Fuchs wheel restoration

[Terminator]

Just paid Harvey Weidman for some wheels he has had for ages

Latest pricing

Deep 6 wheel $325US, more if you want paint dipping not spraying
STD 6" $285US and more etc etc.

Add in costs of original wheel purchase (most are $500 plus even for bad wheels now), freight from somewhere to Harvey and then freight from Harvey back to Aust and its getting expensive, very expensive.

Al Reed is getting past it and not taking on any new customers and doesn't have email or a mobile phone so good luck with that alternative.

Harry did a pretty good job on his wheels by running around to 4 vendors in Melbourne I am going to give the same thing a crack with a set of deep 6 wheels and see how it pans out.

We need to find someone who can polish the lip and spokes (like factory) post the anodising process than no need to send to Harvey at all but I suspect the end cost may not be much different, maybe save on the freight!!

[Fishcop]

The polish doesn't happen after anodising...

[Terminator]

John you may be misunderstanding my post or otherwise I have the orignal process all wrong

I always understood that it occurred post anodising with the big machine that skimmed across the top of the wheels and removed the roughness of tha anodising on the outer lip and the petals

All original wheels I have show evidence of this occurring they did not have the same level of anodising on all parts of the wheels and that is guaranteed 100%

How can it occur beforehand?

[Bremith]

When I hunted around in December up here in Qld the only one I could find is this: www.fixmyrim.com.au
Spoke to him, he quoted about $500 a rim (prepared, anodised, painted)
Might see who he has done some Fuchs for and see if they're happy/what the wheels look like

[Terminator]

Someone in Qld has done them in the past but is unable to complete the final polishing step.

Wheels were otherwise done well though and not crazy expensive from memory.

My maths goes something like this now for Harvey Weidman wheels


Purchase 4 x 6 x 15 wheels $2400US
Refinish wheels $1140US
Ship wheels to and from $ 600US



TOTALS $5200 Aussie...yikes!!!

[Bremith]

Other Qld refinisher was Depulu but (my understanding) they don't do Fuchs any more partly because not worth it. Harvey refinish cost starts to sound acceptable if locally will cost $500 a wheel and don't think anyone can guarantee a Harvey finish other than Harvey. My understanding the other issue with Harvey is time (he takes ages?).

[Terminator]

Yes I can confirm he is at 12 mths or close to now...demand has skyrocketed since prices of the cars have skyrocketed.

Guess $1500 to refinsh wheels is nothing on a $300k purchase.

[Jeff Eelkema]

My understanding from emails from Harvey when he did my wheels was that after stripping and crack testing and checking for run-out, the wheels were polished on the rim lip and petal faces. After that they were anodised all over to protect the finish that the black paint was applied over the anodising and the bits you want polished or RSR finish etc were masked up prior to paint.

[Fishcop]

Clyde, Jeff's explanation is just as Harvey explained to me...

The anodising is the final treatment to the metal after all the truing, machining and polishing is performed. After that the wheel is masked and sprayed/dipped depending on request (dipping being original).

The issue with anodising (and I'm not a metallurgist) is that it actually a form of controlled corrosion where the aluminium oxide crystals are 'grown' uniformly and in one direction to form a very strong barrier layer. To get a great finish, the metal has to be prepped exactly the same all over - issues arise where the aluminium has been repaired and the metal crystals are damaged and misaligned (as in weld) or pitted through previous corrosion. Anodising will "enhance" the damaged area and make it really visible.

If you 'polish' an anodised part, you destroy the anodise layer and expose it to air/water, and corrosion begins.

[Fishcop]

Dupulu still do fuchs, but don't anodise. As I understand it - their anodiser retired and sold the business. New owner can't stand dealing with car people because they're too fussy...

I think it is possible to get it all done in Oz, but there is some runaround involved and a real risk of failure. You need someone prepared to work with you and have some patience. Harvey told me he does on average every 5th wheel twice (due to anodise blemishes) and 1 in 10 fuchs fail due to age/damage.

[Terminator]

Clyde, Jeff's explanation is just as Harvey explained to me...

The anodising is the final treatment to the metal after all the truing, machining and polishing is performed. After that the wheel is masked and sprayed/dipped depending on request (dipping being original).

The issue with anodising (and I'm not a metallurgist) is that it actually a form of controlled corrosion where the aluminium oxide crystals are 'grown' uniformly and in one direction to form a very strong barrier layer. To get a great finish, the metal has to be prepped exactly the same all over - issues arise where the aluminium has been repaired and the metal crystals are damaged and misaligned (as in weld) or pitted through previous corrosion. Anodising will "enhance" the damaged area and make it really visible.

If you 'polish' an anodised part, you destroy the anodise layer and expose it to air/water, and corrosion begins.

I hear what your saying but how can that be so.

If you re do a wheel you have to polish it all over to get rid of any issues as John alluded to so why does the petal and outer rim look different

I can tell you from the NOS factory finish wheels I own and have seen that something has plished some of the anodising post it being put on...well at least in my opinion

I will as the great man on Tuesday have to call him to confirm shipping details of my wheels

[Terminator]

I have asked Harvey direct will see if he answers anytime soon

[Fishcop]

I have asked Harvey direct will see if he answers anythime soon

Cool - I certainly stand to be corrected by the master (but I'm sure that's what he explained to me). No better Fuchs Prophet than Harvey

[Cairns888]

Harry from this forum had done his wheels recently as previously mentioned in another wheel thread.
They looked very good. Although I did not get down with a magnifying glass.
I think he farmed out each process and did the running around himself.
I respect the top blokes doing the wheels. But they are just wheels.
Don't shoot me. I liked Harry's. Actually Merv's look very nice as well. I think used a precise amount of red scotchbrite pad.

Thanks

Jim

[Merv]

I followed an excellent guide on the ESR and with some time and the right techniques and abrasives, much can be done with little expense.