducer (can) + cleaning thinner/reducer costs nearly half :-\


better buy new wheels ;D


I promised myself never again with multispoke wheels >:(
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: Andy B on 23 July 2014, 11:43:33
Quote from: cem on 23 July 2014, 11:38:39
.....


better buy new wheels ;D
 .......

Are  you paying Cem  ;) ;)

http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/smart_alloy_wheels/R452_roadster_alloys
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 23 July 2014, 11:52:42
Quote from: Andy B on 23 July 2014, 11:43:33
Quote from: cem on 23 July 2014, 11:38:39
.....


better buy new wheels ;D
 .......

Are  you paying Cem  ;) ;)

http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/smart_alloy_wheels/R452_roadster_alloys (http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/smart_alloy_wheels/R452_roadster_alloys)


What the.... ??? ??? :o :o :o


are those made of gold or silver ;D
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 12:26:16
Quote from: razzo on 23 July 2014, 10:32:56
done a fair few alloys & found it easier with a spray gun instead of rattle cans, just painted them star silver & clear coated them. If you go down the etch primer route you will need to ensure the wheel surface is clean from old paint otherwise it scab up. Custom wheel paints are available

http://www.wheelpaints.co.uk/  :y

Good point there razzo  ;) So basically sand down prime paint and clear coat  :y

Im getting pretty good at spraying now , didnt anyone notice my spray job on the car at Billing  :D No ! So its that good  :D
Dont mind the prep work , just dont want mr tyre fitter ruining the paint when fitting new tyres  :(
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 July 2014, 12:31:28
That was certainly per wheel, for a set of five pfl MV6 ones with new tyres came to £650...
They did look like this afterwards...

(http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y486/05omegav6/IMG_20131002_204900_zps8bb61e34.jpg)

Which was nice 8)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 12:35:15
Im taking the MV ones off , they are scabby around the edges .. not curbed or scuffed just the clear coat lifted . Oh and the centre caps all scabby  :( Dont think they are egg shaped yet
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 July 2014, 12:45:29
Quote from: Emd on 23 July 2014, 12:35:15
Im taking the MV ones off , they are scabby around the edges .. not curbed or scuffed just the clear coat lifted . Oh and the centre caps all scabby  :( Dont think they are egg shaped yet
Pay the money and they will be as good as new :y

Doing them yourself is probably £30 per wheel in materials, plus a shed load of time :-\

You could get them sandblasted and paint them yourself, but you still need to get the tyres removed/refitted, and by the time you're all done and dusted, it maybe cheaper to let someone else do them...
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 12:47:57
Did see a set go for £300 a few weeks back on feebay
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 July 2014, 15:03:14
Quote from: Emd on 23 July 2014, 12:35:15
Im taking the MV ones off , they are scabby around the edges .. not curbed or scuffed just the clear coat lifted . Oh and the centre caps all scabby  :( Dont think they are egg shaped yet

This reminds me of a girl I used to know in the late 1970's.

The rash took forever to disappear. :-\ :-\ ;) ;D
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 16:11:11
Quote from: Doctor Opti on 23 July 2014, 15:03:14
Quote from: Emd on 23 July 2014, 12:35:15
Im taking the MV ones off , they are scabby around the edges .. not curbed or scuffed just the clear coat lifted . Oh and the centre caps all scabby  :( Dont think they are egg shaped yet

This reminds me of a girl I used to know in the late 1970's.

The rash took forever to disappear. :-\ :-\ ;) ;D

 :o ;D

Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 16:16:09
I was thinking of sanding the wheels over the winter months but thinking about it , that wont be a very good time to be spraying unless i use the heater in the shed  :-\ Would it be best to prep and spray the wheels after tyre fitment or before  :-\
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 July 2014, 16:41:19
Have them done properly and done once :y

Those MV6 wheels either look scruffy or a million dollars, there is no middle ground...

The Elite wheels you've just aquired however can be cleaned up to good effect with a flick of wet and dry and a rattle can :y
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: VXL V6 on 23 July 2014, 18:35:26
I've attempted to refurbish Elite alloy wheels before and the results weren't wonderful. Lots of money to spend on various paint removal and filling, sanding, cleaning products followed by money for the Wurth quality paints etc and at the end of it I'd have been better off spending a little more and getting them refurbished by a specialist.

There's a place in Birmingham city centre (City Powder Coaters) that will do them for £20 a wheel or you can look at the other end of the scale at people like LapTab (think they may have changed their name now) or Lepsons.

I would say, this is probably an area where customer reviews are quite important in deciding who to use.  :)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 23 July 2014, 19:13:44
Quote from: Emd on 23 July 2014, 16:16:09
I was thinking of sanding the wheels over the winter months but thinking about it , that wont be a very good time to be spraying unless i use the heater in the shed  :-\ Would it be best to prep and spray the wheels after tyre fitment or before  :-\


you can paint them in spring on a sunny day :) [size=78%] but you will have to fight insects[/size] :-\


and tyre fitter is important as he can ruin all job in a second :(  you must talk and say if he damages paint he will pay the  cost ;)


so its your decision.. 5-6 spoke wheels are fairly straightforward but more than say 10 is a headache.. :(


mine were 20-21 spoke and took nearly 3 hours to paint only one wheel >:(  sanding  :-X


(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x80/mecdv6/jant2_zps6fa8c26b.jpg)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 19:37:18
Quote from: VXL V6 on 23 July 2014, 18:35:26
I've attempted to refurbish Elite alloy wheels before and the results weren't wonderful. Lots of money to spend on various paint removal and filling, sanding, cleaning products followed by money for the Wurth quality paints etc and at the end of it I'd have been better off spending a little more and getting them refurbished by a specialist.

There's a place in Birmingham city centre (City Powder Coaters) that will do them for £20 a wheel or you can look at the other end of the scale at people like LapTab (think they may have changed their name now) or Lepsons.

I would say, this is probably an area where customer reviews are quite important in deciding who to use.  :)

Thanks for that , i will make a note of them  ;)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: humbucker on 23 July 2014, 21:35:40
I had my Cavalier Turbo wheels refurbed by Classic Coatings in Grantham. They were acid dipped, media blasted, repaired where necessary, powdercoated with an added sparkle, tyres fitted etc. I had loads of other bits done at the same time. Really pleased with the results, and it was very reasonably priced. Nothing like taking pride in doing a job yourself, but sometimes it can be more cost efficient to hand it over to the pros!

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050234.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050528.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050526.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX02.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX03.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX04.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX06.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX05.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX08.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050500.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050511.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050512.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1030751.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050550.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050625.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050548.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050539.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050541.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050606.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050594.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050581.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050582.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050583.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050584.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050567.jpg)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 22:22:09
WOW  :o They look excellent , no way my poor hands can sand to that perfection and  Classic Coatings in Grantham is nearer  :y

Can you still get new vauxhall centre caps ?
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: humbucker on 23 July 2014, 22:36:31
Quote from: Emd on 23 July 2014, 22:22:09
WOW  :o They look excellent , no way my poor hands can sand to that perfection and  Classic Coatings in Grantham is nearer  :y

Can you still get new vauxhall centre caps ?

Depends on the wheel. It took me two years to find a complete set of genuine brand new Cavalier Turbo centre caps - one from this dealer, one from that - as NLS stock surfaced. You can buy shiny centre cap stickers (which I did to begin with), but the difficulty in finding proper Cavalier/Calibra Turbo items is due to the unusual diameter of the caps themselves. I think Astra/Vectra/Omega centre caps are much easier to come by.

Come to think of it, I think I had my old centre caps powdercoated and put shiny badges them on prior to obtaining the 'proper' set that I have on the car at present.
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: omega3000 on 23 July 2014, 22:40:21
These are the same alloys i will be getting  :y Dont know the correct name/style though

(http://www.tompeemotors.com/images/motorImages/9577f264-04e3-4200-902a-5bbdf32571ed.jpg)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: humbucker on 23 July 2014, 22:47:16
You might be in luck. Difficult to see from that pic, but Astra Mk4 centre caps are readily available and are used across a number of wheels in the Vauxhall range. Expect to pay £15 a set on the 'bay, budget a tenner each new.

I thought they'd fit my Cavalier Turbo's alloys, but the Astra item is on the left and the old Cav item is on the right. You can see the difference in size:

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050202.jpg)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: humbucker on 23 July 2014, 22:48:07
Not quite!  ;D

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1050207.jpg)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: humbucker on 23 July 2014, 22:52:01
More Classic Coatings joy. Repairing kerb damage and flat spot.

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX00.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX00a.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/VX01.jpg)

And on the car with the 'stickies' for centre caps:

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1060233.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1060144.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1060232.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1060237.jpg)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: humbucker on 23 July 2014, 22:55:21
And the 'proper' centre caps.

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1100398.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1120010.jpg)

(http://www.mediajustice.co.uk/images/cavturbowip/P1120184.jpg)
Title: Re: Alloy refurb
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 23 July 2014, 22:59:31
Quote from: Emd on 23 July 2014, 22:40:21
These are the same alloys i will be getting  :y Dont know the correct name/style though

(http://www.tompeemotors.com/images/motorImages/9577f264-04e3-4200-902a-5bbdf32571ed.jpg)


sanding and painting will be fairly easy.. :y


except the center holes..


ps: I forgot to say, before any sanding and paint let them be checked for fractures, and any issue that will cause balance problem (correct shape)