Touching up lacquer on wheels?

[Mark300zx]

I had a very minor scuff on one of my diamond-cut wheels which I can hopefully sand out, would any lacquer do to protect that area or is it a specialist item?

[finlo]

It's knackered, but a touch up will buy you some time. Take some comfort from the fact they're toast after a few short years anyway.

[Muddle238]

Diamond cut wheels are the most pointless thing after tits on a fish. They will corrode regardless of what you do to protect them. Even sitting on display on the garage wall, the damn things corrode.

Best option is to just send them to a wheel refurbished and ask them to paint them silver.

[Mark300zx]

Muddle238 said:

Diamond cut wheels are the most pointless thing after tits on a fish. They will corrode regardless of what you do to protect them. Even sitting on display on the garage wall, the damn things corrode.

Best option is to just send them to a wheel refurbished and ask them to paint them silver.

Thanks, they are diamond cut from factory not sure if that is the correct term for the finish and are all still ok

[Muddle238]

Mark300zx said:

Thanks, they are diamond cut from factory not sure if that is the correct term for the finish and are all still ok

Give it a couple of years and they will very likely all be showing signs of corrosion on the diamond cut faces. The concept of diamond cut wheels look great in the showroom or on a motor show stand, but in the real world they have zero ability to withstand normal wear and tear without unsightly corrosion occurring when the lacquer coat gets chipped or fails.

They are simply not a robust technology; they sell because they look good when new, and that’s all the manufacturer cares about. If you have the wheels re-cut by a specialist, many won’t even offer a 1 day warranty, which is pretty telling about how fragile they are.

Painted wheels are best, without any diamond cut faces.

[InitialDave]

If you touch it up, make sure it's well sealed on the edges of the damage, it's moisture getting under the clearcoat in areas like that which starts off the really ugly corrosion.

[Mark300zx]

Muddle238 said:

Give it a couple of years and they will very likely all be showing signs of corrosion on the diamond cut faces. The concept of diamond cut wheels look great in the showroom or on a motor show stand, but in the real world they have zero ability to withstand normal wear and tear without unsightly corrosion occurring when the lacquer coat gets chipped or fails.

They are simply not a robust technology; they sell because they look good when new, and that’s all the manufacturer cares about. If you have the wheels re-cut by a specialist, many won’t even offer a 1 day warranty, which is pretty telling about how fragile they are.

Painted wheels are best, without any diamond cut faces.

They are 12 years old.

[Tommo87]

Any lacquer will work. I have done it many times on diamond cut wheels following my wife’s kerbside excursions and none of my wheels have suffered further.

Just make sure it’s clean and dry otherwise you will seal in that dirt behind the new seal.

[vikingaero]

I've bought a bottle of clear nail polish from Poundland to cover my nails for the weekend... and putting on the alloys where there is damage.