LI-S4

My Aero's were beginning to show signs of wear...after two full summers they were showing swirl marks from washing...no matter how careful I was,sand and grit, as well as brake dust began to leave it's mark on the polished lips...

Here are a few before pics after they were removed mid November...

<img src="http://images8.fotki.com/v148/photos/4/43687/1762959/Aerosbefore022-vi.jpg">

Despite weekly cleaning, they began to get pitted on the uncoated lips. You can see the brake dust that I couldn't remove around the assembly bolts and the space between the centers and the lips...and there were a few minor and one major blemish in the clear coat on the centers, and the barrels, the rear inside of the wheel, were in pretty bad shape..

<img src="http://images8.fotki.com/v146/photos/4/43687/1762959/RearBefore2-vi.jpg">

I sent them to be disassembled, cleaned and refinished. The centers were stripped of clear coat and were then powder coated clear. The powder coating will be far more durable than the clearcoat...

Same wheel, same spoke...no scratch...

<img src="http://images7.fotki.com/v143/photos/4/43687/1762959/P1010031-vi.jpg">

Note that the assembly bots are spotless..the barrels have been cleaned and a brushed finish was applied...even the wheel bolt holes are like new.

The polish on the lips is so brite it is disorienting when you look at the edges...

<img src="http://images7.fotki.com/v141/photos/4/43687/1762959/P10100242-vi.jpg">

I inquired as to the recommended product for keeping the lips clean, and low and behold, my favorite metal polish was the one the machinist recommended! <a href="http://www.emall4antiques.com/simichrome.htm">Simichrome polish</a> has been in my arsenal for a while. It goes on very easy and isn't a bear to remove..it leaves a protective coating on the polished surface as well...

Can't wait till it gets warm!!!

TwinTurboTerror

How much did it cost to get that done?

NYC 911

where did you get that done? was it some where on LI?

LI-S4

$220 per wheel.

Given that they are nearly $800 per when new it was a reasonable amount to spend to maintain them.

The centers will likely never need refishing again...given how durable powder coating is...the lips and barrels might need to be done again every other summer..

LI-S4

He's done Justin's wheels, Paul D.'s wheels and a few other Long Island AW'rs stuff...great work.

TRM

not that great are they?

a rim that expensive and of supposedly "high quality" should not be seeing clear coat issues in only two years.

i'd be pissed.

LI-S4

mine were treated badly by a mechanic with a wild impact wrench.

With the exception of the areas that were mistreated, the finish was fine.

The uncoated areas, inside the barrels, the assembly bolts, and the lips, are subject to owner upkeep...I never cleaned inside, although now I will, and after two years of washing them and dragging dirt etc over the lips, they needed to be polished.

Consider that they are used for eight months of the year, for three seasons, on NY's worst roads...and all they needed were a marks in the clearcoat and a polishing..I think that's pretty good. The were perfectly straight and no damage...just detailing..This is no trailer queen...I use it every day and don't garage it...

Call it what you will...but I am totally ok with it.