I suppose I'll never know who did it (Honda dealer?) or what with.

I suppose you could scrape some off and get it analysed - if such a thing is possible somewhere in your seat of learning ?

Doesn't sound a very trivial analytical task, nor does it sound the sort of thing anyone is likely to be interested in doing to satisfy the curiosity of a foreign weirdo.

<< Doesn't sound a very trivial analytical task, nor does it sound the sort of thing anyone is likely to be interested in doing to satisfy the curiosity of a foreign weirdo. >>

Any chemist capable of a university education could distinguish Tippex from oxidised zinc, and probably from real paint too. I couldn't comment about the foreign weirdness effect.

I know it isn't zinc. I seriously doubt its Tippex (Though that might work, and if I'd been...er..maintaining this car it might be a possibility, as might toothpaste).

Finding out what it actually IS would get me into Doctorate Dissertation Territory..

In Chinese

Do you feel a reality-induced headache coming on yet?

Edited by edlithgow on 28/10/2020 at 00:04

I think it may also have been present on the disk boss and wheel contact faces

I've seen something like that on a Nissan with ally wheels. Assumed it was something to prevent the wheel 'sticking' to the hub.

That my assumption too, which implies I probably shouldn't have taken it off, though I only did both mating surfaces for one wheel.

I sandwiched a sheet of polythene between that wheel and the disk boss to prevent it sticking.

Shear strength? We don' need no steenkeeng shear strength.

Probably.

<< I sandwiched a sheet of polythene between that wheel and the disk boss to prevent it sticking. >>

Will that require subsequent retightening as the polythene extrudes under pressure ?

Dunno.

I used to do it routinely on the Skywing when I was using sunflower oil and aluminium to treat the rusty brake drums, because sunflower oil is a fairly strong adhesive. I didn't note any wheel loosening.

I'd assume the stud tension took up any movement. The sheet must be pretty thin and the bearing surface is rather large.

I don't currently do this on the Skywing because the drums dont seem to need further rust treatment.

Of greater concern on these alloy wheels would be the polythene I put on the stud threads, or rather the excess that gets trapped in the deeply recessed holes in the wheel. The conical nut faces seat on this excess (which I can pull off on standard steel wheels) and I'd think some movement is a possibility.

I'll keep an eye on it and modify the technique for these wheels if it seems necessary.

I'd assume the stud tension took up any movement. The sheet must be pretty thin and the bearing surface is rather large.

I remember being told never to paint the back surface of steel wheels because the paint could compress, resulting in the the wheel coming loose. I'd reckon a coat of paint is thinner than a sheet of polythene.

Ah, So. That must be why alloy wheels took over.

Not because they reduce the unsprung mass (though your average punter is really hot on reducing unsprung mass)

And not because they look prettier. Your average punter is a hard-headed practical type, i not moved by mere shiny baubles.

Its because the people who used steel wheels, every single one of which came painted from the factory, all died when the paint compressed and the wheels fell off.

Life was cheap in them days.

Edited by edlithgow on 29/10/2020 at 00:07