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Weird Wheel Burn problem revisited

927 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  Bruce R., 
P
I saw in a thread a while ago someone posting about having strange burn like marks on the outer rim of their wheels:

http://forums.mbnz.org/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1198047&posts=20&hl=clearcoat+burn

I just noticed a similar (but much worse) problem on one of my winter wheels (right front).

pics are below. I checked my tire pressure and it was low (like 22) and bumped it up to 34, but all 4 wheels were low (forgot to check them when i took of the summer ones [xx(]) but this problem only occured on the front right. I also noticed the car seems to vibrate at higher speeds (like one of the rims might be bent?). Any ideas?

PT

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Bruce R.
That is filliform (sp?) corrosion, not a rim "burn" ...

Corrosion has worked it's way under the clearcoat and will continue to do so with little worm like trails.
The only repair is to clean off the protective coating, clean off the corrosion and recoat the wheel. It's a job best left to the professionals.
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Bruce R.
Not to argue with you, but unfortunately chrome plating has some strong shortfalls as well. If not properly handled after the plating, plating will weaken the aluminum alloy in the casting, from what I understand, as much as 30%. TUV doesn't allow it in most European wheels made for Mercedes. The ones you see here in the States are done in the States, and there are no guarantees that they were done "right".
I understand there is one exception, an older Benz in the SL Class, can't remember which one tho'.
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Bruce R.
It's called hydrogen embrittlement in steel, and I believe it's a similar problem in aluminum.
High strength steel has to be baked at 400 deg. F for a period of time to release the hydrogen post plating, or the steel is weakened substantially. I'm not as familiar with aluminum, but I'm told the failure mode is similar.
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