Is it plausible to refinish wheels at home...?
12-17-2001, 09:46 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Is it plausible to refinish wheels at home...?
Is it plausible to refinish forged factory wheels at home? (I own a drill,
dremel, masking tape, etc!)
I assume they can either be painted or polished. What are the pros/cons of
each approach?
Thanks guys,
dremel, masking tape, etc!)
I assume they can either be painted or polished. What are the pros/cons of
each approach?
Thanks guys,
12-17-2001, 10:00 PM
#2
Race Car
I remember a couple threads last summer delt with this. Several people refinished their wheels with good results, so it is posible to do this yourself. Polishing is nice, but without a clearcoat or similar to protect the aluminum you'll be doing it often.
12-17-2001, 10:27 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
If the wheels are anodized they may give you fits. I removed the anodized surface once with a combination of hydrofloric and chromic acids. Bleached the driveway white too!! I would not suggest this to anyone. That is a nasty combination.
There used to be a product call alumibrite. I tried it and it worked as well just a little slower. If you try it, alumibrite, do it outside with a resperator.
There used to be a product call alumibrite. I tried it and it worked as well just a little slower. If you try it, alumibrite, do it outside with a resperator.
12-18-2001, 12:09 AM
#5
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I refinished some phone dial w/ the following steps:
I used aircraft remover to remove the stock, yellowed finish. Took several applications and some steel brushes, and good rubber gloves.
After I got them to bare aluminum, I used vineger to acid etch them. Just brush it on and let it sit for a few minutes.
I next used Aladine on them to clean extra well and help primer stick, I think that was the reason? Apply same way. I don't think you let this dry on though?
Next sprayed an epoxy primer on them.
Then painted w/ high temp paint. I probably could have used a more sophisticated paint/sealer, but these were for race wheels.
These were instrucions per a guy at the auto parts/ppg store.
I used aircraft remover to remove the stock, yellowed finish. Took several applications and some steel brushes, and good rubber gloves.
After I got them to bare aluminum, I used vineger to acid etch them. Just brush it on and let it sit for a few minutes.
I next used Aladine on them to clean extra well and help primer stick, I think that was the reason? Apply same way. I don't think you let this dry on though?
Next sprayed an epoxy primer on them.
Then painted w/ high temp paint. I probably could have used a more sophisticated paint/sealer, but these were for race wheels.
These were instrucions per a guy at the auto parts/ppg store.
12-18-2001, 10:40 AM
#6
Instructor
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Location: San Diego, CA
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Here's what I did:
Find 2.5 cans of Wurth silver paint laquer (see your dealer for distributor tips or search the web for Wurth Products). Wurth is the paint Porsche, BMW, and MBZ use on their wheels.
Next: get the 3M green scrubby pot pads from the grocers and 'sand' your phonedials (assuming you have phonedials) thuroughly with the green scrubby pads. Pay particular attention to the insides of the 'wholes' since brake dust loves to collect there.
Wash the wheels with degreaser soap (I used simple green) and let dry in the sun.
Spray 2 coats of paint holding the can from about 8" away. These work as base coats. Let dry. Spray finishing coat from about 4" away being careful not to cause runs and drips. The clearcoat is in the paint and will not volatilize in to the atmosphere if you're really close to the wheels. This will give you a shiny gloss finish. If necessary, buff with very fine steel wool (1500 to 2000) for bright finish, followed by a polishing compound and finally a good wax. My wheel have gotten great praise from the PCA guys here. Yours will too!
Find 2.5 cans of Wurth silver paint laquer (see your dealer for distributor tips or search the web for Wurth Products). Wurth is the paint Porsche, BMW, and MBZ use on their wheels.
Next: get the 3M green scrubby pot pads from the grocers and 'sand' your phonedials (assuming you have phonedials) thuroughly with the green scrubby pads. Pay particular attention to the insides of the 'wholes' since brake dust loves to collect there.
Wash the wheels with degreaser soap (I used simple green) and let dry in the sun.
Spray 2 coats of paint holding the can from about 8" away. These work as base coats. Let dry. Spray finishing coat from about 4" away being careful not to cause runs and drips. The clearcoat is in the paint and will not volatilize in to the atmosphere if you're really close to the wheels. This will give you a shiny gloss finish. If necessary, buff with very fine steel wool (1500 to 2000) for bright finish, followed by a polishing compound and finally a good wax. My wheel have gotten great praise from the PCA guys here. Yours will too!
12-18-2001, 11:45 AM
#7
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I used the Wurth paint as well on my phone dials, but was sadly disappointed. Maybe I'm not a very good painter, but I shook the cans for a long time, and what I got was a rough textured finish on the vertical surfaces of the wheel, and a shiny smoth finish on the horizontal surfaces. Kind of an interesting result, but not what I wanted.
Maybe I had bad paint, maybe I didn't spray enough on the first coat, but I read that you want to apply multiple light coats, and this may not be the best approach with these heavy metal/metallic paints.
It was pretty time consuming to do this with a daily driver. You need a good 3-4 day weekend, and up front prep time, sanding the old finish off while the wheels and tires are still mounted on the car.
Other than that, I taped off the tires with the blue painters tape, with good results.
If you use the heavy Wurth paint, practice on a piece of card board or something first, so you get the feel for how this paint reacts to thin and heavy coats, and when it starts to run.
Also, buy a respirator. The paint was bad enough but I about OD'd on the first coat of clear coat before I went out and got a respirator ($40 at Home Depot).
Maybe I had bad paint, maybe I didn't spray enough on the first coat, but I read that you want to apply multiple light coats, and this may not be the best approach with these heavy metal/metallic paints.
It was pretty time consuming to do this with a daily driver. You need a good 3-4 day weekend, and up front prep time, sanding the old finish off while the wheels and tires are still mounted on the car.
Other than that, I taped off the tires with the blue painters tape, with good results.
If you use the heavy Wurth paint, practice on a piece of card board or something first, so you get the feel for how this paint reacts to thin and heavy coats, and when it starts to run.
Also, buy a respirator. The paint was bad enough but I about OD'd on the first coat of clear coat before I went out and got a respirator ($40 at Home Depot).
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12-19-2001, 06:36 AM
#8
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Nov 2001
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I had a set of chrome teledials that I wanted to sell. The chrome was peeling off in many areas. I sanded the surfaces with rough then fine emory cloth and "dremeled" the chips smooth and sanded till my arm fell off. The result is a really smooth surface. I have not painted them yet, theyre just sitting there with primer on. If I sell them, I will paint them the color the buyer wants.
-Matt
-Matt
