Unbelievable!! Wheel Wizard Atlanta Georgia

Did they claim to know how to handle magnesium?

 

I've always been well pleased with work they have done for me on Ferrari, BMW, Fiat and Viper wheels...

 

Have you driven over there?

 

Ah.. I see you're in Texas. They come highly recommended but I saw one wheel they did and wasn't blown away.

 

I have no idea, but I believe TR, 328, 348 and BB512i wheels are all magnesium? Regardless, 6 years is a long time to expect a company to warranty a refinishing job...any statute of limitations would have expired years ago...I believe their paperwork only provides for a 90 day warranty...what does the paperwork you have say?

 

Does anyone have any experience with Metro Wheels in Marietta?

 

How many threads were started on this topic??

 

I feel your pain. It's too bad they got screwed up. They must take your word for the storage and all. I believe you 100% but there are those that make a claim and don't fess up the truth. I agree they should last but it looks like moisture is coming out of the wheel and bubbled the paint. Any unpainted spot will let water in. Maybe they didn't paint all the surfaces and it let water in.

 

Sorry guys to revive this old thread, but I'm looking to have a set of magnesium wheels refinished also and I came upon this thread in a google search. What's happening here is the magnesium is corroding under the paint. If magnesium isn't sealed correctly, it will corrode. Magnesium needs a coating by DOW product to protect it from O2; in my case it's a DOW #7 coating, and then it needs to be painted immediately and baked at 150-180F. Powder coating will not work. I have found two places that can coat them in the Dow #7: PTI Industries in CT, and Tech Plate Inc in CA. PTI doesn't paint in house, but TechPlate does. You can google them for their contact info.

The wheels pictured are not safe to use other than to hold up your garden hose. Sorry, but that's just how it is.

I hope this info helps anyone looking to have their magnesium wheels refinished properly.

 

Thanks!

We talk about proper treatment of our cast wheels all the time.

It is very important, and sadly there's a lot of shops out there saying "We can do it!!"

Welcome and thanks for the info on those vendors.
In his resto thread Napolis does a whole BUNCH of vintage P4 wheels, and they did it correctly.....Not sure who he used.

 

While I have used Wheel Wizard before with satisfactory results, I usually use Bo Pirkle for any painting needs of my Ferrari, including wheels.

 

Well, glad I could help. I don't own a Ferrari (although I'd like to; 348 or 355 please), but I figured the info might help someone out. It's amazing how little info is out there on magnesium and how everyone claims they know what to do, and most do not. I can say that OEM usually knows what is correct and since I stripped my Marchesini wheels to expose the DOW7 coating, I think that's the way to go.

When it comes to aluminum, straight forward powder coating is the way to go.

 

There is a Technical Paper "out there" on it with a long name, I read it and printed it out once.

The mantra I use on mine is DON'T strip the original sealer!!!

But Ferrari resto has a strong "take it the bone" mentality to it sometimes.

 

I don't think Wendall owns it anymore. I've had good experiences w them on rim repair as well.

I did Geoff's Campy mag wheels couple years ago on his Pantera and he's still roll'n pretty! Just recently did work for his Triumph.

 

An acquaintance had his Campys done by Wheel Wizard maybe 8 years ago. They were powder coated not painted. He stored the wheels and I do not know what their present condition is.

I opted for painting to retain the original sand cast appearance. Bryson did a great job and 2 years later they look as good as when he refinished them.

Bryson’s work is excellent and reasonably priced.

Jeff
(Not related to Bryson or a paid celebrity endorsement!)

 

As long as the Dow 7 coating is over the magnesium, the wheels will be fine. I just sent my rims to TechPlate in CA for the Dow coating and paint. Can't wait to get them back.

 

I think someone has tried to over complicate this procedure. Painting Alum / Mag is different then painting other metals / steels, yes... When priming or sealing them you cannot use urethane primer directly to the top of the Alum. Urethane and Laquer primers have NO corrosion resistance. Alum does not rust... no but it still oxidizes. You must have an etching (2 part cataylized) primer that chemically bites into the Alum / Mag to prevent air and moisture from traveling under the substrate. I use Epoxy primers and mix my ratio's to use it as a sealer and spray that first. I also take a red scotch brite pad and right before coating scuff the wheel up. It doesn't matter if I just blasted the wheel 30 mins or 4 hours before.. This ensures I have fresh top surface and I use a combination of reducer / wax & grease remover solvent based cleaner before tacking down. Any waterborne based pre-cleaners can cause problems.

Any moisture in the line that can travel through the spray gun can be a problem too so I double check my dryers before hand too and run a pre-gun filter as well.

It's not a complicated process, just a couple extra steps to ensure durability and some different chemicals.

 

Magnesium will corrode no matter what you do unless it's Dow coated.

 

Dow is a chemical company, same as BASF, PPG, DuPont, etc...

Sounds as if someone has told you "it's only good if it's Dow"...

BASF, PPG, Sherwin Williams, etc... all have procedures and chemicals for coating Magnesium, Alum, Galvanized steel...etc

Saying only Dow will stop corrosion sounds like a sales pitch. Most likely Dow buys an ingredient or two from BASF or DuPont to make that chemical

The Dow 7 coating is a procedure used by Dow and is succesful but it's not the only way.

http://www.chemical-supermarket.com/Dow-7-Magnesium-Treatment-Compound-p652.html


Almost all major paint manuf have an etch for the use over Mag or Alum and all metals. Used the way they say to use them and follow the steps laid out they work.

http://www.basfrefinish.com/vta/R-M/DE18.htm

http://www.basfrefinish.com/vta/R-M/EP589-2.htm

We can go round and round. If you have found the Dow method works for you and you have a shop you are happy w then by all means use them. But saying a sales pitch is the only way... it's not.