It’s easy to be sceptical about anyone who says they’re revolutionising tyre design. After all, they are literally trying to re-invent the wheel. Yet if you’re convinced that there’s nothing left to innovate in the world of rubber, tread depth and air pressure, then this AutoExpress article is well worth a read.

In it, the journalists travel to Goodyear in Luxembourg in order to view the latest tyre developments and sneak a peak at the wheels of the future. As they discover, what Goodyear have produced in recent years is already miraculous: the BH-03, for example uses the movement and heat of the tyre to generate electricity, which created the potential for on-board electronics to gather and transmit data about the road and tyre conditions.

But it’s what they still have in store that’s truly impressive. In 20-30 years the company believes that its Eagle 360 tyre design, which has a spherical shape and a brain that moulds its bionic skin to suit the road surface, will actually be in production.

Between now and then, however, the company expects to see the development of smaller tyres carrying heavier loads, due to the proliferation of battery packs, as well as an increase in chip-in-tyre technology to aid the advancements in automated vehicles. The latter also could spell the end of humans having to worry about checking and maintaining their own tyres, leading to much safer driving conditions for everyone on the road.

Lastly, the article features a fascinating insight into how the company designs and manufactures new tread patterns, a process which takes about two years from start to finish. It’s worth reading to get a sense of how much hard work goes into crafting every inch of your tyre – and it certainly makes you appreciate the four rubber rings that help you get from A to B every day!

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It’s a great question and Diamond Alloys is on hand to help you decide.

Most guidelines suggest summers tyres should be used from April to October. Summer tyres maximum safety performance is achieved at 7+ Celsius degrees where the compounds and the tyre design allow good grip and handling on both wet and dry roads (well it is Britain!). Applying summer tyres will also enhance your driving experience by offering more comfort and lower noise due to resistance and roll which are reduced with summer tyres. You’ll also enjoy a longer tyre life and improved fuel efficiency along with better mileage and steering stability results.

Take note, new summer tyres come with a tread depth of 8 mm. If they fall lower than this the wet grip of summer tyres is reduced. The minimum legal depth in the UK is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread width and around the entire circumference of the tyre. Tread depth that is too low will increase the risk of aquaplaning and can increase your stopping distance so ensure you check them regularly. If they need changing, don’t delay, contact to Diamond Alloys and we will find the right tyres at the right price to meet your budget.

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Car insurance is no-one’s favourite topic, particularly when it comes to situations that might require you to fork out more money. Yet if you’re considering adding alloy wheels to your car, or buying a new car that already has alloy wheels attached, then there are several insurance-related issues you need to consider.

Whichever way you look at it, the sad reality is that alloy wheels will probably increase your premiums. This is because they’re considered a premium product and they’re more easily defaced by kerbing, minor scrapes and general environmental factors. Not only does this mean they may need repair or replacement more often, but scuffed alloy wheels can even lower the resale value of a car.

The good news, however, is that most everyday types of alloy wheels shouldn’t actually raise your premiums by that much. The consumer advice website MoneySupermarket, for example, estimates that alloys should only raise premiums by around 8%, whereas modifications like spoilers will bump you up 23%, specialised paintwork 36% and turbocharging a whopping 132%! Even having a car phone will raise your premiums higher, as it apparently increases the chance of your car being broken into.

So what should you do if you think you might need insurance for your new alloys? Every circumstance is different, but in general it’s a good idea to:

– Be honest with insurers. Some companies don’t raise premiums for minor modifications on your car, and being honest about what you have means that they have no excuse not to pay out if anything does go wrong. Remember that not declaring a modification could also invalidate your policy.

– Shop around. The growth of comparison sites has created a very competitive market and it can be possible to find a much cheaper quote by looking around a little.

– Look out for the small print. Some companies stipulate that they’ll only insure certain types of alloys, and have different ideas about what a reasonable excess should be.

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After a thorough wash your wheels might now look spotless, but there’s sadly still the chance there may be residual break dust and another corrosive elements attached to the paint. In this last blog winter care regime blog we look at one of the ways to ensure your alloys are absolutely pristine – even at the level undetectable by the human eye.
Clay detailing is a brilliant technique that guarantees great results – although its still relatively unknown by the car-driving community at large. Simple use of a clay bar provides not only a deep shine but also gives you peace of mind that pollution has been banished from your alloys.

Wheel detailing clay usually comes in a bar, and feels a bit like putty when you first touch it. All you need is one of these bars, available from shops like Halfords, plus a suitable lubricant (which you’ll find usually next to the clay in the shop) and you’re ready to clean your alloys like they’ve never been cleaned before. The trick is to only use a portion of the clay bar at a time – that way it’s easier to work in between the spokes, and if you drop it you still have a supply of clean clay to use!

After spraying a small amount of lubricant on the area of focus (it’s best to do the wheel in segments), just flatten the clay over your fingers and gently rub it over the wheel. Make sure you cover every area, and pay particular attention to any black spots. You’ll be amazed at how much dirt you see transferred to the clay! You can fold the clay over to create a new ‘clean’ surface, but don’t do this if it falls onto the ground – you may have picked up bits of grit that will scratch the alloy.
Once you’ve made a couple of passes over the area with the clay, give it another quick spray with the lubricant or a similar detailer and hey presto! Perfectly clean alloys. All you have to do now is give them a final wax or polish, depending on what’s more suitable for your wheels, and they’ll be as good as new.

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While you can just have a go at cleaning your wheels with whatever you’ve got lying around in the shed, if you want to establish a good cleaning regime you might as well go the whole hog and stock up on a proper kit. Here’s everything you need to ensure you can keep your alloys in tip-top condition.

Wheel and Tire Cleaner
The main thing to look for when selecting a cleaner is that it’s safe for your type of wheels. Beyond that, it’s a good idea to find a de-greaser that’s specifically designed for detailing – remember that it’s always better to buy two specific products than one catch-all, as all-in-one products can include harmful chemicals or produce less-than-perfect effects.

Wheel and Tire Brushes
Alloys can be very susceptible to scratches, meaning that it’s imperative that you find a soft brush that won’t damage your wheels. For tyre brushes, look for the opposite: a firm brush that’s flexible enough to contour to the tyre wall. This will save your wrists aching as you scrub the tyre surface, and make the job quicker. Whatever you do, DON’T use a tyre brush on the wheel, as you could cause serious damage.

Wheel  Detailing Clay
Detailing clay is amazing stuff that can remove the stuck-on contaminants that are present even after regular washing. It’s worth having some of this in your washing arsenal for those moments where you despair at ever getting the wheels clean – this will cheer you up in an instant!

Buckets
It may sound obvious, but you’ll need somewhere to put the water! You’ll need at least two – one for clean water, one for dirty.

We’ll show you how to put these tools to good use in the next blog.

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Winter is on its way, and the harsher weather conditions mean that it’s time to step up your wheel cleaning regime to ensure your alloys stay pristine through the coming cold months.

To help you, we’re publishing a series of blogs outlining how to get the most from your cleaning process, including a series of easy – and affordable! – steps that are perfect for those who are just learning how to care for alloys for the first time.

In this blog we talk about brake dust – the scourge of alloys everywhere! – and what you can do to protect your wheels before winter sets in.

Brake dust is something that affects all alloy wheels, regardless of their shape and size. It is the product of the friction between the brake disks and brake pads – friction which produces dust that flies off and sticks to your rims. Because the dust is corrosive, ugly and difficult to remove, brake dust is best tackled as soon as it’s spotted.

Unlike normal dust, removing it takes quite a bit of effort – because the dust is actually a mixture of carbon fibre, metal and glue that is heated to a very high temperature. Because of this, it sticks hard to your rims and starts corroding the protective coatings instantly, a process that only increases as time goes by because the metal filings oxidise and initiate a process of galvanic corrosion. To cut a long story short, left unchecked brake dust can actually compromise the structural integrity of your rim.

Fortunately, there are three common methods of controlling brake dust. These are:

1. Fit low dust brake pads to your car.

There are a variety of aftermarket options available here – simply look for ones with Kevlar-based compounds or high metal content compounds. Ask for advice if you’re not sure.

2. Fit dust shields to your rims.

These are pretty much what it says on the tin – shields that hide the rim from the brake calipers, while not getting in the way of ventilation. Please note that these aren’t suitable for high performance cars, and many people don’t like the way they look.

3. Stick to a proper wheel care regime.

This is the best way to keep your alloys in tip-top condition, and we’ll bring you washing and care tips in our coming blogs.

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Ever wonder how we straighten your bent alloy wheels? Or perhaps you’re a budding alloy technician? Either way our short clip is for you. This film, shot in our workshop very recently, shows a technician straightening an alloy wheel using high precision equipment.

The aim of the process is of course to restore the wheel to a perfect circle, and to do so without causing a wheel crack which can often happen in these circumstances. In the film you can see the immense care and precision taken over the repair, and it’s worth remembering that this is just a small segment of a very lengthy process!

We’d be happy to answer any questions you have about how we straighten alloy wheels, just give us a call on 0845 370 8881 and ask to speak to one of our experts.

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Split rim alloys, where the wheel is comprised of separate parts of aluminium, are often a thing of beauty. Despite liking their look, however, many people are put off adding split rims to their car because the complexity of the wheel means they are difficult to repair.

Here at Diamond Alloys we have many experts who are practiced in working on split rims, and would like to reassure you that repairs are in fact possible. We use high precision techniques such as diamond cutting to effect substantive repairs without any aesthetic change to the wheel, in a process that delicately and meticulously takes care of all the different parts of your alloy.

Particularly in the case of split rims, repairs are cheaper than the cost of replacements and deliver equally good results, often in a matter of just 48 hours. If you’re thinking of buying split rims and want advice, or need to know what services we can offer for damaged existing wheels, then simply call us today on 0845 370 8881 or get a quick quote on-line.

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