JCL59

Noticed some chipping in the front only so far at 1400 mi
Thought it was due to main road being shot and chipped TWICE in the last few months... Barely used the car the road was so bad!
Does look like it's an issue for all colors tho.
My first thought was the flat spoke design as some have stated

mqandil

Thanks Mike. Actually not that bad at all and especially from a distance. Certainly worth a shot. I got an average of 3 chips per rear wheel, and couple on the front ones. I will buy the touch up paint and try it this weekend. Thanks again. Mark

mqandil

I agree but just few comments that I would like to add since we have some experience in this area and we actually powder coat most of our finished products with good success ..........

Common alloy used for forged aluminum wheels like our GT3 wheels is 6061-T6. This alloy gets artificial aging (aging precipitation heat treatment) ,which is done at 350 F for 8 hours followed by air quenching (cooling) of the part, to produces the T6 temper. This process is needed to increase the mechanical strength (yield, fatigue, etc) of the material.

Most powder coating materials require cure temperatures ranging from 250 to 375°F with a cure time of about 1 hour Maximum. Since this temperature range can overlap with the artificial aging process , the powder coating process has the potential to over treat the aluminum wheel, causing some embrittlement and reduced fatigue life which can lead to premature cracks, or reduced shock loading strength of the wheel.

However, since most powder coated parts are cured in temperatures less than 350°F and for usually around 45 min, the process should not really change the wheel mechanical properties by much. Furthermore, the latest advances in powder coating compounds & processes have really brought the cure temperatures significantly in the last few years. Many good shops can cure most parts at temperatures around 250°F between 30 to 45 minutes.

So in my opinion it is pretty safe to powder coat our forged GT3 wheels, but to be in the safe side, I would recommend that you confirm with the powder coater that the temperature of the wheel shall not exceed 300°F (or lower), and you should be safe. Good luck. Mark

Macca

fascinating stuff Mark. Thanks for your input!

Macca

I agree. There is definitely an issue. I have about 30 of these on all 4 wheels after 12 months. They are worse at the front than the back...

LindsayMac

I know its not likely to add any real chipping protection, but what products are you fellows using on your wheels to protect and ease cleaning?

Napoli

CQuartz on wheels.

UAEGT3

3 layers of Ceramic pro on mine.

Napoli

Just called PCNA and they have opened a case for my chipping issue. They will contact me within 24 hrs. to discuss what's next.

PCNA: 800-767-7243. Ignore the prompts and wait for rep to come on.

Lodi

I am at a month and 1K miles with no chipping, yet! I'm sure its just a matter of time. I have had painted wheels on a number of vehicles and have never seen anything like the pictures Mike posted. A chip is probably justified if you take a reasonable hit from a big enough rock, but these small chips should not be happening. The fact that the paint is separating from the primer and flaking is very telling. Something is amiss with the painting process.. I was going to paint my wheels satin black but I guess I will wait and see what develops here.

mrsullivan

my 2011 gt3 had 8k miles on it when I sold it and no chipping whatsoever on the factory black painted wheels.... maybe its the wheel design as others have said

Napoli

PCNA and my dealer both responded today to ask me to take my GT3 to the dealer. They said as long as the car hasn't been abused, it will be covered by warranty. FWIW, the only abuse occurs when I'm not able to drive the car!

MileHigh911

Great!!! Keep the RL crowd posted on how PCNA deals with it. They may think it is an isolated incident at this time.

Napoli

Will do.

I told the PCNA rep that I know of several others, but according to her, I am the first to contact them about this.

LexVan

Napoli, good on you.

What do you prefer to happen? Touch up, re paint, or replace? Wonder what route Porsche will take.

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