X Type Wheel Refurbishment

[Bishop123]

My 10 yr old X Type is loosing pressure slowly on both front tyres. Told by tyre fitters today that wheels are corroding. New rubber seals fitted for now but will need to get the wheels refurbished soon. Any advice about where to get this done? Is there a reliable national firm that could do the job or does anyone know someone who could do it in the Bristol or Bath area.
Any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[Belle427]

There are lots of refurb companies around, this is one ive used in South Wales and was very pleased with the results.
The cost was around £320 for 4 x 17 inch wheels, not cheap to do properly, you may find buying a set of new alloys is about the same price.
https://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/

 

[Bishop123]

Many thanks for your reply.

 

[Ian H]

The garage wire brushed the inside rim on mine. Worked and didn’t alter the appearance.

 

[Bishop123]

The garage wire brushed the inside rim on mine. Worked and didn’t alter the appearance.

Thanks Ian.

 

[fixitflav]

The garage wire brushed the inside rim on mine. Worked and didn’t alter the appearance.

Was that on steel wheels or alloys? I ask because my brother has a Volvo about 20 years old on alloys with the same problem. He can do that himself, he has all the kit.
On a related subject, somebody I know's car failed MOT as the valve rubber was cracked. I know you're always told to get new valves with new tyres, but I've always thought that was just to get a few more £££ out of you, and the valve would last the life of the car, let alone a tyre, in worst case you might need to replace the core. When I was much younger and skint I used to tell them not to bother changing the valve, and saving the £1 each I think they were then. Maybe the rubber used nowadays isn't what it was!

 

[JohnD]

I've had the inner rim wire-brushed to remove corrosion roughness, but it came back.

I think if you were to do it yourself, and spend more time, you could polish it up and apply some kind of lacquer to seal the bare metal where the original finish has been brushed off. Some tyre specialists use a special kind of grease in rims that have the corrosion problem.

If you have an expensive wheel with split rims and seals and lots of little stainless bolts, a refurb has to be done properly and is expensive, needing new seals. I had one done by Wheel Specialist but later found I could buy a complete set of wheels (different style) from a breaker for about the same cost.

 

[Ian H]

It was the inner rim of some 15”BBS RA alloys on a lovely Mk2 Golf GTI.

 

[Bishop123]

I've had the inner rim wire-brushed to remove corrosion roughness, but it came back.

I think if you were to do it yourself, and spend more time, you could polish it up and apply some kind of lacquer to seal the bare metal where the original finish has been brushed off. Some tyre specialists use a special kind of grease in rims that have the corrosion problem.

If you have an expensive wheel with split rims and seals and lots of little stainless bolts, a refurb has to be done properly and is expensive, needing new seals. I had one done by Wheel Specialist but later found I could buy a complete set of wheels (different style) from a breaker for about the same cost.

Thanks John.