Gs450 Wheels Refurbished

[Carl911]

I had a few curb marks and some flaking of paint starting to appear on my wheels so decided it was time to get the wheels sorted before they really started letting the car down.

Trip to 'reinventing the wheel' in tewkesbury, Gloucestershire and a few days later the wheels look like brand new again.

Carl

[wilford777]

They look better than new.

[Carl911]

They look better than new.

I would agree that they actually are. And it was definitely worth the money.

Couple of scuffs in my bumpers to sort and I think the cars just about as pristine as it can be.

Carl

[steveledzep]

Lovely job on the wheels Carl.

As most vehicles come with alloy wheels these days, I suspect the chances of theft are slim.

However, you could further enhance the look of your wheels with these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-TAPER-SEAT-ALLOY-WHEEL-LOCKING-NUTS-LEXUS-GS-RX-LUG-BOLTS-6P-/231134281384?fits=Car+Make%3ALexus&hash=item35d0ad3ea8

I have a set myself on my IS250 and you can't tell there are locking nuts without very close scrutiny.

[Carl911]

Lovely job on the wheels Carl.

As most vehicles come with alloy wheels these days, I suspect the chances of theft are slim.

However, you could further enhance the look of your wheels with these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-TAPER-SEAT-ALLOY-WHEEL-LOCKING-NUTS-LEXUS-GS-RX-LUG-BOLTS-6P-/231134281384?fits=Car+Make:Lexus&hash=item35d0ad3ea8

I have a set myself on my IS250 and you can't tell there are locking nuts without very close scrutiny.

It's funny you should mention these as someone was only saying to me the other day that the rusty looking bolt lets the wheels down.

Thanks for the link, I may look to invest in a set.

[Carl911]

And if you ever wanted to know what these wheels look like without the trims the answer is not so nice...

[crow1342]

they look amazing carl .if you dont mind me asking what was the cost

[Carl911]

they look amazing carl .if you dont mind me asking what was the cost

They cost £100 per wheel, that includes vat.

You can find cheaper but I tried cheaper before and the started deteriating after only a year or so, so the phrase you get what you pay for is certainly true.

The wheels get stripped right back to the metal and acid bathed to remove any corrosion.

I would argue that they are better than original spec and the finish is nothing short of perfect.

I imagine if you bought just one of these wheels new from Lexus it would set you back that sort of money.

The trims are not replaced in that price, mine aren't too bad anyway and a little clean of the trims and they look fine.

If you wanted to replace the trims as well they will set you back £32 each from Lexus, just £640 for all 20..ouch.

Carl

[Carl911]

I know that some of you were discusted at the rusty locking wheel nuts on my newly refurbished wheels.

After much consideration I took note a d fitted some nice new ones.

Hope this is more acceptable-lol

[hybridbatterysolutions]

Hi Carl - I am having my wheels refurbed can i ask how you got the chrome fingers out ?? I have taken the nuts off but can only get movement on one end of each????

 

Thanks

Rich

[Carl911]

17 minutes ago, hybridbatterysolutions said:

Hi Carl - I am having my wheels refurbed can i ask how you got the chrome fingers out ?? I have taken the nuts off but can only get movement on one end of each????

 

Thanks

Rich

Hi rich, you need to take the wheel off and they unscrew from the inside of the wheel. 

Carl

[Britprius]

Excellent job Carl.

The wheels on my car had been refurbished when I bought it, but it is so easy to damage the totally unprotected rims. After one years driving I have a couple of small chips in both nearside wheels. My previous car a Prius had the same problem that was cured by going up one size of tyre from 195/55/16 to 205/55/16. The Prius was unusual in that the wheels although alloys still had plastic (expensive) wheel trims.

Has anyone tried using 255/40/18's, 265/40/18's to widen the tyres or 245/45/18's to raise the rim slightly tyres to help protect the rims. I know some tyres come with so called rim protectors, but they are designed to protect the rims when driving up a kerb at right angles. Using tyres that are wider than the rims you feel the tyre touch the kerb if you are maneuvering slowly, and damage can then be avoided.

John. 

[Carl911]

Those little chrome bits are £25+vat each if you should consider replacing any.

mine are fine other than in a few places some laquer appears to have come off. 

I have some spare ones I need to experiment with some time, e.g. Remove laquer and see if I can re- laquer them. 

I was actually mad enough to replace a few of the worst ones with new when I refurbed my wheels. 

Carl

[hybridbatterysolutions]

1 hour ago, Carl911 said:

Hi rich, you need to take the wheel off and they unscrew from the inside of the wheel. 

Carl

Yeah i have done that Carl & taken all the 10mm nuts off them at the back but cant seem to get them off???

Rich

[hybridbatterysolutions]

3 minutes ago, hybridbatterysolutions said:

Yeah i have done that Carl & taken all the 10mm nuts off them at the back but cant seem to get them off???

Rich

Is there something i am missing??

[Hangie]

Those trims are they aluminium or plastic. Aluminium can be easily galvanised again to get nice fresh chrome. If there are plastic it is not so easy as it is not conducting electricity.

[Britprius]

10 minutes ago, Hangie said:

Those trims are they aluminium or plastic. Aluminium can be easily galvanised again to get nice fresh chrome. If there are plastic it is not so easy as it is not conducting electricity.

They are metal but I do not think they are alloy. I'll go and check with a magnet in the morning.

John

[Carl911]

1 hour ago, hybridbatterysolutions said:

Yeah i have done that Carl & taken all the 10mm nuts off them at the back but cant seem to get them off???

Rich

Hmm, it wasabout a year ago but I only recall removing the two nuts then tapping them off. I will take a quick look at one in the morning that I removed to see if I'm forgetting anything.

[hybridbatterysolutions]

Very many thanks

[Hangie]

2 hours ago, Britprius said:

They are metal but I do not think they are alloy. I'll go and check with a magnet in the morning.

John

It doesn't matter if they are alloy or not they must conduct electricity :) 

in my case previous owner decided to over paint chrome bits with silver paint....

i was thinking about putting chrome back onto them so if they are conductive it should be quite simple and most probably cheaper than buying new ones. 

[Britprius]

1 minute ago, Hangie said:

It doesn't matter if they are alloy or not they must conduct electricity :) 

in my case previous owner decided to over paint chrome bits with silver paint....

i was thinking about putting chrome back onto them so if they are conductive it should be quite simple. 

Yes I realise that the plating process is done by electrolysis and for this they need to be conductive. I was answering the question if they were plastic or aluminium, and I believe they are neither. Electroplating is a simple process.

John

[Carl911]

13 hours ago, hybridbatterysolutions said:

Is there something i am missing??

I checked one of my spares and definately only two nuts to remove. I can only imagine that yours have become slightly stuck on the seal. Probably a light tap on the end of he threads will shift it. 

Also, it is slightly magnetic so either it is metal or else it's chrome plating has some magnetism, not sure if that is possible if a plastic is chromed?

See picture below of removed trim.

[hybridbatterysolutions]

Mine must be well seized in then because I have given them more than a light tap believe me

Think I will try again now they have soaked in wd40 or a light heating, thanks so much for doing the photo least I know I am not missing anything 

Rich

[BarneyTT]

Your wheels look great Carl, did you leave the car with them or drop the wheels off?

[Carl911]

4 minutes ago, BarneyTT said:

Your wheels look great Carl, did you leave the car with them or drop the wheels off?

I still have the car and when I sent the wheels for Refurb the company removed all the trims then returned the alloy wheel and refitted them afterwards. Trouble is some of the trims let the overall finish down hence why I replaced a few of the worst trims with new ones. I was going to try and Refurb a trim sometime to see how they come up given there new replacement price.

carl