GSI Alloy Wheels

[Adam Moran]

OK I have GSI alloy wheels on my nova but they look like there rusting and some of the "silver" coating is coming off. Can they be Re-Cromed??

Has anybody else got this problem?

Cheers All


Aj

[carltoncrazy]

er alloys dont rust,like ur archs,
u can get the refubished.but can b costly

[dave.gsi]

errm, my alloys rusted too so they do rust, i was gonna sand and repaint meself but then sold the car so didn't bother.

[ade]

they dont so much rust as oxidize which gives same effect. Once the paint and primer barriers are damage through curbing the paint will start to come off.

You can easily sand them back (I have a set of GSI alloys and they were painted red when I bought them! :o ) - sanded them back - primed, painted with hammerite smooth silver spray paint - lacquered and they were mind for ages - still ok now but been curbed a bit - curbs nasty in Glasgow - more like steps!

Just get the following -

Rust stripper drill attachment (like a big hairy wire wheel bout ?5 fro b&q)
120, p400 and p600 wet n dry
primer and filler primer if badly scuffed
either wheel spray paint, hammerite or silver paint
lacquer spray paint
Masking tape
suitable degreaser (thinners)
4 bin bags
sharp craft knife or scalpel

2 choices - get a garage to remove the wheels from yer alloys (makes it easier to spray) - or you'll need to mask them

- mask around the edge of the wheel - you basically need to put masking tape against the alloy rim where the tyre wall meets it - this stops the tyre getting sprayed when you spray yer allloys. best way is to put masking tape all round the rim ensuring both wheel tand rim are well covered, then take a v sharp knife and run it around the rim as close to the rim as you can. then using the butt of the knife run it around the masking tape on the rubber side to force it into the gape between the rim and the wall. Remove the rim masking tape
- next put the tyre in a bin bag (block ones will fit no probs) and tape up the top on the side of the tyre (so you have a flat plastic edge to the front
- cut a hole carefully into the bag so you clearly expose the alloy area you are a bout to spray only.
- Add more masking tape to seal the bin bag to the tyre (use the masking tape currently down to stick it to)
- this effectively masks off the entire wheel.
- if you want to you can run newspaper around the back of the alloy so the inner walls dont get sprayed - it dont matter really coz the colour will be the same and u dont really see that bit ne way.
- Mask off yer valves (unless you have had wheels striped down)
- Sand back old paint, get the bits in between the spokes too using sanding adapter and 1200 wet n dry (dry) - dont forget round the outer rim by the rubber
- if scuff marks are evident ( not too deep) spray a few layers of filler primer on - dont make it too thick and allow plently of time to dry between coats (15 mins at least) - dont recote for at least 3 hours (leave overnight of you can) - sand back a little using p400 (wet) to smooth off surface
- spray with a few layers of primer (even if filler primer applied) - allowing about 15 mins between coats to dry
- allow to harden for 24 hrs
- sand back gently using p00 - p600 (wet)
- thoroughly dry and degrease
- spray in silver - making sure you get in the spokes - spray about 3-4 coats allowing 15 minutes at least between coats - dont apply too thickly
- allow to dry for 24 hours.
- check for nibs and dust - if some, use T-cut for metalics.
- degrease
-lacquer alloys in the same way as spraying - this will build an invisible shield against the elements, allowing your rims to stay clean - unless you curb them!

Long but well worth it and easy. Save you a bit too!

Ade
:D

[ade]

... also - if you sporay yer wheels you'll need to spray yer centre caps too or theyll not match.

simply sand back using p 240 dry, then prime and folllow same as for wheels from priming point onwards

:D :D

[dave.gsi]

thats pretty much what i was gonna do with my old wheels (sr three spokes)............and i'm pretty sure it was definately rust lol (paint bubbles same as arches etc)

[Ben (lurk75)]

IT ISNT RUST!!!! lol

You can either do what Ade suggested or buy a secondhand set for ?50. :wink:

If anyone is after getting your wheels refurbished the best place to go to is a tyre fitters and ask them to get em done cash, as a couple of my mates worked in one and when they damage customers alloys when changing tyres they get em refurbed for about ?20 a wheel!
better than about ?50 wich is about the going rate)

[carltoncrazy]

the 50 quid a wheel was for range rover wheels,which r bigger,so mite b cheaper for novas,
be honest id just get a anther set.then keep yous as spares.
this is the advantage of people doing up cars,
the standard parts go dirt cheap secound hand.

[Aragorn]

the term "Rust" can only be used for the oxidation of iron with water, any other metal or oxidising agent (ie acid) would simply be called oxidation and although it looks similar to rust, u cant call it rust :o

[Rich Dale]

Aragorn is right.....the term rust is ONLY and can ONLY be applied to iron or steel (which is mainly iron with carbon chucked in (in VERY basic terms)), but we know what you mean.

Why not strip the paint back and polish them instead? I tried this on an old spare LXi alloy I've got (8-spoke 14"...you know the ones).....it was surprisingly easy to do.

You have to be careful mind as the soft alloy can scratch easily, so don't go using rough grade sand-paper to remove the paint!
Use VERY fine paper to sand the surface of the metal to a shinny surface (takes a bit of elbow grease or you could try a polishing bit on a Dremel or drill etc), then polish with a metal polish.
Then....make sure you lacquer the wheel to protect it, otherwise it will last about 3 weeks before it's dull and starting to oxidise again (like the alloy did that I practised on!)

Just a thought ;)