New Mickey Thompsons are screwed up....

[John E Davies]

My 2 week old Classic II alloys have gotten pockmarked from the residual deicer fluid on the streets here in Spokane, in spite of a heavy coat of wax. The Discount Tire guys were pretty appalled at the sight and are working with the manufacturer to take them back. Theoretically there is no cosmetic warranty, but I think the metal alloy is screwed up to react so rapidly to normal road chemicals. The spots actually contained powdery white aluminum corrosion - it wasn't just surface spotting. There was no way an aluminum polish could take out the spots (they tried).

It took me a year to decide what wheels to buy and I really like the looks - I am just afraid they will dissolve in a year or two. I don't want the weight of steel wheels, though they would be easier to refinish if they got buggered.

So, has anyone successfully rattle-can painted aluminum wheels? I am leery of the primer not bonding - what would I use - zinc chromate? I don't want to spend $500 getting my 5 wheels professionally painted or powdercoated, but I have had excellent results with DupliColor aerosol wheel paint. If I could be assured the paint would stay on, I would just run these MT wheels until they get gross and then paint them myself.

Discount Tire may return my $$ or sell me some different wheels - any suggestions in a smilar-looking alloy wheel that won't dissolve?
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/Mickey_Thompson_001bmedium.jpg

BTW, the winter here has been extremely dry, but the city has been pumping tons of deicer on the streets and it hasn't had a chance to get diluted - I drove only 3 blocks on a street that the city had "washed" and this is the result.

What do you guys in snow country do when it's too mild for winter wheels but there are still chemicals around on the streets?

Sign me Bewildered. John

 

[cruiserdan]

Powder coat them?

 

[ryanjl]

I'd have them powder coated with a glossy clear if you want to keep the aluminum look. Of course, you'd have to do it before any more damage happens.

 

[macneill]

I vote powdercoating too.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

You could teflon coat'em too.

I've got a friend who offered to do mine for nothing and that's why I'm considering it.

 

[syrinxstar]

Teflon is a very soft material, especially for this application. I wouldn't expect it to stick around for long.

 

[Cruisin'Carolina]

Would't just clear-coating work? I mean I know clear-powder would be best, but $$$....

Seems like I saw some clear rattle can-teflon type stuff that pitched less brake-dust adhesion, very low-buck

 

[e9999]

return them and get something better

 

[Rich]

...any suggestions in a smilar-looking alloy wheel that won't dissolve?...

Same recommendation as before, Weld forged aluminum wheels. Another reason forged is superior is that they tend to be much more resistant to corrosion. They are also lighter and stronger.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=363354&postcount=13

 

[IdahoDoug]

Hey, if you want forged aluminum, go factory. The LC wheels are unusual in that they are forged aluminum - not cast.

DougM

 

[Rich]

Doug, are you quite certain that they are forged? On mine, where the wheels are smooth they have been machined, and between the spokes where they are not machined the surface texture looks like a sand casting.

 

[reffug]

return them and get something better

can't believe I'm agreeing with e but if that happened that quickly I too would return them and get something better/else.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Yep, factory alloys are forged.

DougM

 

[sixty]

I thought the Mickey Thopson wheels were made by Alcoa. Standard Alcoa's are the best corrosion resistant wheels I've seen, thats why you see them on tons of semi's & they still look really good. Over here they are popular because they don't get attacked by salt.

Maybe you just got some bad alloy. check into Alcoa's or get them powder coated every few years (depending on offroad use)

 

[ginericLC]

I feel like a vulture for saying this but if you are going to sell them I'm interested. Cosmetics aren't important to me. Also, you might get with a semi truck place. They acid wash their wheels. After acid washing them you might be able to get them cleared. I would think Discount would have to take them back. I mean it wouldn't be good business sense for them to not take them back. They have pull with the tire/wheel companies. They can do anything they want to make the customer happy. I have the Eagle Alloy 589 which is more like the Mickey Thompson one. They are holding their finish nicely. However, they have never been exposed to any road chemicals that I know of, there only flaws came from rock rash.

 

[ginericLC]

Oh and they are using Teflon on the new AR wheels. Not sure if it will last, but AR seems to think so.

 

[John E Davies]

I talked to Discount Tire today and they are going to take back all 5 of the wheels in spite of the negative phone call with Mickey Thompson, the manufacturer. MT just flat out said that no damage due to road chemicals would be warrantied.

Discount Tire is getting me 5 new OEM Toyota alloys. The old MT wheels will be at their store - I don't know what they will do with them, but if anyone wants them they can make an offer to them, not me. The corrosion damage is limited to the rims of the two rear wheels, and they could easily be sanded out and repolished. If you live in a part of the country that doesn't use corrosive crap on the streets they would be fine. The deicer here in WA just eats them for dinner and spits out the remains ;(

It won't be until next late week that I get the new wheels. I really like the looks of the Classic IIs - I am pretty bummed that I can't use them.

Discount Tire
Spokane WA
509-927-8210

John Davies

 

[ginericLC]

John,

Were they 16x8s? I'm on a real budget hunt for some wheels for my 91. I foolishly sold my wheels and tires not realizing that 16/17" wheels were so expensive.

 

[John E Davies]

John,

Were they 16x8s? I'm on a real budget hunt for some wheels for my 91. I foolishly sold my wheels and tires not realizing that 16/17" wheels were so expensive.

Yep, 16x8 with 3 5/8 inch backspacing. They stick out about 1 inch further on each side than oem.

http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/page4h.htm

John

 

[ginericLC]

Perfect wheels for me, however I talked to salesperson and he an no one else knew what I was talking about. Do you have a particular salesperson you were working with? The guy I talked to was what I've found typical at Discount Tire, he was a real jerk!