Wheel corrosion repair

[schwarz633]

I'm looking for some suggestions on repairing the corrosion damage on my FX35 wheels. It's pretty much limited to the area around the metal valve stems. I'd like to do something on the cheap, but I'm afraid that the stems need to be removed for the repair to survive a Wisconsin winter. Obviously the paint wasn't sealed in this area originally. Of course I would need to remove the tires from the wheels to remove the stems. At that point I may as well have the entire wheel refinished, but I fear that the new finish may not survive the process of remounting the tires.

Here's a couple of pictures of one wheel, they all look pretty much the same.

[wdfifteen]

That looks like rust. Are those painted steel?

[Hydrocket]

Originally Posted by schwarz633

At that point I may as well have the entire wheel refinished, but I fear that the new finish may not survive the process of remounting the tires.

Get them powder coated. They will survive anything.

[schwarz633]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

That looks like rust. Are those painted steel?

They are cast wheels, I'm assuming aluminum. It does look like rust though. Probably an ugly combination of corrosion, salt, and brake dust.

[Noah930]

I do not do this stuff for a living, but looking at those wheels, I'd guess that the proper way to do the repair is to dismount the tires and valve stems, clean off the corrosion down to bare aluminum, and then repaint/powdercoat/chrome/PVD or however you want to cover them. Then reinstall the tires. That corrosion is going to compromise the seal at the valvestem, and you're going to develop slow leaks. I think if you do something on the cheap, your repair is not going to last.

[Tobra]

How much to refinish a wheel, and would that compromise the strength of it?

[schwarz633]

Originally Posted by Tobra

How much to refinish a wheel, and would that compromise the strength of it?

I haven't gotten any prices on refinishing yet. I have found out that the OEM finish is something they call hyper silver, which is apparently a base coat, top coat, and clear coat. There is a scrape on one of the wheels and it's layered white/black/silver. I guess that rules out getting a match spot painting with a rattle can.

I don't see why media blasting and paint would compromise the strength. I have read some mention of powder painting (400°F) altering the metallurgical characteristics of the aluminum, don't know if that's true.

[WPOZZZ]

Got to couple of car dealers and ask who they use for wheel repair. Most wheel repair guys can fix that in their work vans. They can even match the paint, but the mobile repair guy here hates doing that finish.

[asphaltgambler]

I have one word: Wheel Collision Center Bath PA- Excellence in Refinished/Used Factory OEM Aluminum Alloy Wheel Rim Sales & Alloy Wheel Rim Straightening Repair Refinishing & Recycling! - www.oemfactoryrimwheel.com Excellence in Refinished/Used Factory OEM Aluminum A they are w/o a doubt the best place, service and price. You'll need to dismount the tire and send it to them. Anything else is just a temp repair

[Porchdog]

Wheel Collison Center is great, but they're local to me.

[techweenie]

I use Truwheel in North Hollywood.

We fix damaged wheels, restore them, too. (800 fix a rim)

[Tobra]

I was thinking of the corrosion weakening the rim. Given where that is, I would be suspicious of something internal, rather than external. Wet air that then condenses, or something like that.

[pksystems]

Galvanic corrosion? Is that valve stem making any metal on metal contact? Perhaps on the inner surface of the wheel? Aluminum is one of the worst, especially if stainless is touching it.

Looks like rusting steel to me, but I really doubt any infinity would come with steel wheels.

You're not the first with this problem... FX35 oem wheels corrosion on google pulls up same isssue with someone else.