ALLOY WHEEL NUTS

[INNSBRUCK69]

What is the best remedy for removing rust from alloy wheel nuts ? Hammerite metallic silver paint ?

[bigestate]

Best to replace with new ones, not want you want to hear I bet.

If you can drop them into some acid and soak them, once cleaned paint can be applied.
Wheel nuts all tend to go rusty after awhile

[David Withers]

The original black finish on the nuts is much more durable than Hammerite paint. Hammerite and, I think, any other finish coat will tend to flake off when the nuts are fitted or removed. Black or silver etching primers are available and I wonder if one of those used on its own might be better?

On mine, I used Upol Acid 8 etch primer (which is silver) followed by a very thin coat of a black paint similar to Hammerite Smooth. To fit or remove the nuts I use a 6-point 22mm socket as that does less damage than a 12-point 7/8" or 22mm socket, but a bit of the top coat gets rubbed away by the socket and I repair this with an artist's brush.

The advice to replace the nuts with new is sound, but the originals are much more durable than they look and I've never had one fail. I think they're duralumin, which is a very strong alloy of aluminium and other metals that is used for some stressed parts in aircraft.

[Alan Chatterton]

Paint won't last, the socket or wheel brace will take it off.
You can get proper bolt blacking kits, electro plate or similar. Search frosts tools.

[David Withers]

I should have used a blacking kit myself, Alan, though I don't mind spending a few minutes touching in the paint on the very few occasions that I need to remove the wheels.

However the original question was about using silver paint, and there may not be kits available for silvering rather than blacking.

[bigestate]

I have had on previous cars with plastic cover caps which press over the wheel nut, some have been silver in colour and some black.
You don't have to worry about the state of the wheel nut, just cover with a simple push

[torque2me]

What is the best remedy for removing rust from alloy wheel nuts ? Hammerite metallic silver paint ?

Well, I've never seen any "rust" on nuts made form alloy.

So, are these nuts "steel" ones with the correct chamfer to secure the GKN alloy wheels? I see even Rimmers stock this type.

Agree with previous posted responses to mine with regard paint durability and alternatives.

Kev

[Alec]

Hello Kev,

steel is an alloy, it's base metal being iron so it's accurate to say that alloy rusts but only alloys of iron.

Alec