Take a look at these alloys which have just had the Diamond Alloys treatment.

At Diamond Alloys, we have invested heavily in our machinery and in our highly skilled technicians so we can offer our clients the best possible service. If your alloys are looking a bit tired, give us a call on 0845 370 8881 and we can recommend a service for you. You can choose from a range of alloy wheel refurbishments including a custom repair, a standard refurbishment or our most popular service a Diamond Cut.

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Knowing a little bit more about your wheels and rims will certainly help you to respect the round objects at the four corners of your car.

Wheels and rims are not all created equal.  Learning about these differences is interesting.  You will also be able to appreciate that whilst you may have made a large investment to purchase new alloy wheels at the outset, refurbishing these vital items is the best thing you can do for your alloys.

A wheel is the collective noun for a hub, some spokes and a rim.  The hub is at the centre of the set-up and keeps the wheel on the suspension of the car.  Spokes radiate out from the hub and attach to the rim, which is at the outer edge, and attaches to the tyres.  Wheels can be manufactured a number of ways.

The most common manufacturing method is one-piece cast wheels.  That means that during casting, molten aluminum is put inside a single mold to yield a wheel.  Simple-sounding, it is really an art.  You don’t want to have to go through this again and so refurbishing your existing alloy wheels once cast is always the best plan. 

Gravity casting is the most straightforward process, using gravity to ensure the molten metal fills the mold. Its costs are reasonable, and it works well when visual impact, rather than weight is the goal.  Since gravity-fed aluminum is the input to this process, the metal may not get as densely-packed and the wheels will have a higher weight to achieve the required strength.

Low pressure casting on the other hand pushes the molten aluminum into the mold quicker and to achieve a denser final product.  It costs slightly more but with the enhanced quality is often what manufacturers fit as standard to their production vehicles.   A development on this is a slightly higher pressure in special casting equipment to create a wheel that is lighter and stronger than a wheel produced in low pressure.  Lighter in weight and higher in quality, it is also produced at a higher cost.

A spun rim is one that takes shape after a low pressure type of casting which is then spun, heated and rolled to its final width and shape. It has strength similar to a forged wheel without the high cost.

A forged wheel is the ultimate in one-piece wheels.  Solid aluminum is forced under the forging dies under extreme pressure. It can end up being very dense, very light, and very expensive.

Knowing how your wheels were breathed into life can add much to your appreciation for their care and eventual refurbishment.

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1 How did you get into the alloy wheel repair business
I knew Phil, and was interested in the alloy wheel repair trade so Phil took me on as an apprentice at his previous company and I learnt the trade, picking up a specific interest in the custom side. 

2 Where did you train?
I trained locally at the Solus Hayes & Thatcham College, picking up the relevant qualifications I needed to specialise in this area of speciality.

3 What do you specialise in (what process) and why?
As mentioned, I really picked up a love for the custom paint side of this industry, I could see there was a lot of scope to apply a wide range of paint finishes allowing me to try new things and be be creative.

4 Have you won any awards?
I have! My dedication to this specialist area of alloy wheel refurbishment saw me push the boundaries of what could be achieved resulting in being awarded the ‘ Young Painter of the Year 2008’ from the Bodyshop Magazine, which I am very proud of.

5 What’s the best part of your job
Absolutely the end result. I get a lot of satisfaction of seeing what I can achieve from different paint effects. It’s really great to discuss all the options with a customer to ensure they get something that will look great on their car, which is very rewarding when they see and like the results too.

6 What’s your favourite specialist paint technique and why?
Of all the different effects I have applied, I would say that painting water droplets is my favourite. There really are few limits when it comes to adding effects, so it is great when a client wants to try something a little bit different like this.

7 What’s the most unusual request and why?
I would say a Diamond cut lip where the inner part of the wheel is black & the centre of the wheel is finished with a silver metal flake. It did look amazing.

8 What’s the hardest technique?
Probably Metal flake. You really do have to be an experienced paint technician to attempt this. Techniques vary depending on the specific requirements, but in essence the metal flakes are mixed into a clear coat and sprayed on the alloy wheel over a colour basecoat, followed by several coats of non-flaked clear, plenty of colour-sanding, and then even more clear.

9 What new and exciting techniques are on the market at the moment or coming soon?
Water transfer, or hydrographics are perhaps the most exciting alloy wheel custom finish technique on the market at the moment. It’s a great way of adding an image (rather than a paint effect) to the alloy, so really suited to car owners looking for something completely different. It can be subtle like a carbon fibre finish for example, or something completely over the top like dollar bills!

10 If you could drive any car for the day, what would it be, who would be your passenger (anyone in the world dead or alive) and where would you take them and why.
Without a doubt a Shelby Mustang GT500. I’d drive to the Nurburg Ring Germany and take  actress Amber Herd.

10 What do your alloys look like?
I have opted for something striking but subtly to accentuate my car. My choice is powder coated black.

11 What do you think of the boss?
Nothing that could be printed!!! Ha ha, only joking. Phil  is more of a friend than a boss.

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When talking about alloy wheels you will often hear the words ‘alloys’, ‘wheels’ and ‘rims’ used fairly interchangeably. In fact, these are similar, but there are important distinctions between them. The most obvious is the wheel/rim distinction, where ‘wheel’ refers to the entire cylindrical component and the rim refers to the outer edge of the wheel that holds the tyre. ‘Alloy’ of course means the mixture of metals, typically aluminium or magnesium, from which the wheel is made.

Whilst the most common alloys are magnesium and aluminium, there are differences between the two that have lead to one becoming much more common in modern wheels. Magnesium alloys offer superior performance and are thus sometimes used on racing cars, however they have fallen out of usage on new road vehicles, being mostly confined to class cars. This is due to improvements in the aluminium forging process and inherent flaws in the use of magnesium, such as its susceptibility to pitting and corrosion, as well as it being difficult to extinguish if it catches fire.

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We have released a new video to showcase our Diamond Cutting process for your alloys. It walks you through the entire process, from our receiving the alloys to refitting the finished product to the car.

Our Diamond Cutting service includes all the cleaning and care stages of our regular service, this includes washing in a high pressure alloy wheel jet machine to remove everyday dirt and grit – a process which even by itself helps protect the wheel from wear.

The Diamond Cutting process itself is done on a lathe, where the surface of the alloys are precision machined to leave a shiny finish. The precise nature of Diamond Cutting means that the minimum amount of alloy is removed from the rims, meaning the possibility of more cuts than other methods. The surface of the wheel is then covered with lacquer to protect it against wear.

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Forging is an increasingly popular method for crafting alloy wheels, which involves machining the entire wheel out of a single solid block of forged alloy. Whilst it is a more expensive process than casting, forging has gained popularity through two significant advantages it offers over other processes.

Because it is machined from a single alloy block, forged alloy wheels are inherently more strong than other similar alloys. Increased strength is great, but the real benefit of forged alloys is that they can be in excess of 30% lighter than other alloy wheels. Saving weight is important for high performance cars, but also for economy – as the more weight the vehicle is carrying, especially in the wheels, then the more energy it takes to accelerate and decelerate.

Have a look at this video to see the casting process in action and watch the design of the hub and spokes being machines directly out of the alloy block.

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If you have been leasing a car, or if you are looking to sell your car, you will most definitely want to ensure it is looking in tip top condition.A couple of stone chips, curbing damage and scratches could all result in a hefty bill from the lease car or a smaller sales value.

To replace the alloys can also be costly, so you should consider having your alloy wheels repaired at a specialist alloy wheel repair centre like Diamond Alloys.

Take a look at the damages on these wheels, which just arrived, all of which can be easily repaired by our trained technicians quickly and efficiently.

You can choose from a range of alloy wheel refurbishments including a custom repair, a standard refurbishment or our most popular service a Diamond Cut.

We guarantee you’ll be impressed with the result, especially when you come to sell your car. If you are not looking to sell, you can always treat your car to a new look! Here are some of our latest repairs to tempt you.

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