Salt and winter grit
Waterford’s winter mix is wet salt and river grit. It sits in the barrel of a wheel and lifts lacquer if you never wash it. Gloss black and gunmetal hide it until the coating goes dull. Polished lips show it in a week. A quality clear coat still needs washing. We mention that when we sell the wheel.
Tom Geraghty Tyres has sold alloys since 1990. The Grattan Quay showroom exists so fitment is checked on a real car. Care after fitting is simpler: wash, dry, check the bolts, and do not kerb them on the quay.
How to clean alloys
pH-neutral wheel soap, a soft brush, rinse. Acid mag cleaners will stain a polished lip and can attack the clear on a painted face. If a wheel is already stained, bring it in. We would rather look at it than watch someone strip the lacquer on a driveway.
After we fit a set, re-torque the bolts after about 50 km. Caps and bolts must match the seat: conical, radius, Mag. VW/Audi radius bolts are not Mercedes bolts. If you are unsure, collect at Grattan Quay and we will match them on the hub.
- Wash salt off through the winter, especially the inner barrel
- Re-torque after 50 km on a new set
- Buy known designs in the shop; ask Dave for a wheel-and-tyre package
Kerb rash, refurb and when to replace
A scuffed lip can often be repaired. A cracked barrel or a bent wheel from a pothole needs replacing. We will not put a cracked wheel back on a car to save a weekend. Load rating still applies after a refurb.
If you already know the design, buy it in the shop, pay with Stripe, and we fit when you collect. If the PCD, offset or load is not clear, make an enquiry and we will read it off the hub. Wheel-and-tyre packages are quoted as a job.
Questions we get at the counter
Can I use a pressure washer on alloys?
Yes at a sensible distance. Do not hold the lance on a badge or on cracked lacquer. Soap and a brush still do more good than blasting grit into the barrel.
Do new wheels need balancing?
Every wheel we fit is balanced before it leaves the bay. If a vibration starts later, it is often a weight that has shifted or a tyre that has picked up a puncture. Bring it back.
Should I lock the nuts?
Locking nuts are optional. If you use them, keep the key in the car, not in a kitchen drawer. We cannot get the wheel off at 6pm without it.
Shop or send an enquiry
If you already know the size or the wheel, pay in the shop. If you want us to read it off the car, make an enquiry. We call you back.