Technical Wire Wheel Maintenance

Friday I received my 52 spokes from a well known supplier and since its Memorial Day, I've not had a chance to ask him yet....but, how would you guys cure this issue? Wires are 52 spoke hand laced, trued, then powder coated. New tires Friday afternoon, quick wash job, did a little tour with the 33 and up for the night. Sat car event, Sunday drive, Monday another 80 miles, then back at the garage to remove the wheels so I can paint those nasty raised white letters on the back. THAT is when I notice all the rust residue at the spoke connections. Doesn't matter inner or outer, but I've got a lot of rust tracks from the water as it was evidently drying. So, how to cure....AND think about this, to redo the powder coat what I'll have to go through....
1. Go the really hard way
2. Can I Ospho the connections (after I test the powder coating)
3. Should I just seal the connections with a liquid wax or....?
4. Other method?
5. Yes, Tuesday a phone call will be made..

Anyone have such an issue....and...Rocky was my inspiration


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Stainless spokes and nipples. Powder coat can't protect what it can't cover.

 

Yea, then I could powdercoat the stainless......too late...


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Ah so...expected result as occurred on thousands of Imported cars with wire wheels. The Jaguars had optional chrome and most Italian cars were chrome Borrani's.

As a new wire wheel is driven, it wears down high spots from the dimpling in the rim, the heading of the nipple that seats in the dimple, the dimpling in the hub and the cold heading of the inner end of the spoke that seats in the hub dimple. The threads on the nipples and spokes were not chromed as I recall but may have had some copper from the chrome process. In any event, they all rusted.

Stainless is the answer but the wear mentioned above is still a factor. The English car manuals suggested a trueing of the wheels after a given mileage. It was rarely if ever done and many owners never realized how loose their spokes were at high mileage until they had one or more break.