Sport Pack Alloys - are yours Diamond Cut or not?
Discussion
Looking for a DB9 sports pack car and have come accross some with diamond cuts alloys (shades of black) and some that are plain silver. How did these leave the factory - diamond cut or not? It seems they were diamond cut but many owners skimped the cost and just had them redone in silver paint?
I have seen a car I like with the silver ones so the question is can they be bought back to life by being redone diamond turned?
I have seen a car I like with the silver ones so the question is can they be bought back to life by being redone diamond turned?
mikey k said:
The early version (fitted to DB9 & Vantage) were all diamond cut faces.
There are variations in colour to the rest - grey, black and silver
I presume there are some out there that have been refurbished with out the diamond cutting as it is not very durable
Agree but they look amazing Diamond turned. I wonder if they can be returned if painted....There are variations in colour to the rest - grey, black and silver
I presume there are some out there that have been refurbished with out the diamond cutting as it is not very durable
mikey k said:
They can but there are two issues
1) the diamond cut finish can only be recut a couple of times before it has taken too much material off
2) NONE of the people that redo diamond cutting will warranty it
That's why I powder coated the whole wheel on my sport pack V2 wheels
For my dearest stalker. Neil1300r.1) the diamond cut finish can only be recut a couple of times before it has taken too much material off
2) NONE of the people that redo diamond cutting will warranty it
That's why I powder coated the whole wheel on my sport pack V2 wheels
The surface tension of the coating prevents any protective material building on sharp profiles hence early failure on edges.
Add to that the fact that a clear coat has near zero ability to chemically bond to the substrate, or act as a sacrificial anode and you'll understand why "diamond cuts" fail.
In most paint systems the first primer coat etches into the metal beneath, a process particularly important with aluminium. Etch primers should also contain pigments that provide sacrificial elements that still protect the substrate even when the etch primer has been penetrated.
Clear coating on diamond cut wheels has little adhesion (no etch), provides no sacrificial protection and due to the surface tension pulls back from the razor sharp edges diamond cutting creates.
The inevitable result is coating failure at the weak points (edges) and oxidation that spreads rapidly underneath a coating that has no adhesion and no ability to provide passive protection.
Any comment Neil? xx
Edited by Byteme on Tuesday 14th October 17:35
Speedraser said:
^^^
Lovely
So, my '09 V8V's diamond-coated Sports Pack wheels still look really good after 5 years. Aside from the obvious such as don't-damage-them, do you have any suggestions on how to keep the original coating looking good?
Yep, keep the diamond cut alloys for the summer and swap over to painted rims and Pirelli Sottozeros for winter. Just like I do. Lovely
So, my '09 V8V's diamond-coated Sports Pack wheels still look really good after 5 years. Aside from the obvious such as don't-damage-them, do you have any suggestions on how to keep the original coating looking good?
If your wheel coating has lasted this long then just carry on doing whatever it is you already are. How long it lasts depends on local environmental factors, vehicle use etc.
Gentle but frequent cleaning with water and car wash shampoo, using a soft cloth, is probably the best method with as little pressure as possible applied in the sharp transitions between the cut face and coloured paint. Avoid detergents and especially acid based wheel cleaners. Some of the earliest failures I've seen have been on cars maintained by the most caring owners.
Wheel cleaning brushes wear the already thin edges created as the clear coat pulls back from during the application process.
Look at the concrete around any car wash bay using a pressure washer and you'll see just how much damage a high pressure washer can cause. Better to avoid them.
Diamond cut coatings are fine until they're penetrated by wear-through, on the thin sharp edges, or through stone chips. Once this has happened the aluminium beneath oxidises causing the familiar white trails that spread beneath the clear-coat.
IF your wheels are free of defects my best advice is that you have an additional coat/s of clear applied.
Gentle but frequent cleaning with water and car wash shampoo, using a soft cloth, is probably the best method with as little pressure as possible applied in the sharp transitions between the cut face and coloured paint. Avoid detergents and especially acid based wheel cleaners. Some of the earliest failures I've seen have been on cars maintained by the most caring owners.
Wheel cleaning brushes wear the already thin edges created as the clear coat pulls back from during the application process.
Look at the concrete around any car wash bay using a pressure washer and you'll see just how much damage a high pressure washer can cause. Better to avoid them.
Diamond cut coatings are fine until they're penetrated by wear-through, on the thin sharp edges, or through stone chips. Once this has happened the aluminium beneath oxidises causing the familiar white trails that spread beneath the clear-coat.
IF your wheels are free of defects my best advice is that you have an additional coat/s of clear applied.
Edited by Byteme on Thursday 16th October 00:37
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