OK, my right front rim's coating is flaking off like paint being removed from old furniture. In the last three weeks, two things have happened:

1.) I cleaned it with comet and a plastic scrubber. It's the only rim I cleaned like that, so I can't check the others for similar damage.

2.) The brake fluid is leaking at this wheel. I'm guessing this is what's to blame, but I didn't know that brake fluid would have any effect on the rims. I know it acts as a paint solvent, but rims? Whose idea was it to coat rims in a substance that brake fluid can harm??!!

Anyway, it's coming off at a couple of the spoke-to-rim connections. It looks like complete garbage.

Can anyone verify that brake fluid can damage a wheel?

Yes, brake fluid can definitely eat through the clearcoat on a wheel. Brake fluid is killer to paint in general. In fact, if you look on a bottle of brake fluid, it says keep away from painted surfaces. How did brake brake fluid get on your wheels?

I have a leak, and it dripped onto the rim and was thrown around the wheel well and inside the rim.

Why are they coated at all? It's 2001. Don't we have a lightweight, rustproof, inexpensive alloy we can use for rims yet?

The clearcoat is there to prevent minor scratches from penetrating the coat of paint.

Its definitely the brake fluid. They RUINED my Volk Racing TE-37s. I had to buy a new set of rims (2 of mine were ruined) - but I am happy with these rims (they are much nicer and more expensive than the Volks). The brake fluid also started corroding my wheelwells, and I got 2 panels replaced just for the safety of it. Its definitely the brake fluid. It sucks, but there's nothing you can do. Just trying to help.

pb