AFTERCARE GUIDE
Cornwall's winters present a uniquely hostile environment for automotive components.
Cornwall’s winters present a uniquely hostile environment for automotive components. The combination of relentless coastal salt air, high humidity, and the heavy application of council road grit creates a highly corrosive cocktail. Alloy wheels, particularly diamond cut finishes, are on the front line of this assault. If your wheel’s protective lacquer has even a microscopic stone chip, winter salt water will penetrate it, rapidly oxidising the aluminium beneath and causing the lacquer to peel. Preparing your wheels for winter is not just about aesthetics; it is about protecting the structural integrity of the metal from aggressive chemical corrosion.
Before winter sets in, perform a thorough decontamination wash using a pH-neutral iron fallout remover to strip all embedded brake dust and tar.
Carefully inspect the lacquer for stone chips or kerb scuffs. Any exposed bare metal will corrode rapidly once road salt is introduced.
The ultimate winter defence. A professional ceramic coating bonds with the lacquer, creating a hardened, hydrophobic barrier against salt and grit.
If you don't have a ceramic coating, apply two thick coats of a dedicated synthetic wheel sealant or high-temperature wheel wax.
Don't just protect the front face. The inner barrel catches the most road grit and brake dust. Ensure it is thoroughly cleaned and sealed.
Cold weather causes tyre pressures to drop. Under-inflated tyres expose the rim edge to greater risk of pothole damage hidden by puddles.
Do not leave road salt sitting on your wheels. Rinse your wheels with fresh water at least once a week during winter.
Even if you don't have time for a full bucket wash, a quick blast with a pressure washer to remove salt is better than doing nothing.
Never use hot water to wash freezing cold wheels, as the thermal shock can cause the clear lacquer to crack.
Use a hose to flush out the wheel arches and brake calipers, where corrosive salt slush tends to accumulate and drip onto the wheels.
Use a spray-on, rinse-off silica sealant after washing to top up your wheel's hydrophobic protection throughout the winter months.
Winter rain hides deep potholes. Give the kerb edge a wider berth to avoid hidden craters that cause structural wheel buckles.
Many driving enthusiasts in coastal areas adopt a ‘Winter Setup’ strategy to completely bypass the issue. This involves removing their expensive, delicate diamond-cut summer wheels in November, and fitting a cheaper set of fully powder-coated wheels fitted with winter or all-season tyres. Powder coating is vastly more resilient to salt corrosion than diamond cutting. This strategy not only preserves the pristine condition of your premium wheels but also provides significantly better traction and safety on Cornwall’s cold, wet, and occasionally icy rural roads. When spring arrives, you simply swap the wheels back.
Yes. Aluminium oxidises rapidly when exposed to sodium chloride (salt) and water. On a diamond cut wheel with a stone chip, you can see ‘white worm’ corrosion spread several inches in a single winter.
No. While WD40 displaces water, it is a light oil that will attract and hold onto brake dust and road grit, creating a messy, abrasive paste. Use a dedicated hard wax or ceramic coating instead.
Absolutely. Kerb damage exposes the bare aluminium to the elements. Leaving it exposed over winter guarantees that deep corrosion will set in, making the eventual repair more difficult and potentially more expensive.
A full, oven-cured powder coat finish (in silver, black, or anthracite) is by far the most durable and winter-proof finish available, vastly outperforming diamond cut lacquer.
Ensure your wheels survive the winter salt. Book a highly durable, oven-cured powder coat refurbishment today.
