I bought lightweight race wheels from FISKE to go on 18" Pirelli D3 slicks for my track time. They are great wheels and they add a nice look to my GT3 with the race black finish. The only issue is that they started to turn purple after few heat cycles and I heard from other PCA members that they experienced the same problem. I think they are anodized but I wonder why the color is changing that fast...

http://www.fikse.com/raceblack.html

Anyone having the same issue and what do you suggest to do about it ?

 

Hi

I have had several Fikse wheels...never had that problem , I would suggest you call them directly, they are usually nice and responsible.

 

I spoke to our local distributor and they were told that the race black finish is done by a third party and that there is nothing they can do about it. Apparently, it is normal for a black anodized finish to turn purple over time... Are your wheels anodized black ?

 

hey gt3techno

i HAVE heard of this happening to anodyzed wheels...
and i also think it looks totally badass


can you post a pic of your wheels ?
all it means is that you drove the **** out of your car, and the extreme heat of the brakes did that

 

My car is actually in storage for the winter we have up here... I don't have a clear picture of the wheels but here are few taken this summer before they started to turn purple. I must say that the color didn't change that much yet but I see it starting and since I saw others completely purple, I guess that I will end-up with the same issue soon enough.

 

HRE struggled for years trying to find a good black anodize that didn't turn purple due to UV exposure. It is pretty tough and we eventually just pulled the finish from our offering. Too bad because it is absolutely sweet when it is new.

I'd contact Fikse as well. They're really good guys so they might have a solution for you. It has been a few years since we offered it so maybe things have changed since then.

 

I would suggest you contact Fikse directly.

As I heard it from the source (I own some black Fikses) they have switched anodizers and the new anodizer has some sort of UV protective way of anodizing that the previous anodizer did not.

The have had this complaint before and have attempted to resolve it by switching to an anodizer that has a "better mousetrap" if you will.

As to what they will be willing to do for your purple rims, I have no idea but worth calling them directly.

I also do not know if switching anodizers is a bunch of BS that I heard and I certainly do not pretend to know more than the HRE COO... I am sure HRE investigated all possible anodizing technology before deciding to no longer offer it.

Who knows... I would call Fikse and see what they have to say... especially if you are the original owner of the rims and you pruchased them from a Fikse dealer and they are not that old.

I would be interested to hear back from you about what they say.

 

it's not fikse specific. black anodized is purple anodized over time. someone should've warned you or you should've gone more homework.

 

Our decision was made on data from a few years ago so it is entirely possible that they have found an anodizer that now has a colorfast black anodize. I know it exists. We just couldn't find it so I wouldn't be at all surprised if they've resolved the issue.

 

I know a bunch of people that have this problem with their fikse. It's bullsheet to pay that much for the wheels and then have 'em turn Barney.

 

I have two sets that have turned purple as well.
Also I have three other friends here that have had the same experience.
Its bs, and Fiske says there is nothing they can do.

 

My family owns and operates one of the biggest plating business in the bay area. I will ask my father to confirm but i believe the diffs is between hard and soft anodized. If its hard anodized its much more durable but takes longer and harder to do. We do rims/car parts in anodized for a racing producing wheel shop in Morgan hill which im sure you guys have heard about and also Dinan, although thats not our main focus.

 

F1crazy,

Is it possible to reanodize something that's already anodized once?

BTW, Fikse will do nothing.

I had the same thing happen to a set of black ano center Fikse wheels

 

Friend of mine has this same problem on his formerly black CCW track wheels.

 

HOW purple are we talking here? Straight-up, Barney-the-Purple-Pedophile-Dinosaur-Purple? Anyone have pics of these "Rims Gone Wild"?

I had a Black Jeep Cherokee 4.0L Sport once upon a time. I loved that thing. The only thing I hated about it was the PURPLE "Sport" logo. My girlfriend loves purple and would taunt me about it. Grrr.

Don't think I am going with black anodized rims any time soon.

Lovin' my grey anodized CCW C10s.