s5tuart
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2012
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- Your Mercedes
- 2003 R230 SL350
Or at the very least get one side doneFor what it costs for a full refurb and the quality of finish I would be more inclined to get it professionally done. I would be too scared of making a hash job and constantly seeing it.
Good luck and keep us updated at the progress.... with pics and a write up course.
What you are seeing below the ‘M’ is the colour of the alloy when the silver base coat has been removed so that part of the wheel has already been touched up. I haven’t come across this before and it makes any remedial work very difficult. A car paint repair guy might be able to do something with it but if you factor the cost of that in it’s not going to much cheaper than a proper refurbWhat's the mark on the spoke below the M?
For what it costs for a full refurb and the quality of finish I would be more inclined to get it professionally done. I would be too scared of making a hash job and constantly seeing it.
POSH!Or at the very least get one side done![]()
That is interesting! I'll see how the rim repair goes on the other wheel and report back. It may be that I have to get them professionally done but I'll try myself first.The interesting thing is that they are not ‘diamond cut’ wheels ie, there is no lacquer straight on to alloy the bright part of the wheel which we would associate as being diamond cut is painted with a bright silver - very clever from MB but not very easy to touch up. In contrast my BMW 442M alloy wheels are diamond cut ie, lacquer straight onto alloy on the rim and outer parts of the spokes
MIne are corroding at the hubs like yours. I considered doing the job myself but decided that as it will cost less that £300 for all 4 to be done, by the time I’ve purchased the tools and materials & the possibility that I will mess it up, it is just easier to get them done by professionals.That is interesting! I'll see how the rim repair goes on the other wheel and report back. It may be that I have to get them professionally done but I'll try myself first.
And you're right...I did think they were diamond cut then lacquered over the alloy and not painted.
That process would be a difficult thing to achieve because the "diamond cut" parts are a different colour than the rest![]()
So far my costs have been £10 for a can of lacquer and £4 for an assortment of wet and dry, so I don't mind having a go on the rim first to see how I get on.MIne are corroding at the hubs like yours. I considered doing the job myself but decided that as it will cost less that £300 for all 4 to be done, by the time I’ve purchased the tools and materials & the possibility that I will mess it up, it is just easier to get them done by professionals.
So far my costs have been £10 for a can of lacquer and £4 for an assortment of wet and dry, so I don't mind having a go on the rim first to see how I get on.
Spending £300 means I'll have to eat cabbage stump soup for a month!![]()
Yep but, I’d need a trolley jack and wheel stands. My back would not take hours bent over sanding in situ etc........I would take all 4 off and do each stage on all of the wheels at the same time.So far my costs have been £10 for a can of lacquer and £4 for an assortment of wet and dry, so I don't mind having a go on the rim first to see how I get on.
Spending £300 means I'll have to eat cabbage stump soup for a month!![]()
That looks like the typical blistering of electrolytic action going on between the centre disc and the alloy wheel, is the centre disc, or does it have, metallic friction clips holding on to the alloy wheel and have they found bare metal at all? Mineral rich Rain or Saltwater at this time of Year would act as the electrolyte, if the insert is a plastic it may even be the metallic properties of the silvered finish, look for further corrosion inside and see what you find?Yep but, I’d need a trolley jack and wheel stands. My back would not take hours bent over sanding in situ etc........I would take all 4 off and do each stage on all of the wheels at the same time. View attachment 74018
Tony, I’ve never pulled it off but it is not any form of physical damage (kerbing etc) and I expect that what you say is 100%. It very rarely gets driven on gritted roads (and if i do it gets pressure washed pretty soon afterwards). But yea looks like an electrolytic reaction as you say.That looks like the typical blistering of electrolytic action going on between the centre disc and the alloy wheel, is the centre disc, or does it have, metallic friction clips holding on to the alloy wheel and have they found bare metal at all? Mineral rich Rain or Saltwater at this time of Year would act as the electrolyte, if the insert is a plastic it may even be the metallic properties of the silvered finish, look for further corrosion inside and see what you find?