bolts OZ wheels

[hansdaal]

I have just bought a wedge 430 SE with the racing OZ alloy wheels. Does anyone has an adress where you can buy the split rim bolts in stainless.

[nick heppinstall]

Hello Hans, I did some research into this about a year ago and it could be expensive. When I asked around about re-furbishing my OZ’s the general consensus was that they would have to go back to OZ. I though about having a go at getting the bolts out myself but was afraid of them having corroded and breaking in the wheel. In the end I just painted them black with Humbrol Enamel paint and spent hours polishing the wheels with Solvol.

[shpub]

The bolts are special to Oz. Stainless is not really recommended as the originals are a Titanium alloy and compliment the rims. They can be problems if you use anything else with differential expansion I belive and this can cause the rims to leak. I priced up replacements and they worked out at 4 pnds each and with 36... that worked out at £172 a wheel. Gave up. Tower View can split the rims (they have the tools) and the nuts and bolts can be cleaned and refurbed I believe.

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[jmorgan]

If they are Titanium alloy does that mean the corrosion is as bad as it gets (molocule deep or whatever). I read that Titanium does that and corrodes no further?

[seamus]

Along with many owners I have also looked into this myself, there are very few places in the country that will actually do the refurb - realistically the only one being Diamond Wheels in London - they apparently will split the wheel, shot blast, repaint - then anodize - replace all nuts with anodized and for the princely sum of around £1000 its no surprise hardly anyone has bothered - they may supply the anodized nuts only direct - they quoted something like £96 for them alone (per wheel). Adrian Venn @ Exactly TVR also has the tools to split the wheels (Based in Coventry for those slightly out of London) ;o)

One final thought was another owner who had his done as follows: blasted the whole wheel, and then painted it a light grey - then diamond cut back from the outer rim almost as far a the little nuts. This meant that the painted area extends a little further than it did previously but it does cover the tarnished nuts, and leaves the outer part nice and shiny. The whole wheel is then lacquered - the finished product did look v. good and as the wheels did not require splitting only cost £230 all in - this was done @ The Wheel Hospital in Essex but most other companies that do refurbs (but obviously will not split the rims) should be capable of the same.

[mikeb]

I will shortly be putting together a whole article on what to do about 'scuzzy' wheels on your wedge.

Please keep checking in.

Mike

www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk

[hansdaal]

I did some research regarding the bolts for 400 SE series wheels. And I found some that do the job for 1/3 off the price ( 1,75 pouns each) gouted in answers to my guestion. They are polished titanium and look good.
I mailed some pictuers to Mike and he has put them in the "news" section. If someone is interested just mail me.

[jvaughan]

I also researched this topic a few years ago.
eventually, I went to Peninsula who were able to split the rim, and I cleaned the bolts up a bit before having the rimms re-torqued.
I'dd be interested if we can get a bulk order for those titanium knuts amybe bring the cost down to a sensible 40 - 50 per wheel.
I have some Pix of my wheels too as they went from being standard Tuscan racer red to graphite grey