Refinishing Aluminium Wheels
5th Gear
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Green Bay WI
Re: Refinishing Aluminium Wheels (Justin79-L-82)
After you have wet sanded all the old clear off the wheels . Jewlers rouge works well with a wool polishing pad on a drill. You can get small packages at a hardware store with different compounds. Its a lot of work. but well worth it in the end.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 499
Likes: 0
From: honolulu HI
Re: Refinishing Aluminium Wheels (Justin79-L-82)
i seen a red vette with the slots painted the same colour red..i thought it looked very kool..did see a vette done the same in yellow but the efect was oposite it looked like poopie ..i think it depends on the colour with darker colours looking better :p:
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,607
Likes: 0
From: Clarksville,Tn,USA TN
Re: Refinishing Aluminium Wheels (Justin79-L-82)
Where do you get the polishing pads or buffers to go on the drill? What size are they? I went to Sears looking for some kind of polishing pad kit but did not see anything but big buffing pads. Can someone point me in the right direction or post some pics of the buffing pads or tool. I started cleaning the road grime off the inside of the rims and had to use a brass wire wheel to even phase it, but would like to try and polish the rims out myself.
Neil in Tenn
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 6,036
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From: Westfield Indiana
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Re: Refinishing Aluminium Wheels (Nomad78SA)
Justin,
You can clear coat the wheels, but you will end up with yellowing, chipping clear coat a few years down the road. Of course, if you don't clear coat them, you will need to maintain them with a little aluminum polish occasionally. It all depends on which you prefer, routine maintenance, or re-finishing your wheels again in a few years. Of course, if you don't keep up with the routine maintenance, you'll end up having to refinish them anyway. Your choice.
Neil,
Check with a paint and body shop, or maybe even your local auto parts store. They should be able to tell you where to find the stuff you're looking for.
You can clear coat the wheels, but you will end up with yellowing, chipping clear coat a few years down the road. Of course, if you don't clear coat them, you will need to maintain them with a little aluminum polish occasionally. It all depends on which you prefer, routine maintenance, or re-finishing your wheels again in a few years. Of course, if you don't keep up with the routine maintenance, you'll end up having to refinish them anyway. Your choice.
Neil,
Check with a paint and body shop, or maybe even your local auto parts store. They should be able to tell you where to find the stuff you're looking for.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 677
Likes: 0
From: WInnipeg Mb
Re: Refinishing Aluminium Wheels (sharklover)
Niel... I just bought a polishing head from canadian tire...it came with an attachment to hold the pad to the drill, a backing, and a polishing bonnet to fit over the backing... The whole thing is about 6 inches in diameter and are pretty easy to find at any store with a hardwear department, really cheap too. i think it was 5$... prolly like .50 cents in the states because our exchange is so bad :lol:
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 56
From: Shawano WI
Re: Refinishing Aluminium Wheels (Nomad78SA)
Where do you get the polishing pads or buffers to go on the drill? What size are they? I went to Sears looking for some kind of polishing pad kit but did not see anything but big buffing pads. Can someone point me in the right direction or post some pics of the buffing pads or tool. I started cleaning the road grime off the inside of the rims and had to use a brass wire wheel to even phase it, but would like to try and polish the rims out myself.
Neil in Tenn
Neil in Tenn
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