Our Process
Alloy Wheel Refurbishment, Diamond Cuts, Crack Repair & Straightening
WHAT IS POWDER COAT
Powder coating is an advanced finishing process that creates a tough finish also used by OEM manufacturers. It is extensively used in the industrial finishing for a wide range of parts, materials, and products where a decorative and protective coating is required to protect the product from heat, cold, grime, scratching, corrosion, or bleaching.
WHAT IS DIAMOND CUT
A diamond cut wheel is an alloy wheel which has been put on a lathe after having its coating, and the face of the wheel is machined off to leave a shiny alloy finish. A small part of the actual alloy is machined off to create this finish. It is then lacquered over to prevent corrosion.
BUCKLES
Buckled wheel? Needs straightening? Stop stressing we are here to help.
A buckled wheel can mean one of two things, either a flat spot on the wheel or a warp within the structure of the wheel. Either way our highly experienced technicians together with a state-of-the-art machine will have you rolling again in no time. Our patent pending process evolves using Europe leading wheel straightening machine which used hydraulic rams and dial gauges on a very hot wheel to get the wheel back to straight.
CRACKS
Cracked wheel? No problem!
A cracked wheel will leak air and cause damage to your wheel as well as your tyres. Left unattended the crack will grow past a point it cannot be repaired. It may even fail completely with a big enough impact. At Alloy fix LTD we take welding very seriously and do all we can to stop the crack growing, repair it and make sure it doesn’t come back. With our specially sourced welding rods we are so confident in the repair we give it a 6 months warranty.
HOW DO CRACKS AND BUCKLES HAPPEN?
Buckles occur from driving over potholes, raised curbs and debris with your car. The harsh impact causes a shock which may warp the wheel. This can cause a flat spot where the impact was. This can either be very noticeable through look and handling or sometimes goes unnoticed, but the longer its driven on, the worse it may get.
Leaving these symptoms unattended may cause uneven wear in the tyres, suspension and steering components. Costing thousands and reducing the life span of the car.
The shock the wheel had can also cause a crack as its focused onto one area which splits the rim. If a crack is found during MOT, it is an instant fail, but we can help! A crack causes air to leak out and widens over time but we can get it welded and holding air again.
1. Remove Wheels From The Vehicle
When the vehicle arrives, we allocate it a parking spot or loan wheels. The car is left in our secure parking area. The second option: our loan wheels are fitted on the car so you can stay on the road while we fix your alloy wheels.
2. Removing Tyres And Prepping Wheels
Tyres are removed by our expert tyre fitters, labelled, and stored. We remove all valves, sensors, and weights.
3. Stripping The Wheels
The wheels are sent to our chemical room. Here the wheels are dipped in special chemicals where all the previous paintwork and coatings as well as rubber, grime and dirt are all removed, leaving us with the exposed metal.
4. Sand Blasting
In this stage the wheels are blasted with high-speed aluminium oxide. Removing any rust and corrosion and gives the surface a uniform finish for the next stage.
5. Inspection
When the wheel is clean and down to the bare metal alloy, we inspect the wheels for cracks and buckles. Any issues are made aware to the customer and additional costs may apply to fix them.
6. Straightening And Welding
If any buckles or cracks were found in the inspections, they get fixed and resolved now. (check ‘Repair’ page). These get welded and shaped to ensure a straight wheel and stop the crack growing further.
7. Removing Curb Rash
All cosmetic damages are removed from the wheel with our various tools and methods to ensure a smooth, prepped surface. After a final inspection the wheel, it is finally ready for the powder coating.
8. Powder Coating
The wheels first go through a degassing process at around 200 ℃ ; this releases any trapped gasses in the wheel so the coating doesn’t bubble in future. A powder base is then applied and sent back to the ovens to cure. A colour coat is applied and taken back to the ovens.
9. Diamond Cut
Some newer more premium wheels have an extra stage as they are diamond cut wheels. The wheel is put on a lathe and a diamond tip is ran across the whole surface of the wheel face. Taking off microns at a time, the face of the wheels adopts a polished finish.
10. Our Signature Lacquer
Once the wheels have undergone the diamond cut process, they go back in the ovens with the other wheels to get a powdered acrylic lacquer. This special process creates our signature gloss look, resulting a high gloss, durable and vibrant finish.
11. Get The Job Done
The wheels are left to cool and cure. This is where the gloss levels deepen, and the powder coat hardens. Once fully cooled, new valves are installed, and tyres re-fitted. They are then balanced and are ready to go back on the car!
Why Choose Alloy Fix
Expert Technicians
Talk to our expert technicians about your problem and will advise you on the best course of action.
Loan Wheels
If you use your car regularly then leaving your car may not be an option - We offer loan wheels so you can drive away same day.
3 Year Warranty
Our power coating and diamond cutting services come with a 3 Year Warranty as part of our premium alloy wheel service.
Quick Quote
Romford Branch
Unit 4,
Brooklands Approach,
Romford
RM1 1DX
Saturday: 9am – 3pm
Sunday: Closed
Dartford Branch
Riverside Industrial Estate,
Unit i4,
Riverside Way,
Dartford DA1 5BS
Saturday: 9am – 3pm
Sunday: Closed