We’re always telling you about the manufacturer’s specifications, and how you should use them to determine what tyres and alloys will fit your car best. To make life easier, we’ve compiled a quick guide to what all the numbers and letters mean, which will all be located in the same place on a standard tyre wall. These are essential statistics to know when you’re thinking about buying new wheels and alloys, so it’s worth familiarising yourself with them now.

Aspect ratio
This is simply how the width of the tyre relates to its height. Only the sidewall height is taken into account, so this measurement should be taken from a section and not of how high the tyre stands on the ground.

Aspect ratio is expressed as a percentage, so a tyre with an aspect ratio of 60 will have a height that is equal to 60% of its width. Low profile tyres therefore have lower aspect ratio numbers.

Load index
This number refers to how much weight the tyre can safely carry. You need to look up this number in a tyre load index table, which will tell you how your number converts to a number in kilograms. When buying new tyres, always ensure that you buy those with a load index suitable for your car, otherwise you might not be going anywhere fast!

R
If you see R on your tyre it stands for ‘radial’. Almost every consumer tyre you’ll come across these days is radial rather than cross-ply construction, but it’s still important to check as you should never mix the two styles.

Rim diameter
This is simply the size of the wheel that the tyre will fit onto. Whatever number you find on your tyre, it will be measured in inches.

Section width
This is the width of the tyre’s tread, measured in millimetres. It’s the other figure used to calculate aspect ratio.

Speed rating
This is, perhaps surprisingly, a letter not a number. It should be a figure between H and Z on the alphabet and corresponds to how fast your tyre can go. S, for example, is limited to 112MPH. Check your letter and then look it up on a tyre speed rating table – this will ensure you stay safe on the road. A quick note on the letter Z. This will appear alongside another speed rating (which will give you a more specific figure) and simply means your car can travel at speeds of more than 150MPH – so you’ll see this a lot on supercar tyres!

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Most of our customers come to Diamond Alloys to have both minor and major kerbing damage fixed. However, out technicians are trained to carefully check wheels to ensure they are sound in addition to recommending any repairs if necessary.

This VW Golf Monza client was aware that he had kerbing damage to all wheels in addition to buckles on two, something we were able to repair and refurbish all at the same time on site ensuring a speeding service was met.

After a good clean and some extensive work in our prep room the alloy wheels were ready to be powder coated before the stunning anthracite colour paint was applied. A Diamond Cut finished the look before the protective lacquer was applied. The finished look really shows off the design of the alloy with anthracite inner and shiny cut metal face.

The customer was well looked after (as was his car) and advisor Dali showed him images of previous cars that have had our prestige valet service. He was impressed and requested his car also received the Diamond Alloys premium valet service ensuring his car was looking spectacular both inside and out. On receipt of his car the clients said how great his car looked impressed with the finish.

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A flat tyre is, let’s face it, a huge inconvenience. However, even though it’s unsightly and – far more importantly – severely affects your driving performance, a large amount of people still choose to drive long distances on these tyres. To stop you from succumbing to the same temptation, we’ve put together a handy list of reasons why this isn’t such a good idea. Remember to check your tyres frequently for any signs of a puncture – as well as being caused by your driving over a sharp object, punctures can occur from natural friction or indeed from vandalism, so it pays to be cautious.

1. Your control of the car decreases dramatically, particularly at high speeds. This not only puts you and your passengers at risk, but also everyone around you.
2. Your ability to stop is compromised. Again, this is just dangerous.
3. You run the risk of having a more serious accident. If your tyre shreds completely under the pressure, for example, you may lose control of the car or affect other vehicles with the debris.
4. Driving slowly only works for so long. In a hurry? Annoying other road users? You’ll suddenly find that driving very slowly to save your tyre really isn’t worth it.
5. Buying new tyres can be quicker and much less expensive than you think. Diamond Alloys provide top-quality tyres for a range of wheels, as well as advice on how to avoid future punctures!

If you’ve got an issue with your tyres or wheels that’s holding you back, call us for more information on how we can help you get back on the road – at full speed.

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Take a look at the before and after pictures of these 2008 VW Golf GTi alloy wheels and you can see how a refurbishment can eradicate all signs of kerbing and damage caused by parking too close to the kerb. The damage on these rims were severe, but our skilled technicians were able to produce a stunning finish by following the following steps:

1 Chemical Stripping
At Diamond Alloys we believe it is important to chemically back strip the alloys, which removes any paint and lacquer and allows us to inspect the metal of the rim. At this stage, we are able to check for other damage that might have occurred like cracks and minor dents. It also gives us a bare surface to start the rest of the preparation and painting.

2 Prepping the Rims
This is an essential part of the process. It is time consuming and labour intensive, but the attention applied here will ensure there is a sound surface to work from. Our guys rub the entire surface of the wheel, including every single nook and cranny to achieve a sound base.

3 Powder Coat
Not all alloy wheel repair companies will powder coat alloys, but it is an essential part of the process. Using our state of the art modern an efficient powder booth, our painters apply an even and smooth base coat.

4 Base Coat
After the alloys have been powder coated and baked a base coat of dark grey paint is applied.

5 Diamond Cutting
The face of the rim is diamond cut on site, cutting away a thin layer to reveal the metal to achieve a beautiful finish that features painted inserts that really shows off the design of the alloy wheel. Finally a coat of lacquer is applied to protect the alloy from the elements for a longer life.

Our customer Richard Morecroft was extremely happy with the finished alloys. In addition he also had a prestige valet done on his car while it was with us; inside and out, so that his car was immaculate on his return. Richard was also very happy with this additional service.

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Our London based alloy wheel repair and refurbishment centre specialises in diamond cutting alloy wheels. This specialist technique can only be carried out on site by highly skilled technicians who use a precision laser cutting machine to get this stunning finish.

These alloys where painted a beautiful gloss black before sections were cut away carefully with our diamond cutting machine which brought out the unique design of the Citroen rims. This finish is really a great choice if your rims have an interesting design, and we can paint the inserts and face any colour to either contrast or colour match to your car.

Our customer was delighted with the results and gave us this great feedback “Fantastic service from Amerjit and the staff at Diamond Alloys….I had three wheels refurbished and also had a set of rim proctors fitted too. I would definitely recommend them to anyone wanting excellent work and service. Thank you very much!! Regards, Cathy John.”

This customer made a great decision to add protective rims bands, here they match the alloys in colour for a discrete finish but as they are available in a wide assortment of colours they can be added to achieve a contrast colour effect. Not only do they look good, but they protect the edges of your rims from kerbing damage which extends the life of the finish and helps protect the protective lacquer layer too.

If you want to get a quick quote simply click here or call us today on 0845 370 8881 and we will be happy to advise on the best finish for your rims.

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When it comes to alloys wheels, corrosion can be a killer! If the protective lacquer layer is compromised by kerbing damage then water will seep underneath and can go on to cause corrosion. This is intensified if the water contains salt (i.e. if you live near the coast!) and if left untreated can worsen to look most unsightly.

The attached picture illustrates this perfectly. The alloys were in very bad condition, but our trained technicians can easily eradicate this by dipping them into the acid bath which eats away the damage leaving the alloy wheel ready for a quick rub down before being powder coated. A powder coat is not necessarily used by all wheel repair companies but at Diamond Alloys we believe it is essential to offer a sound and smooth surface for the painters to work with. Once a final colour is selected and applied the lacquer is applied to help protect the alloy from further damage. Our client opted for a sparkle silver finish, which as you can see brings their look back to a brilliant finish.

If your alloys are corroded or have sustained kerbing damage then drop them in to Diamond Alloys wheel refurbishment centre in West London and we can bring their look back to a stunning finish. Call us now on 0845 370 8881 or get a quick quote on-line.

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If you want a new look for your car then changing your alloy wheels is a great idea but can be costly if buying new. This can be tempting, especially if you have bad kerbing damage or want to opt for a completely different look. However, you don’t have to outlay huge amounts of cash to realise this, simply give them a Diamond Alloys make over!

Customer Shans Bhasin was keen to upgrade the look of his alloy wheels. His alloys were in fact in great condition, but he was really keen to have a diamond cut finish. We took his 4 x standard black gloss Mercedes and transformed them, as you can see in the pictures below. When the customer saw them back on his Mercedes he said:

“Amazing finish, I am absolutely stunned with the outcome. The results much better than I expected, and a very fast turnaround, they look stunning.”

Not only did Shans save money by refurbishing as opposed to buying new but he was also give our 4 wheel discount, saving him even more!

If you think this look would look great on your car, then pop down to Diamond Alloys Alloy wheel refurbishment centre in West London and we’ll take a look and advise you on all the options available. Call us now on 0845 370 2222 or email us direct.

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It is always great to welcome customers back to Diamond Alloys because it means they were happy not only with the quality of our workmanship, but also with our customer service.

Charlie Chaine previously had his wheels refurbished by us back in July, and returned last week because two of his alloys had sustained minor scuff marks and he wanted them returned back to their beautiful finish.

He asked for the alloys to be colour matched to the other 2 wheels which have black gloss inserts, with a full diamond cut refurbishment.

The Diamond Alloys technicians have the skills to colour match either to existing alloys or the cars bodywork. Once this has been done they are carefully Diamond Cut to achieve a stunning finish.

If your alloys are scuffed or kerbed, give them some special attention and bring them back to showroom condition! Send us a picture of your alloys and we’ll advise on the best finish and price! Call us on 0845 370 8881 or email us direct.

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Customer Stuart Gregory brought his standard Toyota rims to Diamond Alloys repair and refurbishment centre in West London. As you can see on the pictures they had sustained extensive corrosion damage along with scuffs and scrapes, making them look pretty unsightly! The rims had never been diamond cut before and Stuart asked our technicians if it was possible as he was keen to realise a specific look.

Our guys confirmed that this was indeed possible and so Stuart confirmed he’d like them to be Diamond Cut with a slightly darker insert to highlight their design.

“To celebrate the 30th anniversary year of the Mk1 MR2 I decided it was time to make good the decades old alloys suffering from peeling lacquer and corrosion. Having looked at different options I decided to go with Diamond Alloys because I liked that they had high etch equipment in house and had a professional looking website. So I turned up on Saturday morning with the wheels and after discussing possible options decided to opt for diamond cutting. The wheels were sprayed charcoal grey, surface cut, lacquered and tyres fitted all within a few days so I collected the alloys the following weekend.”

The wheels are carefully prepped and painted before the diamond cut was carried out; a process which cuts away the thinnest layer of metal possible to remove any damage. As you can see from the after pictures, the transformation was amazing.

Sasha, in our customer care department kept Stuart up to date on progress throughout the repair and refurbishment emailing him a few images after they had been cut. On receipt of the images Stuart said; “They don’t look 28 years old any more! Stunning finish. Thanks for the pictures.” 

Stuart also commented: “The wheels were finished to a very high standard with attention to detail such as weights fitted to the inside and short valves. During the coming months she will drive around Silverstone during The Classics weekend and no doubt she will turn heads and strike up conversation more than ever before thanks to the stunning alloys.”

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We are delighted to share pictures customer Justin Buck’s alloy wheels which received a stunning makeover this week. See the before and after images and imagine how your own rims could be transformed with a new colour and a diamond cut face.

Justin’s standard Peugeot wheels were pretty dull when they arrived, a standard silver colour. However the actual design of the alloys was quite interesting and their beauty was realised after being painted gloss black with a diamond cut face as per Justin’s request.

Not all alloy wheels can be cut, however Justin was advised to email us some pictures and our technicians were happy to advise that they were ideal for a diamond cutting make over!

If you have rims that are looking a bit tired and unloved, then give Diamond Alloys a call on 0845 370 8881 or email us pictures here and our alloy wheel repair specialists will give great advise on how their look can be transformed.

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