For some reason recently I was looking down at the rear wheels of our Mk7 Zetec, which has the standard 15-inch 8-spoke alloys fitted. The sun was shining strongly so I could see quite well through the spaces between the spokes to the satin black area at the end of the rear axle to which the alloys are bolted at their centres (presumably involving the drum brakes, but what do I know? Very little!! Not sure what these are officially called but they're the bits that would be left if you removed the alloy wheel, anyway - the parts I was seeing are a bit bigger in diameter than the circle formed by the four wheel nuts that fix the alloys in place to them, at least at the point where they meet the alloy wheel). I was intrigued/concerned to see that at the circumference of these black bits, where they touch the alloys, was a thin (half a centimetre?) periphery of visible orange rust. It seems even and goes all the way around, and is on both rear wheels in the same place. So - is that normal? We've never had a car with alloys before so I've no idea. The car has been thoroughly and frequently drenched by heavy rain since we picked it up (and probably was before, too) so that probably encouraged it to form if it wasn't there already... The alloys themselves don't look affected, just the parts they're mounted directly onto.

Hi there Aitchess

I think you are talking about the wheel hubs. They house the drum brakes and the wheel bearings. These are always rusty! Even if you ever need new ones fitting, give it a week or two and they will be rusty. Keep an eye out for other cars with rear drum brakes (as opposed to disc brakes like the ones on the front of your car) They will either be rusty or painted

There isnt much benefit in painting them except for cosmetic purposes. They get very hot what with the brake shoes inside so they cant be made of aluminium which wouldn't rust. The endless heating, cooling and road salt makes them rust very quickly

This is nothing to worry about at all! The metal there is very thick, it would take decades to rust through, they would be replaced long before this anyway :)

Hope that helps

Hi there Aitchess

I think you are talking about the wheel hubs. They house the drum brakes and the wheel bearings. These are always rusty! Even if you ever need new ones fitting, give it a week or two and they will be rusty. Keep an eye out for other cars with rear drum brakes (as opposed to disc brakes like the ones on the front of your car) They will either be rusty or painted

There isnt much benefit in painting them except for cosmetic purposes. They get very hot what with the brake shoes inside so they cant be made of aluminium which wouldn't rust. The endless heating, cooling and road salt makes them rust very quickly

This is nothing to worry about at all! The metal there is very thick, it would take decades to rust through, they would be replaced long before this anyway :)

Hope that helps

Thanks Jonny! Wheel hubs - why the heck couldn't I think of that term? Anyway, thanks for putting my mind at rest - with previous cars we've had over the years only having had steel wheels (usually with plastic trims on top of those) I'd never come face to face with the actual hubs before.

Still - it's always my policy that if I don't know something, I don't mind asking - it's a good way to learn! Thanks for answering.

Thanks Jonny! Wheel hubs - why the heck couldn't I think of that term? Anyway, thanks for putting my mind at rest - with previous cars we've had over the years only having had steel wheels (usually with plastic trims on top of those) I'd never come face to face with the actual hubs before.

Still - it's always my policy that if I don't know something, I don't mind asking - it's a good way to learn! Thanks for answering.

No problem Aitchess :)

Recently I was painting my rear drum brakes, however, when I loosened the rear wheel bolts, I was shocked to find that the alloys were completely seized to the drums. It took a mallet and a large piece of wood to remove the wheels. If I had been at the roadside with a puncture, I would never have got the wheel off! The car had only done 2000miles at the time. You might want to check if your wheels are the same, because I had the thin coating of rust which you are talking about as well.

One simple solution is to smear some copper grease on the hub and then refit the alloy's, it won't stop the corrosion but will help to stop the alloy's and the hub siezing together.