The Focus I bought recently has kerb rashes. I managed to successfully use a cordless drill and spray paint the alloys on old Focus and the results were more than acceptable.

I have seen ChrisFIX and others on Youtube using playing cards to go round the alloy to protect the tyre from overspray.

My question is how do they insert the damn playing card in between the tyre and the alloy? By deflating the tyre perhaps? None of my playing cards seem to go in at all!

 

Yep, deflating the tire & breaking the bead, will give you access to the tire/alloy rim. When installing AlloyGators (an alloy rim protector), that's how they are installed, the tire is partially deflated... Think about it, if the cards slid straight in, air would escape straight out.

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Yep, deflating the tire & breaking the bead, will give you access to the tire/alloy rim. When installing AlloyGators (an alloy rim protector), that's how they are installed, the tire is partially deflated... Think about it, if the cards slid straight in, air would escape straight out.

That is a very valid point about the air escape 😄

Normally, I would not deal with such faff. But, it costs £90/alloy for alloy refurbishment these days!

12 minutes ago, OilSheikh said:

Normally, I would not deal with such faff. But, it costs £90/alloy for alloy refurbishment these days!

That's why I have kept my nice steel wheels with plastic trims. I have spent a motoring lifetime squandering money on getting alloys refurbished!

Never had alloys refurbed myself, whenever I've scraped one badly it's been cheaper to just buy another!  

Tyres are shaped differently around the bead.  Some do have a small gap that you can fit cards in, others are tight up to the rim.  The actual seal is much further down than it appears, hence stretched tyres still holding air.

3 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Never had alloys refurbed myself, whenever I've scraped one badly it's been cheaper to just buy another!

When I had these wheels refurbed, they cost a cool £400 each to buy new. I also did a colour change to black. What a waste of money LOL That could have fed me and heated my home for weeks now on something that in reality, is totally unnecessary 🤣

 

1 minute ago, StephenFord said:

When I had these wheels refurbed, they cost a cool £400 each to buy new. I also did a colour change to black. What a waste of money LOL That could have fed me and heated my home for weeks now on something that in reality, is totally unnecessary 🤣

 

If you got enjoyment from it, it wasn't totally unnecessary!  

Looking back now, I wish I'd bought a set of aftermarket alloys at one point...always stuck with OEM alloys!

many places will paint your wheels for around £250 or less if you do some of the work and thier not too badly damaged. I had some Volvo 17" ones for mine done locally for £120 within 48hrs and well pleased with the results

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Looking back now, I wish I'd bought a set of aftermarket alloys at one point...always stuck with OEM alloys!

Obviously Tom, you're not a proper BoyRacer LOL From memory, the only car I stuck with OEM wheels was my 1982 XR2!

When I did my Capri wheels, I did some masking up, and "painted" washing up liquid on the tyre between the bead and the rim, worked quite well - just don't forget to put it back in the kitchen or the missus will get annoyed.

17 minutes ago, Paulkp said:

When I did my Capri wheels, I did some masking up, and "painted"

In the North East the wheels never stayed on a Capri long enough to need painting 🤣

My Dad's Capri was stolen 7 times in just over 2 years before finally been written-off !!

unofix thats no surprise, if you remember there was a car magazine that gave away a key shaped key fob that would start any Ford of that era.

I did mine just before i was due new tyres, i tried my best not to get on the tyres, but wasn't really bothered if i did little bit. When i went for tyres the garage told me the paint would scape off. Should of seen his face when it didn't! Lol

I used E-Tech technic grey alloy spray and finished with laquer. I did a bit of refurb before hand as well. And gave them about a week to dry before i went for tyres. But it did a decent job for less than £40. And i got a touch up pen for future scuffs

45 minutes ago, Simmo80 said:

I did mine just before i was due new tyres, i tried my best not to get on the tyres, but wasn't really bothered if i did little bit. When i went for tyres the garage told me the paint would scape off. Should of seen his face when it didn't! Lol

I used E-Tech technic grey alloy spray and finished with laquer. I did a bit of refurb before hand as well. And gave them about a week to dry before i went for tyres. But it did a decent job for less than £40. And i got a touch up pen for future scuffs

I plan to get new tyres too. These Chinese branded tyres do not fill me with confidence.

Rather than starting another thread, can someone tell me if something is missing ? And, what to buy?

 

29 minutes ago, OilSheikh said:

Rather than starting another thread, can someone tell me if something is missing ? And, what to buy?

 

Car and other 3 wheels are missing. That be a good start lol 😂 

31 minutes ago, OilSheikh said:

Rather than starting another thread, can someone tell me if something is missing ? And, what to buy?

 

Spray / sticker or replace centre cap and some new nuts will tidy it up 

All of your wheel nuts are knackered, missing the caps...  You'll need an 18mm socket to remove those, not the standard 19mm socket.  Then buy some new nuts, the metal caps were integrated so not available separately.  You have the conventional nuts with the flat top, as linked below.  They can't be swapped with the newer global nuts, which have a 'bulge' on top.  

46674 FEBI BILSTEIN Wheel Nut M12 x 1,5 Conical Seat F, Spanner size 19, with lid ➤ AUTODOC

NOT these ones (global) - 

 

Centre cap can either be replaced with standard ones or you can buy gel stickers to fit over the top if you want a different colour.  In my experience, it is worth buying genuine caps, I bought a set of aftermarkets, saved about £2, and they rattled like mad as they didn't fit properly!  

Edit - Oh, genuine ones have shot up in price since I bought a set (7 years ago lol...).  So maybe worth trying used or aftermarket nowadays.

Genuine Ford (Most Models) 54mm Alloy Wheel Centre Cap x4 New. 1429118 4010699115370 | eBay

 

On 7/7/2022 at 9:05 AM, TomsFocus said:

All of your wheel nuts are knackered, missing the caps...  You'll need an 18mm socket to remove those, not the standard 19mm socket.  Then buy some new nuts, the metal caps were integrated so not available separately.  You have the conventional nuts with the flat top, as linked below.  They can't be swapped with the newer global nuts, which have a 'bulge' on top.  

46674 FEBI BILSTEIN Wheel Nut M12 x 1,5 Conical Seat F, Spanner size 19, with lid ➤ AUTODOC

NOT these ones (global) - 

 

Centre cap can either be replaced with standard ones or you can buy gel stickers to fit over the top if you want a different colour.  In my experience, it is worth buying genuine caps, I bought a set of aftermarkets, saved about £2, and they rattled like mad as they didn't fit properly!  

Edit - Oh, genuine ones have shot up in price since I bought a set (7 years ago lol...).  So maybe worth trying used or aftermarket nowadays.

Genuine Ford (Most Models) 54mm Alloy Wheel Centre Cap x4 New. 1429118 4010699115370 | eBay

 

How can all the nuts be knackered? What on earth did the previous driver do ?

I spent most of the day yesterday to paint the alloys and they look acceptable. I wish I had kept some before and after pics!

If I have more time in the future, I will apply a coat of Isopron alloy filler at the edges, sand and respray.

 

 

19 minutes ago, OilSheikh said:

How can all the nuts be knackered? What on earth did the previous driver do ?

The caps have just either 'fallen off' over time, or the previous owner failed to replace them at some stage on wheel replacement. Then an aggressive 'alloy wheel cleaner' was repeatedly used and left on too long which knackered the finish of the nut, and also the center logo...

25 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

The caps have just either 'fallen off' over time, or the previous owner failed to replace them at some stage on wheel replacement. Then an aggressive 'alloy wheel cleaner' was repeatedly used and left on too long which knackered the finish of the nut, and also the center logo...

Well that covers it, nothing more can said 👍

I am going to change my tyres at ATS. Can they replace the nuts while they have my car or will I have to go elsewhere?

9 minutes ago, OilSheikh said:

I am going to change my tyres at ATS. Can they replace the nuts while they have my car or will I have to go elsewhere?

If you have already bought the nuts as advised by Tom above, of course they'll change them. Doubtful they'll have the correct ones sitting in a drawer though LOL

Don't forget, if you have the wheel locking nut, you'll only need 16, if it's lost, you'll need 20 as they'll just destroy the original locking nut getting it off.

These particular nuts get damaged by over zealous use of air tools.  (As well as general wear and tear.)

Personally I wouldn't let a garage touch the new ones, would swap them one by one when you get the car back.