How do I fix a deep scratch on alloy wheel?

Brian2011

Hi,

I have an alloy wheel that has a deep scratch and am wondering what is the best and cheapest way to fix or improve it by doing it yourself, I am a complete novice, no experience or clue how to do it myself so can ye help me out?

I was thinking I would just get a cheap alloy wheel repair kit thing in Halfords (Link Below) that would do the job nicely, but are these really any good and would they fix the scratch as in attached picture, bearing in mind that the filler is a a plastic filler as it says in the description of it anyway.

And what exactly do I do? Do I just fill the scratch in with the filler and wait for it to dry, then sand it down, then apply the silver paint and then the lacquer after it dries?

Thanks

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_201843_langId_-1_categoryId_212605http://

Syllabus

cheapest way would be to stick on the left rear and forget about it.






deep scratch on wheel = 1st world problem






imo

discombobulate

Syllabus wrote: »

cheapest way would be to stick on the left rear and forget about it.






deep scratch on wheel = 1st world problem






imo

Hardly a constructive reply there was it? Are most questions here not "1st" world problems??

I believe it costs around the 200 mark or so to get a set of alloys refurbished so if you were to get it done somewhere i'd presume around 60 quid for the wheel refurbed. No experience of DIY myself. Have a search here and you'll find others that have done. Here for example

Edit: Did a quick search and shouldn't cost more than 25 quid or so to get it done when its not a full wheel refurb.

JohnBoy26

Id just get a can of the nearest matching silver and touch that scrath up with a small paint brush. Now obviously it won't be perfect but you'd be surprised at how much better it will make it look.

challengemaster

Proper localised fix would be:

Clean it very very well
Sand it lightly
Clean
Metal filler
Sand
Clean
Etch prime
Prime
Paint
Clear

JohnBoy26

challengemaster wrote: »

Proper localised fix would be:

Clean it very very well
Sand it lightly
Clean
Metal filler
Sand
Clean
Etch prime
Prime
Paint
Clear

For that you need to spray the whole wheel as the repaired area will be a missmatched colour and look cat.

If spraying one wheel, you'l probly have to do the other one as well to avoid having different color wheels.

MuppetCheck

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

For that you need to spray the whole wheel as the repaired area will be a missmatched colour and look cat.

If spraying one wheel, you'l probly have to do the other one as well to avoid having different color wheels.

This hit the nail on the head. Spraying one wheel means it will never look 100% compared to the others. And in my experience it won't wear as well over time either. My advice would be to try and source a replacement wheel first or alternatively do all 4. The replacement wheel may seem drastic but for a perfect match it will most likely work out the same price or cheaper than doing all 4.

Brian2011

MuppetCheck wrote: »

This hit the nail on the head. Spraying one wheel means it will never look 100% compared to the others. And in my experience it won't wear as well over time either. My advice would be to try and source a replacement wheel first or alternatively do all 4. The replacement wheel may seem drastic but for a perfect match it will most likely work out the same price or cheaper than doing all 4.

I don't think you can get just one wheel refurbished, I think you must get all 4 done together or else the paint won't match up properly, or so I've been told anyway by the refurb place, and they said it would be €200 for a set of 4 to be refurbished. I will give that cheap repair kit a go tomorrow, and if it doesn't work out, then too bad, thanks for your replies.