When summer comes - repair and seal alloy wheels in advance

Easter is only a few weeks away. But the days are gradually getting warmer and there is plenty of sunshine again. Now is the perfect time to tidy up your canned summer wheels. This job is pretty easy if you follow the right steps. Read this article to learn how to get your alloy wheels ready for next season.

Alloy wheels for the summer

Alloy wheels and summer tires go together like cherry pie and cream.

Ride in winter on alloy wheels stupidly negligently . Uncoated rims can actually be disposed of after the first ride on salty winter roads.

Lettom stylish rims really come into their own with the right tires.

Therefore: Always use steel wheels in winter! They are not only cheaper, but also easier to repair than alloy wheels.

An automobile wheel consists of a tire and a rim. So, before you start cleaning, first check the wheel for damage. It can be:

– Brake plates on the tire
- hammered nails
– Cracks in rods
– Rim tread irregularities
– Dents on the sidewall of the tire
– Tread wear or tire life

If you notice tire damage , first remove them and order a replacement .

In any case, it is easier to clean alloy wheels when the tires are off. . However, if you notice structural damage, i.e. broken edges or deep cracks in the rim, under no circumstances continue to use it. If they are high quality parts, you can have them repaired at a specialist wheel repair shop. . There, cracks and corners are welded and polished.
Since this is a fairly expensive procedure, it usually involves a complete restoration of the rim.

If in doubt , replace the rim with an undamaged one.

If the tires and rims are fine, the next step is to clean them.

aluminum as a material

Aluminum material has some special properties important to know when cleaning rims:

– Not susceptible to corrosion
– Light metal
– Sensitive to salt ingress

Once aluminum comes into contact with air, it is insulated with a thin layer of aluminum oxide. . This layer is very strong. However, this self-sealing is not enough for the tough everyday life of the rim. therefore light metal should always have an additional coating . To preserve the characteristic aluminum look A clear lacquer finish is ideal.

However, if the alloy wheel can be painted, powder coating is the fastest, easiest, most durable and cheapest solution.

Set goals

When cleaning rims, it all depends on what you want to achieve: is it enough for you to bring the drive to summer condition or do you want it to shine and be ready for sale?

Preparing a rim for your own use is much easier than if you want to offer it for sale. . That's why what is the main problem when cleaning discs is not on the visible front side, but on the hidden back side: brake dust! Every time you apply the brake, the rotating brake disc wears out part of the brake pads.

This creates fine dust , which is thrown from the brake disc like a projectile. it especially detrimental to the soft metal alloy wheels: dust particles penetrate deep into the surface, forming a coating that is almost impossible to remove with conventional means.

However, since this affects an area that is not visible anyway, it will usually suffice here. surface cleaning. If the discs don't sell, spending hours at this stage is a waste of time. After the season, the rim will look exactly the same on the back anyway.

Prepare

Even if the rim is only to be prepared for the summer, it is best to clean it in disassembled condition. For a thorough and durable cleaning and polishing you will need the following:

- Large tarp
– High pressure cleaner
– Flushing brush
– Wheel cleaner: 1 x neutral cleaner; 1 x phosphoric acid
– Cordless screwdriver with plastic brushes
- Polishing machine
– Sponge and rag

When everything is ready, you can start.

Deep cleaning of alloy wheels

Step 1: Precleaning

The rim is roughly pre-cleaned with clean water and a rinsing brush. This will remove all loose adhesions and other contaminants.

Step 2: Spraying

As a first step, spray the wet rim with a mild cleaner ( neutral soap ) and leave for 10 minutes. The loosened dirt is then removed again with a rinsing brush.

Step 3: Explosion

Now remove the loosened and dissolved dirt with a high pressure cleaner. Be careful around balancers! As soon as one is lost, the entire set of tires must be rebalanced! If you find sticky traces of lost balance weights, you should balance the wheels before installing them.

Step 4: Etching

Now use a rim cleaner containing phosphate to remove deep caked dirt. Don't worry - if you use a commercially available cleaner, phosphoric acid is harmless to tires, paint and rims . Always wear gloves and long-sleeved shirts while doing this work. Leave the disc cleaner running for a long time. Particularly dirty areas with caked-on brake dust can be left overnight.

Step 5: Wash

Wash off the disc cleaner with soapy water. Anything left must be removed manually. A cordless screwdriver with a plastic nozzle is suitable for this. However, always use a brush made of a softer material than rim aluminum. . With a brass or steel nozzle, you will very quickly scratch the rim beyond repair!

Repeat the steps until you are satisfied with the result.

Rim preparation

A clean rim is not a beautiful rim. Put in a little more time and effort and you will get great results.

Recovery Part 1: Sanding

The restored rim shines beautifully only if it has been thoroughly polished beforehand.

• The good news is that aluminum can be polished to a mirror finish similar to chrome.
• Bad news is that it is a terribly hard job that has to be done by hand! Especially on disks with a filigree pattern, the help of a machine is indispensable.

However, for a good result, a standard drill is enough. First, the rim is sanded. This removes old paint and fixes deep scratches.

For grinding alloy wheels use 600 grit sandpaper in the first pass, 800 grit sandpaper in the second pass, and 1200 grit sandpaper in the third pass .

When the rim is uniform, matte and no more visible scratches, it is ready for polishing.

Repair Part 2: Polishing

To polish the rim you will need:

- Drilling machine
– Nozzle for polishing
– Glass cleaner and cloth
– Aluminum polish
– Eye protection
- The second key point

When polishing with a drill, be sure to only touch the rim with the polishing attachment. If you hit the rim with the drill, you will quickly scratch it! Before each new pass, spray glass cleaner on the surface and wipe off the dust. If you do not have a balancing machine or lathe at your disposal, you should expect at least 45 minutes per rim to get a good result.

Repair Part 3: Sealing

Luckily, sealing a polished rim is pretty easy these days. Clear varnish is almost never used for this purpose at the present time, as it will chip off quickly in this highly stressed area anyway. The market today offers many products for sealing alloy wheels.

These special sealants are simply sprayed on. Their disadvantage that they are short-lived. Therefore, it is recommended to renew this sealant every 4 week during a car wash. This is usually enough to keep your car's alloy wheels looking shiny all summer long.