Clear coat touch up on alloy wheels

[ol trigger]

I have the factory alloy wheels on an FJ cruiser. Unfortunately, when the wheels are balanced it seems inevitable the clear coat gets chipped when the old weights are removed. I have been touching up the chips with a little dab of clear coat touch up. The touch up is pretty visible but I figure at least the chip is sealed. Any other methods?

Thanks,

Jim

Tulsa

[Setec Astronomy]

I like this method: Go to a tire shop that is more careful. Stick-on weights are usually more friendly than clip-on, unless the tire jockey carelessly pries them off with a screwdriver.



You can go to the Tire Rack website and look at their installer list and you`re likely to find a place that`s a little more used to AR customers. Just don`t expect to find a place that will treat your wheels like you treat them, that`s impossible, lower your expectations to "better than the place you go to now".

[tom p.]

I have the factory alloy wheels on an FJ cruiser. Unfortunately, when the wheels are balanced it seems inevitable the clear coat gets chipped when the old weights are removed. I have been touching up the chips with a little dab of clear coat touch up. The touch up is pretty visible but I figure at least the chip is sealed. Any other methods?





The only comprehensive "fix" is to have the wheel(s) refinished, which may be an extreme remedy.



As Setec mentions, tape-on weights are a solution.



I`ve never been a big fan of touching up with clearcoat in a bottle. IME, the touched up area is often more noticeable than the damage was :wall



Another idea: Get the silver touch up paint for the wheels. I`ve had fairly good success with this strategy and it`s far less noticeable compared to touching up w/clear.

[tmg19103]

Can`t put the weights on the inside?

[ol trigger]

Thanks for the replies. I fought the chips on the clear coat wheels on the last car we had. I like the idea of touch up with silver paint instead of clear coat. I think it would not show as much. I don`t know why they just don`t put weights on the inside.

Thanks again,

Jim

[tom p.]

Many installers just hide the (tape) weights behind the spokes of the wheels. My `08 car is like this from the factory....you can`t see any weights unless you look behind the spokes.



I`ve had real good luck with the silver touch up paint...my wife keeps me very busy with this task :( I was able to order the correct silver paint from one of the on-line touch up paint places...the match is essentially perfect. If you have a lot to do, I like removing the wheel and laying it down flat on the ground so the paint isn`t running off.

[kmjohns]

Have anyone found a good touch up colour match for the FJ OEM alloy wheels? I have chips on mine that I want to fix. I am looking for the right colour. Not sure if you can get it from the dealer. Thanks.

[imported_BobbyG]

In general, the stick on weights are always put on the inside there they`re less noticeable.