wheel refinishing
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 208
Likes: 1
From: Lawrenceville GA
wheel refinishing
I have some clear coat coming off my sawblades and what looks to be corrosion where the clear use to be. I know there must be a tech tip or such on how to refinish wheels...so if you would point me there. Sometimes I have more time than money or vice versa.
Thanks
Jim Atlanta, GA area
Thanks
Jim Atlanta, GA area
Pro
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 721
Likes: 1
From: Charlotte NC, behind someone going 10 under the speed limit
It's pretty time consuming. The only thing I've done is strip them, sand al the machining grooves down(takes a special lathe to duplicate them)with 400, 600, 800, 1000, and 1500 and polish with some cloth wheels and bricks of compound I got at a local auto body/cycle supply store. Eastwood also has them. Done my 88 16's , and painted/cleared the coves.
Here are some good wheels, unrefinished, OE. You'll never quite get that OE look of a machined wheel though, the way the light reflects in it:
Here are some good wheels, unrefinished, OE. You'll never quite get that OE look of a machined wheel though, the way the light reflects in it:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Woodstock Georgia
Actually it is not difficult. Get some aerosol cans (2 should do 4 wheels) from Lowe's or Home Depot. This stuff will 'melt' the cleacoat off your rims, fenders, neighbor's outdoor furniture, etc. It is also harmfull to rubber. Best is to take the tires off the rims and pull the valve stems out. Spray them down someplace safe, say the back lot of the nearest Walmart at 2AM, and hose them off. Then shine them up with some polish and fine steel wool. I think the 93 rims were factory painted and clear coated, while the later sawblades were just machined and clear coated. So you will have some repainting or powder coating to get done to bring them back to looking good. There is a good powder coater in our area that alot of Vette owners on the PSP use and recommend.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,474
Likes: 3,291
From: Hartford WI
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 15
From: The light that never warms.
St. Jude Donor '12
If you decide to go professional, there are places out there that do good work. I had all four sawblades redone. They welded and remachined the lips to get rid of some curb rash. Stripped, hot tanked, painted, clear coated, and baked mine. About $160 per wheel, but I wanted to keep the Z stock looking.
