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MG MG Y Type - Wheel renovation

I recently spent a not inconsiderable amount having all 5 wheels professionally sandblasted and powder coated. Very nice they looked too, as they had previously been very rusty. However, on one of the rims a small amount of paint has chipped off (the wheel has not been kerbed) and I notice that underneath, the wheel is still very rusty. Am I correct in assuming that sandblasting is supposed to remove all traces of rust before the wheel is re-painted, or is the kind of thing we have to live with on older cars? It would be easy enough to touch up the paint, or even fit rim embellishers. (They have fitted lead weights to the outer rims, so this may not be an option without having the wheels re-balanced)
Andrew Adamson

Andrew

I would expect that ALL rust would be removed by sand blasting. That is what the process is for. Suggest taking it back to the vendor and discussing it politely with them. I sounds like a quality control error on their part and they should stand behind their work. However, IF the paint has chipped due to a thrown rock or something AND if it wasn't noticed for a week or four AND if it has been exposed to moisture then maybe it is not their fault.

FWIW

Larry
Larry Hallanger

The nature of sandblasting is that it removes all traces of paint and oils therefore a bare bit of sandblasted metal will rust very fast if exposed to the normal amount of dampness in the air. So as Larry stated if a chip went unnoticed for even a short period of time rust would appear.
Rob R.

A sandblasted steel wheel should be free of every trace of rust, dirt, grease, oil, small rodents, etc. The entire wheel will come out of the sandblasting booth a perfectly uniform silver-grey color. If there is one spot of rust on it before powdercoat then you will likely get flakes.

The question is, did it chip or did it flake on its own? Can you pick flakes off with your fingers or a small screwdriver? If it comes off at all easily, then your powdercoater did a poor job. They should refinish all the wheels free of charge. But I agree that a chip gone unnoticed will gather surface rust fairly quickly if exposed to any amount of moisture.
Steve Simmons

Thanks for all your advice. The wheels were done only two months ago, since when the car has only ever been out in the dry and is always driven carefully. The paint is flaking off at the rim rather than being chipped by a stone and the rust doesn't appear to be the light surface rust that you might find on bare metal left in the damp for a very short time.
Andrew Adamson

Sounds like they did a poor prep job. Ask them to strip and refinish the wheels. It may help if you can flake more of the paint off with your fingernails before you take them back.
Steve Simmons

Now, I would have thought that nearly every time the tyre is removed and put back on a slight paint chip is inevitable because levers are mostly used. Of course the tyres were removed before blasting? A bit of care when you go to see your sand blaster.
Slater Reynolds

This thread was discussed between 24/07/2003 and 30/07/2003

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