W204 amg wheels diamond cut alloys white worm
- Thread starter talljay
- Start date
Gazwould
MB Enthusiast
What colour is your car ?
Trouble is gloss black soon looks matt with brake dust and the tyres brown if tyre shine isn't present .
Trouble is gloss black soon looks matt with brake dust and the tyres brown if tyre shine isn't present .
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Thanks Gazwould - White car, looking at getting the wheels done black and calipers red. Just researching and unsure whether to go for painted or powder coated
What is the Dreaded White Worm, and is painting the only solution? Got any pics of your worm?
Gazwould
MB Enthusiast
Not so bad then , it's on black cars black wheels really get lost .
White worm is corrosion and takes just a minute perforation , the trouble is diamond cut has a bare metal with just a lacquer on top , whereas powder coat or painting has primer , colour coat and lacquer .
White worm is corrosion and takes just a minute perforation , the trouble is diamond cut has a bare metal with just a lacquer on top , whereas powder coat or painting has primer , colour coat and lacquer .
Paint seems to be the best option - From what I have been reading the integrity of the wheel can be compromised with the heat on powder coating although that does also give the superior durability. There isnt anywhere local that does powder coating specifically for alloy wheels with the ability to take the car and do the job.
I've recently noticed some small white marks on a couple of my wheels, should I get some clear lacquer and give them a thin coat? Or what?
Scoops1972
Active Member
Had my 18" AMG wheels powder coated smoked chrome, but as dark as they could be without actually being black. I like the durability of powder coating, with the last set of wheels I had done still looking like new after 5 years! The smoked chrome finish allows the tyres to still look darker than the wheels. Hard to capture in a photo, but imagine the colour of the 'lead' in a pencil.
I can’t understand why manufacturers insist on fitting diamond cut wheels. They all suffer from this “tin worm” eventually.
I’ve just got three of my wheels replaced under warranty at 10k miles because of this and only when I pushed the issue.
The fourth wheel was refused because of of a small kerb mark but the dealer refurbed it FOC
Only problem was the company that did this refurb lacquered over dirt on the inside of the rim.
I’ve just got three of my wheels replaced under warranty at 10k miles because of this and only when I pushed the issue.
The fourth wheel was refused because of of a small kerb mark but the dealer refurbed it FOC
Only problem was the company that did this refurb lacquered over dirt on the inside of the rim.
Scoops1972
Active Member
Possibly shows the colour a little better?!Keep us posted with what you decide
Have the same issue on my 19’s.
Brought it up with the dealer just before the warranty expired and was promptly refused!
Had too many things going on at the time to bother fighting my corner And as I’m looking to move the car on I left it at that.
Powder coat would be my choice.
Brought it up with the dealer just before the warranty expired and was promptly refused!
Had too many things going on at the time to bother fighting my corner And as I’m looking to move the car on I left it at that.
Powder coat would be my choice.
silver1011
Active Member
Diamond cut, or polished finish looks great though. Sure it's relatively weak from a durability perspective, but if you're lucky and treat the wheels well then you should get 3+ years before the white worm begins to show, quite easily longer.
It wasn't that long ago that only specialised wheel refurbers could repair diamond cut, now pretty much everyone can do it, so costs have come down to, or at least very close, to a regular wheel refurb.
For this reason I'd get them diamond cut again. When the sun shines on a polished alloy wheel face with no paint (only lacquer) on it, you can't beat the shine.
I had the dealer refurb all four alloys on my W212 before I agreed to buy it (approved used), diamond cut as it left the factory, and the quality of work (third party local refurber) is near as dammit to that of a factory finish. If they last as long as the originals I'll be happy.
It wasn't that long ago that only specialised wheel refurbers could repair diamond cut, now pretty much everyone can do it, so costs have come down to, or at least very close, to a regular wheel refurb.
For this reason I'd get them diamond cut again. When the sun shines on a polished alloy wheel face with no paint (only lacquer) on it, you can't beat the shine.
I had the dealer refurb all four alloys on my W212 before I agreed to buy it (approved used), diamond cut as it left the factory, and the quality of work (third party local refurber) is near as dammit to that of a factory finish. If they last as long as the originals I'll be happy.
400ixl
MB Enthusiast
Getting 3 years without any sign of worm on diamond cut alloys is doing well. Usually within 4-5 years they are riddled (just from the centre caps and not curbing). And you only do it so many times before you take too much material off. Personally, diamond cut on an otherwise silver wheel doesn't look that premium at all. It needs a contract to really stand out.
I would powder coat them in the right finish. Paint and lacquer isn't that much more durable than just lacquer on diamond cut. Just had mine powder coated in shadow chrome and the look much better than they did diamond cut in the sun. Powder coating doesn't compromise the integrity of the alloy through heat at all.
Surprised you say there are no powder coaters near you that do wheels. There are 5 within 20 minutes of me, you must live somewhere very remote.
I would powder coat them in the right finish. Paint and lacquer isn't that much more durable than just lacquer on diamond cut. Just had mine powder coated in shadow chrome and the look much better than they did diamond cut in the sun. Powder coating doesn't compromise the integrity of the alloy through heat at all.
Surprised you say there are no powder coaters near you that do wheels. There are 5 within 20 minutes of me, you must live somewhere very remote.
08 E545 B0 FE56 4 AF9 962 C 4882 B24 B47 C5 — Postimage.org
I had mine refurbed a few weeks ago and they look like brand new and the quality of the work is bang on.
I had mine refurbed a few weeks ago and they look like brand new and the quality of the work is bang on.
SlimJim
Active Member
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- Mar 28, 2003
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- Mercedes E220 AMG Sport 2015 W212, Honda Civic Type R 2010
Has any one tried to locally repair the area affected by white worm. Surely gentle rubbing with the appropriate grade of emery paper would be a good start. In fact it may well polish out using the finest polishing grade.
I remember when I was an apprentice making surface table slips and emerying/ polishing steel to a mirror finish.
I remember when I was an apprentice making surface table slips and emerying/ polishing steel to a mirror finish.
See my #7 There has to be something that can be done to prevent this worsening,/ to control it from becoming a big problem, before refurbishing is the only solution. Does anyone have the answer, perhaps one of our more astute detailers on here?
Gazwould
MB Enthusiast
Rich H
Active Member
Had mine powder coated in gunmetal.
This is roughly the same colour as my wheels start before they are diamond cut so the centre caps are the right colour.
Powder coating can be done to different levels of quality.
Make sure it is vapour blasted, not shot blasted and make sure it goes through a heat cycle before the coating to relieve stresses.
This is roughly the same colour as my wheels start before they are diamond cut so the centre caps are the right colour.
Powder coating can be done to different levels of quality.
Make sure it is vapour blasted, not shot blasted and make sure it goes through a heat cycle before the coating to relieve stresses.
