Alloys again

[FIFTY]

@cheshiremaserati Good call, I'll try them in the morning if they can't do it then I need to buy new metal

@GeoffCapes Where they straightening them or just refinishing?

At this rate I doubt I can get it done before next Thursday so I'll have to drive to Italy and back with them - that said I think the wheels have been buckled like this from before I bought the car so a couple of extra thousands miles won't make that much of a difference I just can't go for v max down the unrestricted autobahn.

 

[GeoffCapes]

@cheshiremaserati Good call, I'll try them in the morning if they can't do it then I need to buy new metal

@GeoffCapes Where they straightening them or just refinishing?

At this rate I doubt I can get it done before next Thursday so I'll have to drive to Italy and back with them - that said I think the wheels have been buckled like this from before I bought the car so a couple of extra thousands miles won't make that much of a difference I just can't go for v max down the unrestricted autobahn.

Not sure. Give them a call. They’ve done plenty of Masers.

 

[redsonnylee]

Yes Lepsons also refurbished the AC wheels from my 3200 & did a very good job.

 

[Zep]

Prestige wheels in Woburn will refurb and straighten your wheels. They true them, weld any imperfections and then repaint. They have done a good job for me on many occasions.

 

[Mr S]

Give Rimtec a call. They are based on Tanners Drive in Milton Keynes, and did my VX220 rims for me to a very high standard. Iv heard mixed review about Prestine in Woburn, so sought out a different place

 

[FIFTY]

Right lads... I got through to Lepsons and they kindly checked with their technician who does the buckle repairs what they can do.

If the wheel won't fit onto the machine they can straighten it by hand unless the buckle is very severe - one of them is worse than the rest but it looses tyre pressure over 4+ weeks while the other hardly looses pressure over 6 months. That said my partners Scirocco with the stupid 19" rims had a buckle so severe that the tyre went flat in 4-5 days and they was impossible to balance which was repaired on the hydraulic press..

Guess I'll be going with them but no time to get it done before the road trip. The place I took it to yesterday did a full rebalance and its hardly noticeable while cruising or accelerating, slight wobble under deceleration maybe feels like 5-10g out so hardly un-drivable.

I will get the car to them over the autumn months they might as well refurb the alloys in high gloss anthracite while it is there. They come so highly recommended that I trust them to get the job done right.

Thanks for chiming in everyone - sadly this issue does effect all M138 owners as the spigot/bore hole in the centre of the alloy is the same 67.1mm and UK roads are like utter **** so watch out for those potholes and massive creases in the road people!

If anyone was interested I was lusting after these after market alloys but I will stick with the standard ones if they can be repaired: https://www.lkperformance.co.uk/whe...io-corsa-bright?vehicle=700&front-rear=18x8.0

 

[conaero]

If the wheels are loosing air, they are probably cracked, they go on the inside of the rim where its weakest.

If you cant see anything use a strong washing up solution and spray it around the rim and look for bubbling air.

 

[FIFTY]

Going straight for the crack eh Matt?

They are not cracked don't worry... There can be a few reasons for this sort of pressure loss... My old lexus wheels had no paint left inside the wheel where the rim met the tyre so they were always loosing pressure. If the rim has buckled then there is a gap between the tyre wall and the wheel rim causing air to escape. On the O/S front wheel on mine it is clearly buckled when I have the wheel off. You should have seen the scirocco wheel I mentioned it was quite comedic.

 

[cheshiremaserati]

You will be in good hands with Lepsons. I had my Porsche Turbo 2 Hollow Spoke wheels refurbed by them in 2015 (through a third party guy who comes to me take my wheels and puts a loan set on the car and then comes back to re-fit my wheels - he sub contracts the work to Lepsons.
Excellent standard and very capable outfit.

 

[FIFTY]

You will be in good hands with Lepsons. I had my Porsche Turbo 2 Hollow Spoke wheels refurbed by them in 2015 (through a third party guy who comes to me take my wheels and puts a loan set on the car and then comes back to re-fit my wheels - he sub contracts the work to Lepsons.
Excellent standard and very capable outfit.

I have seen many posts on here recommending them with a lot of justifications over why to go with them over others - I recall that is has something to do with them not hanging the alloys when they are being painted therefore the alloy is coated 100% - while others who hang the alloys there will be a small touch of finish missing where the hanger sits on the centre bore and the entire coating will start to unravel with use in the wet from this point..

Next thing to figure out is the logistics, Take the car there is a 130 mile round trip + £50 in fuel or pop the car on axle stands on the drive for 5 days and sling the alloys in the boot of the estate.

 

[zagatoes30]

Give Rimtec a call. They are based on Tanners Drive in Milton Keynes, and did my VX220 rims for me to a very high standard. Iv heard mixed review about Prestine in Woburn, so sought out a different place

Interesting they did a great job on my Spyder including straightening one and I had only heard good things about them RR going in over the next 2 weeks, I am expecting the same great results but we will see.

 

[cheshiremaserati]

I have seen many posts on here recommending them with a lot of justifications over why to go with them over others - I recall that is has something to do with them not hanging the alloys when they are being painted therefore the alloy is coated 100% - while others who hang the alloys there will be a small touch of finish missing where the hanger sits on the centre bore and the entire coating will start to unravel with use in the wet from this point..

Next thing to figure out is the logistics, Take the car there is a 130 mile round trip + £50 in fuel or pop the car on axle stands on the drive for 5 days and sling the alloys in the boot of the estate.

They have arrangements with courier firms to collect. It will mean either having the wheels off on the drive and send wheels with rubber or having an indy do it for you.

 

[Zep]

Give Rimtec a call. They are based on Tanners Drive in Milton Keynes, and did my VX220 rims for me to a very high standard. Iv heard mixed review about Prestine in Woburn, so sought out a different place

I haven't seen the bad reviews for Prestine. I've had 3 sets of wheels done there including the Maser and they have all been bob on. Last time was 3 years ago though.

 

[jemgee]

I need to refurb my 20" wheels. Any advice re keeping them the standard silver colour or going more modern look eg shadow silver. Also is powder coat better than paint and lacquer ?

 

[TimR]

I need to refurb my 20" wheels. Any advice re keeping them the standard silver colour or going more modern look eg shadow silver. Also is powder coat better than paint and lacquer ?

Powder coat is way better...

I say go with Shadow chrome, if it tickles your fancy. It will look spot on with your car . It will add a sloightly more "modern" hue to the design, not entirely out of place on your era car either..just my opinion, of course !

 

[FIFTY]

People in the know use lepsons, I need to send mine off to them before le mans...

They can do all sorts of colours including maserati stock colours for a small extra fee... So Grigio Mercury?

I'm tempted by the stock colour but my preference is high gloss anthracite... I'm not planning on selling the car so not having a stock colour isn't such an issue

 

[ChrisH]

I've often considered the GS 'replicas' for mine... anyone got any pics of 4200s with GS wheels? General verdict on looks... i.e. do they need the surf boards to 'balance' out?

 

[Zep]

Pristine in Woburn Sands did my GS wheels with no problems. But it is a bit of a schlep for you.

 

[Delmonte]

Just buy a new set of 19" Formula Dynamics in gloss black, they are 'da bomb'.... And i think I know someone who might be selling a set in parts forum......