corrosion inside the wheel

**JayTA98** · 06-18-2012, 12:43 PM

Well I found a flat on my TA last Saturday. I got to use for the 1st time in life the stylish donut spare. So i fill the tire up and I can't find any nails or holes on the thread. I put some soapy water and I found 3 leaks. All 3 are between the lip of the rim and the tire(where the tire ring sits). One leak is on the front and two are on the back. I take it back to the tire shop since they are michellin pilots and I wanted to make sure the tire is not defective. The guys at the shop are real nice and pulled the tire out. I go back there to look at the wheel. The inside of the rim is very corroded. The chrome is peeling off badly. The corrosion spread to the lip part in the wheel were the tire sits. The guy told me he can try to use a wire brush and scrub most of the corrosion out of the lip and see if it will seal. It did. I really need to get a new rim. I would like to buy new rims but its kinda out of the picture right now. I would love some black rims.

My question is how did this corrosion started? Is there anyway to prevent it? I have to search locally for a set or at least one chrome rim to get this one replaced.

**98TransAmWs-6** · 06-25-2012, 10:55 AM

How long have you had those tires? I wonder if the tire was put on improperly in the first place and water seeped under it and ended up corroding it since there was no way for it to dry off. You could try very slightly grinding the rust off or have a machine shop do it, if a wire brush doesn't do it. Another option would be some coke (yes I said coke like the drink it reacts with rust and dissolves it and loosens it up) and some really fine sand paper. Follow these steps:

Get a bucket big enough to put the wheel in.
Place the wheel in the bucket. Pour enough coke in there to submerge the wheel. Let it soak for a while, like an hour or so. Take it out and rinse it off, a lot of the rust should be gone. Take a wire brush and or some very fine sand paper (or maybe even very fine steel wool)and soak them in the coke and brush/sand the corrosion remaining. Then wash the wheel off and let it dry.

This should fix your problem.

**cammed goat** · 06-25-2012, 03:30 PM

What I have experienced in my years as a tech is the air compressors some shops use DO NOT drain the water from the compressor tank. Water pools up in the compressor tank and is transfered through the line into the tire upon inflation, causing the corrosion. This also destroys air tools. Ask me how I know.

They should be able to take a die grinder with a scotchbrite disc, or a few, and grind down the loose chrome plating/corrosion.

I HATE chrome plated rims. This shit always happens.

Let us know how you make out.

**tatertot91** · 06-25-2012, 03:59 PM

Previous owner most likely fixed a flat using Slime fix-a-flat. I've seen that stuff eat through chrome.

**JayTA98** · 06-25-2012, 05:00 PM

Thanks for teh replies guys. I took it back to the shop. They were able to clean some of the rust off and it sealed fine. I was warned about this corroded wheel 2 ys ago when I bought my 1st tires. The guy showed to me and I knew it will be an issue later. So far is been good. I tried to buy a set of used ones but nobody is answering my emails. I guess I have to start saving some money for a new set of wheels in the future. i'm not really a big wheel guy and im happy with the current ones.

**tatertot91** · 06-25-2012, 05:22 PM

I was recommended a chrome company in orlando, not sure if they do wheels but maybe a rechrome might be worth it in the future if you're not crazy about new wheels. Not a lot of companies do wheels so finding someone to do it at a decent price might be a little tough

**JayTA98** · 06-25-2012, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by tatertot91

I was recommended a chrome company in orlando, not sure if they do wheels but maybe a rechrome might be worth it in the future if you're not crazy about new wheels. Not a lot of companies do wheels so finding someone to do it at a decent price might be a little tough

yeah I agree. I don't think I will rechrome. I will most likely invest in a set of wheel if I cant find a replacement. I will like 2 wheels so I can keep a spare in the garage. I'm tired of the donut wheel.

**JayTA98** · 06-25-2012, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by 98TransAmWs-6

How long have you had those tires? I wonder if the tire was put on improperly in the first place and water seeped under it and ended up corroding it since there was no way for it to dry off. You could try very slightly grinding the rust off or have a machine shop do it, if a wire brush doesn't do it. Another option would be some coke (yes I said coke like the drink it reacts with rust and dissolves it and loosens it up) and some really fine sand paper. Follow these steps:

Get a bucket big enough to put the wheel in.
Place the wheel in the bucket. Pour enough coke in there to submerge the wheel. Let it soak for a while, like an hour or so. Take it out and rinse it off, a lot of the rust should be gone. Take a wire brush and or some very fine sand paper (or maybe even very fine steel wool)and soak them in the coke and brush/sand the corrosion remaining. Then wash the wheel off and let it dry.

This should fix your problem.

Thanks 98. I will have to have the tire remove to do this. So I guess if it gets flat again I will try it. Will this stop the future corrosion from coming back?

**98TransAmWs-6** · 06-25-2012, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by JayTA98

Thanks 98. I will have to have the tire remove to do this. So I guess if it gets flat again I will try it. Will this stop the future corrosion from coming back?

I don't think it will prevent it exactly, I mean once the corrosion is removed and the tire seals properly it shouldn't happen again. But with that said I would coat it with something to prevent it for sure. Maybe something similar to POR 15 but that is clear or w/e color if you don't care.

**JayTA98** · 10-22-2012, 03:47 PM

update: well is been a while and finally found a wheel to replace the corroded one. I found a guy selling two used chrome wheels. They were in decent shape one of them same some curb rash and the other doesn't. They had some flaking going on in the outside part that goes into the hub the seller sand it down and repaint them silver. They look like are holding good. Its not really a big issue for me since you can't see it from the outside. The inside part where the tire sits is in excellent condition.

The old wheel has more corrosion that I had expected. I started to clean some of the flaking off and dremel some of the arear to get it as clean as posible. I'm intereset to clean it up and put some rustoleum or some good paint on it and maybe sell it with the extra wheel or by itself on CL.

Will rustoleum help and hold up good if everything is clean? I forgot to try the soda to clean most or the corrosion off...

**98TransAmWs-6** · 10-22-2012, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by JayTA98

update: well is been a while and finally found a wheel to replace the corroded one. I found a guy selling two used chrome wheels. They were in decent shape one of them same some curb rash and the other doesn't. They had some flaking going on in the outside part that goes into the hub the seller sand it down and repaint them silver. They look like are holding good. Its not really a big issue for me since you can't see it from the outside. The inside part where the tire sits is in excellent condition.

The old wheel has more corrosion that I had expected. I started to clean some of the flaking off and dremel some of the arear to get it as clean as posible. I'm intereset to clean it up and put some rustoleum or some good paint on it and maybe sell it with the extra wheel or by itself on CL.

Will rustoleum help and hold up good if everything is clean? I forgot to try the soda to clean most or the corrosion off...

I would think rustoleum would hold up but if it were me I would use this:

http://www.por15.com/SUPER-STARTER-KIT/productinfo/SSKB/

It is a rust killer system. It includes a cleaner, a rust neutralizer solution, and rust preventative paint. The paint you can get in black, semi-gloss black, silver, grey, and clear.

**JayTA98** · 10-24-2012, 04:47 AM

Thanks 98, i will check the kit out specially if I decide to keep it. The main issue im looking at is that one of the areas is at the lip where the tire sits. I cleaned alot of the chrome out to have access to the corrosion but is getting really close to the edge and there is still some more corrosion underneath the chrome. Over time it will get out to the outer lip. I will finish cleaning it up today and i will post some pics. The extra rim is clean inside the tire area but it has some curb rash so i don't think i want to use it unless is my only option.

**98TransAmWs-6** · 10-24-2012, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by JayTA98

Thanks 98, i will check the kit out specially if I decide to keep it. The main issue im looking at is that one of the areas is at the lip where the tire sits. I cleaned alot of the chrome out to have access to the corrosion but is getting really close to the edge and there is still some more corrosion underneath the chrome. Over time it will get out to the outer lip. I will finish cleaning it up today and i will post some pics. The extra rim is clean inside the tire area but it has some curb rash so i don't think i want to use it unless is my only option.

Yeah if it is under the chrome it will rust through unless you sand the chrome off to get to the rust and treat it. You could get the wheel sand blasted and then treat it. That way the paint is stripped and you could then put a fresh later of paint over the preventative.

**JayTA98** · 11-09-2012, 07:31 AM

well to my surprise. I had a leak on my other front tire. When i took to the shop same issue... excessive corrosion. I guess I better save some money and invest on a new set of wheels. I'm going to fix the 1st one out as best as i can and then fix this wheel as well. I hope the back ones are good.

**98TransAmWs-6** · 11-10-2012, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by JayTA98

well to my surprise. I had a leak on my other front tire. When i took to the shop same issue... excessive corrosion. I guess I better save some money and invest on a new set of wheels. I'm going to fix the 1st one out as best as i can and then fix this wheel as well. I hope the back ones are good.

Damn that sucks man. You can buy my wheels

probably not though since most people don't like 20s.

**cammed goat** · 11-11-2012, 10:31 AM

Here's another option, find a body shop with a bead blaster and see if they can blast the insides of your wheels of the peeling plating/corrosion. Can't hurt.