Monthly Archives: November 2014

Why YOU should trust an Alloy Wheel Repair Company to do a great job.

photo 1When you want a job done well, do it yourself. This is a great adage but not always sounds advise, especially when it comes to repairing and refurbishing your alloy wheels. Some clients are tempted to save money by attempting to strip back and re-spray alloy wheels themselves, but our technicians at Diamond Alloys advise that this could in fact end up costing you more!

Customer Phil Searle can attest to this! He brought his 2 Volvo wheels to Diamond Alloys because his own attempts at self-repair turned out to be much harder work and more time consuming than he imagined.

Although he had done a fairly good job on one of the wheels Phil decided it was too much work and stopped half way through the second coming to the conclusion he’d rather let the experts at Diamond Alloys finish the job.

Our guys chemically stripped them back to get any remaining paint off the alloys and then prepped them before giving them a smooth powder coat base. The final finish was a Black with Chrome painted finish and a protective lacquered layer.

are the same alloysHead painter Paul commented “It is not only that prepping wheels yourself is hard work, but you probably won’t get a sound surface required to achieve a brilliantly smooth finish. Also, a professional alloy wheel repair company will ensure the protective lacquer is sound, ensuring they have a longer life spam, essentially saving you money in the long run.”

Phil was so happy with the results that he said when he came to collect “wow are these the same wheels?!” and kindly left the following feedback on the website “Nice easy drive to Diamond from where we are (High Wycombe). My Volvo wheels looked amazing. First impressions of Diamond Alloys is how clean and orderly everything looks. A very professional service and courteous, helpful service from Sasha. Many thanks.”

Keep an eye on your alloys this winter

As we saw on the M25 recently, when a large swathe of the road was closed for several hours thanks to foot-deep craters in the tarmac, potholes are a serious problem. Even the smaller ones you encounter on everyday journeys can cause damage to your wheels and tyres – and with the cold weather approaching these potholes are only going to increase in number. It’s not just potholes that can be problematic, however, even speedbumps can have the same effect!

These road features are a particular problem because they can cause dents and cracks. This is of especial concern to those with large alloys, as these require tyres with lower-profile sidewalls, which are more likely to sustain crack damage because there is less surface area and less flexibility to absorb impacts. Even the most careful drivers can be subject to the odd knock or bump, and so it’s important to constantly check your wheels and tyres.

The easiest way to check for cracks is to regularly check your tyre pressure. If the air in a tyre goes down faster than usual, this is usually a reliable indicator that you have a small crack or dent – even if you can’t see it with the naked eye. It’s obviously unwise to continue driving on this wheel, particularly because in these wet conditions a large amount of water could be seeping in through the crack, getting underneath the alloy’s protective layer and corroding what’s underneath.

The good news, however, is that you don’t need to buy new alloys if this problem occurs. Diamond Alloys have a high quality welding service that will have your alloys looking as good as new, not to mention performing like they did when you first got them. Our experts examine every inch of your alloys and wheels before repairing and balancing them, giving you a thorough alloy wheel service that usually takes less than 24 hours.

Want to know how the repair service works? We start by grinding out both sides of the crack to remove any contamination, then weld either side to ensure that the repair has maximum strength. Once this is completed, we grind down the weld so it’s flush with the rest of the alloy, ensuring that it doesn’t damage the inside of the tyre. If you’re concerned about aesthetics, we can also refurbish the entire alloy to have it sparkling like new.

weld-alloy

If you’d like a quotation for repairing cracks you’ve spotted, or think there’s a problem and would like our experts to take a look, get in touch today.

What not to do when cleaning your wheels and alloys

car-wheels-foamWe’re constantly bringing you handy hints and tips about best practice in cleaning your wheels and alloys. We do know, however, how easy it is to cut corners when following advice – we’ve all done it – so we thought we’d bring you a guide to things you absolutely shouldn’t do! If you have any questions about our tips below, or want us to give your alloys a top-quality service before you commence your own cleaning regime, get in touch.

Cool your wheels before cleaning
Never clean your wheels when they’re warm. Not only will this hurt you, but you may end up damaging the wheels and alloys. Remember that brake pads take a lot of time to cool, so make sure you leave enough time between your drive and clean.

Avoid inappropriate substances
Never use household products to clean your wheels, as substances like washing up liquid can damage their surface. The same goes for acid-based cleaners and tyre shine products. If these are all you have available to you, don’t use them – it may save you time in the short term but you’ll spend more money and time in the long run repairing the damage they cause.

Refrain from steam cleaning
Steam cleaning can remove the protective coating in your alloys, and damage the surface of your wheels. If in doubt, don’t do it!

Every wheel deserves care
Don’t try to wash all your wheels at once – if you’re moving round all of them simulataneously you’re likely to leave a cleaning product on them for too long whilst you deal with the others, leading to damage and corrosion. Always wash the wheels one by one!

My alloys look immaculate says Mercedes owner who used Diamond Alloys

Check out the step by step images to see how our wheel technicians at Diamond Alloys refurbished these scuffed Mercedes rims and brought them back to life!

These alloys wheels had sustained scuff marks around the edges of each wheel in addition to buckles …..and a crack! Repairing, straightening and welding can all be carried out and managed on site in our London wheel refurbishment centre. Client Pardeep Sandhu wanted to achieve the same look as their original finish, so after the buckle and crack had been repaired and scuff marks eradicated, our guys carefully prepped the alloys and gave them a powder coat layer before applying a black gloss finish. The diamond cut spokes and rim finished the look giving great definition to the design before the protective lacquer layer was applied.

diamond-alloys-mercedes-alloyPardeep was very happy and after collecting his vehicle said “I collected my car with the refurbished alloys wheels last night. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and commend you for your excellent service. The alloys look immaculate and I am greatly impressed with the quality of the finished product. I really appreciate how you kept me up to date with the progress and that the job was completed on time. I’d also like to thank Jimmy (Amerjit) on his consultation and advice. I shall definitely recommend your business to friends and family. Keep up the good work!”

Get your wheels ready for winter

As soon as November appeared the weather has turned, and we’re now besieged by cold and rain as well as those early dark nights! Not only does this mean you’ll do much more driving with the lights on, but it’s also a sign that your wheels are now much more exposed to damage. There are, however, easy ways to minimise potential problems and care for your alloys and tyres. As it’s a busy time of year, we’ve put our top types in an easy-to-remember list.

Clear away brake dust.  Brake dust is hugely corrosive, and will do significant damage to your rims if left alone. Created by the friction between brake discs and brake pads, this dust will cling stubbornly to your alloys unless you regularly clear it away. A regular cleaning regime is the best possible prevention of damage from brake dust – see our previous blogs for a step-by-step guide.

Liberally apply cleaning fluid. Cleaning fluid, even top-quality fluid, is many times cheaper than new alloys. Don’t be shy about using lots of cleaning fluid – your investment will save you money later on.

Every tool should be appropriate to the job.  It’s tempting to use an old towel or similar when you’re cleaning, but it’s worth investing in the proper tools for your cleaning regime. They’re not expensive, and having things like a microfibre wash mitt and proper cleaning fluid will make the task easier and more enjoyable.

Apply wax. Wheel wax will seal in the shine of your alloys – keeping them looking sharp all through the winter! It also means you can use a less intensive cleaning regime after application, saving you time and effort throughout the cold weather when you’d rather be inside.

Never be afraid to get expert help. We have a huge range of cleaning tips on our blog, alongside a high-quality repair and maintenance service that will have battered or unloved alloys looking as good as new.

Alloy Wheel Repair – Trust Diamond Alloys

photo 3We are dedicated to ensuring our clients get the look they want. Usually this is not a problem and we welcome the challenge to create a finished look to meet our customers wishes, however we always put safety first and are committed to giving all our clients sound advice at all times.

These alloy wheels were originally diamond cut and the client wanted the scuffs and scrapes refurbished with the same look.

When all wheels arrive our experienced technicians carry out a thorough check creating a wheel report. This report highlights issues which may not have been apparent when the wheels arrived, which is exactly what happened on this occasion.

diamond-alloys-new-look

Upon inspection it turned out that 3 of the wheels were buckled, something that is not always noticeable by sight and can result in your car failing its MOT. Indications could be that air is lost more quickly than normal, so it is always worth having your rims inspected if you notice this happening, or if your car pulls to one side when driving.

Buckled wheels can easily be repaired and this can be carried out on site quickly at Diamond Alloys. However our client chose not to have the minor buckles repair repaired as on this occasion it was not a safety issue. However, this did mean we were not able to Diamond cut the wheels as it is not possible to diamond cut alloys which are buckled, so our technicians advised our client to consider gloss black, which is currently a hot look! Check out the before and after images and you’ll probably agree they look better after regardless!

new-look

If you want your alloys checked for safety, or just want a new look, then call us on 0845 370 8881 and we will be happy to give you our best advice.