Advice on refinishing Mag wheels
 

Well ive just picked up my Mag wheels, and were described as having a few chips from tyre changes, but the paint seems to have bubbled in most places. I heard this is common with magnesium. So whats best to do send them to a specialist, have them stripped and painted or powdercoated?? Do they need a special coating first? Who can do this and how much??
Cheers

Soda blasting seems to be the way forward for non aggressive stripping. Magnesium oxidises quickly so they need etch priming straight away. Articles on the net show that most people then have them powder coated.

Magnesium is extremly corrosive, you really need to give this to a pro.

Dymag used to do this on all wheels until a t0sser complained, got his wheel redone, complained again, got his money back and then went to sell those on ebay proudly saying that they had been refurbished by Dymag.

Now Dymag will not refurbish anything that isn't Dymag (understandly so).

Dymag recommended me
http://www.realitymotorworks.com/

They are in Bristol (ask for Nick). They have done a mint job on my mag arm / yokes and wheels and are very reasonably priced. Cool bloke as well.

That said, if paint has bubbled up already it is likely that the end result will not be totally mint. You will still see marks where it originally bubbled. Don't expect miracles.

p

Mag
 

Thanks for the advice, i emailed dymag yesterday and indeed got the email saying they will only do Dymag. Not heard anything back from Reality yet, but when you say reasonably priced can you give me a rough figure?

In 2 minds to return them to the seller at the minute as they are not in good condition in my eyes, as was described by the seller!! What wqould you say a good price for a pair in need of refurb would be??
Chris

I had mine redone by Dymag a few years ago and IIRC the cost was circa £160 for the pair.

As for sale / buy price, back then mags would be circa £700 - £800 (and non-mag were £450 - £600).

So depending upon quoted costs for refurb, I'd say mags that need redoing should be sub £500 maybe £350 - £400?

Not 100% sure of current prices though, but hope this helps.
Tim

As long has they are not left hanging around once stripped, you should have no problems. I have had 2 sets powder coated in the past. The first set was done by a friend of a friend. Turned out he stripped them then waited a few days before coating them. Needless to say within twelve months I was getting bubbles under the paint. The next set I sent to Redditch shot blasters who know the score and once stripped was immediately coated. They are still good to this day (2 years) Given a choice I would choose a ali wheel though.

I would not recommend doing this. Magnesium needs to have chromate finish and then you can paint on top. If you don't do this it will bubble up and start corroding on any knock.

Nick charged something like £95 per wheel. Worth it in my opinion.
At least I know that magnesium will stay stable from this point on.

You pay your money and make your choice. TZ'z have been sold with mag wheels as std for the past ten years. You ask any racer in the paddock what he does with his. It don't make it right and it also don't make it wrong. Just personal choice.

I must stay that Nick at Realityworks does do a GREAT job on magnesium wheels.. I any one wants a good good done then call him up. Tell him Steve (ex Dymag) put his name forward.. In the last month of Dymag trading I helped Nick to get him set-up in chromating.. This is a MUST for magnesium.. We can also crack check your wheels..Again this is the same process as used at Dymag.. He's a top guy and does a real good job..

Good info
cheers