Wheel refurbishment options
Discussion
Ok....having seen a nice shiny nob today (hi Steve 
) I need to do something about my wheels which have been kurbed a few times (previous owners) and are starting to flake on some of the spokes.
I like the wheels and want to keep the car original so aftermarket is not really an option. I also want to keep the car on the road so will probably buy a replacement set of wheels.
So basically what are the options for refurbishment. I understand that the false plastic bolts just corrode away of the wheels are acid dipped and presume they just disintegrate if shot blasted so can they be removed - if so how (I tried and failed to remove just one!)? I also believe that you can buy replacements for them but can't find any further information - are they available from the factory (I will call on Monday).
Are there any other ways of reburbishing the wheels and what is the best for longevity of coating?
Also does anyone have a set of new/mint original wheels that they want to sell or a scruffy set that I can get refurbished?
Thanks
) I need to do something about my wheels which have been kurbed a few times (previous owners) and are starting to flake on some of the spokes.I like the wheels and want to keep the car original so aftermarket is not really an option. I also want to keep the car on the road so will probably buy a replacement set of wheels.
So basically what are the options for refurbishment. I understand that the false plastic bolts just corrode away of the wheels are acid dipped and presume they just disintegrate if shot blasted so can they be removed - if so how (I tried and failed to remove just one!)? I also believe that you can buy replacements for them but can't find any further information - are they available from the factory (I will call on Monday).
Are there any other ways of reburbishing the wheels and what is the best for longevity of coating?
Also does anyone have a set of new/mint original wheels that they want to sell or a scruffy set that I can get refurbished?
Thanks
Adrian W said:
I wouldn't wish a set of those wheels on my worst enemy, best thing you could do is throw them in a skip, if they are that scuffed/corroded it wont be long before one breaks!
You are going to have to expand on that one....I am probably a bit of a perfectionist as they one have minor abrasions on the rim (no rim protection on the P-Zeros) and the paint is only flaking in a few areas - no corrosion as such.Do they have a tendancy to corrode and break - are there lots of example?. What the replacement of choice then? How heavy are they?
You will have to search on here, but there are several examples of broken 3R style Wheelcraft/Noble wheels, I replaced one set that had big flatspots after an exciting moment at a track, one of the replacements tried to kill me.
There are two known failure modes, cracks across the mounting flange, Noble say this is due to over tightening, however much you tighten it this should no happen.
The other is the spokes coming away from the rim, this is what happened to me.
Noble have never acknowledged poor manafacturing quality as a problem, and afaik no ones died yet.
It's your neck but I would spend your money on another set of wheels.
There are two known failure modes, cracks across the mounting flange, Noble say this is due to over tightening, however much you tighten it this should no happen.
The other is the spokes coming away from the rim, this is what happened to me.
Noble have never acknowledged poor manafacturing quality as a problem, and afaik no ones died yet.
It's your neck but I would spend your money on another set of wheels.
Hi david
when i was looking for wheels i did consider the 3r types,got offered and bought a set that had some rim rash and paint defects so as yourself i went to have them powder coated.they have a xray machine ans after blasting told me to come and have a look at the results.i was really shocked to find hair line cracks everywhere and was told to bin them.before we binned them all 4 were cut up to reveal the alloy was like looking at an aero chocolate bar.i wouldnt even use this type of alloy for pootling around town let alone giving it full beans on a track.to me a death trap and as said how nobody has been seriously injured is more from luck
when i was looking for wheels i did consider the 3r types,got offered and bought a set that had some rim rash and paint defects so as yourself i went to have them powder coated.they have a xray machine ans after blasting told me to come and have a look at the results.i was really shocked to find hair line cracks everywhere and was told to bin them.before we binned them all 4 were cut up to reveal the alloy was like looking at an aero chocolate bar.i wouldnt even use this type of alloy for pootling around town let alone giving it full beans on a track.to me a death trap and as said how nobody has been seriously injured is more from luck
RobP said:
Yes - hairline crack through central hub.
Thanks Rob - was this a front or rear?I assume both front and rear are susceptible to the same problems if there was a quality issue with the alloy.
I was planning on a wheels-off clean soon; think I'll do that this week and have a good look!
Dave2P said:
RobP said:
Yes - hairline crack through central hub.
Thanks Rob - was this a front or rear?I assume both front and rear are susceptible to the same problems if there was a quality issue with the alloy.
I was planning on a wheels-off clean soon; think I'll do that this week and have a good look!
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