Paint removal from wheels

[welshsteve]

I recently bought these wheels and would like to remove the paint and refinish them anyone know of a good product that won't be too harsh on them as I would lke to polish the rims so don't want to mark the surface too much
cheers Steve



If it's got tits or tyres then it's gonna cost ya!

[bmcecosse]

I have spent considerable time trying to get the clear lacquer off my Wolfrace wheels. Tried many stripper products - butane blow torch (but too frightened to use oxy-acetylene torch!) - bead blast machine, and the lacquer just laughed at them all. One paint stripper did make the lacquer change from transparent to cloudy after a week! Finally - found paint stripper from ALDI that does very slowly bubble it and then it can be peeled off - bit by bit. Many coats - much peeling. I've almost got the second wheel clean - the other two can wait to next winter now !! The ALDI stripper is gel type with Methylene Chloride - but others didn't work - this one does - just.

[welshsteve]

Thank you bmcecosse I will try aldi's
Jclay you shore kin bye a load of mc donalds for that sort of dollar[:D] seriously though I hope you had a nce night out mate
Cheers Steve

If it's got tits or tyres then it's gonna cost ya!

[Hasbeen]

I have done 2 sets of wheels, see my photos for the last ones on my
red/orange 7. One set were painted, & one anadised. They were the
hardest.

With both sets, I started with 360 grade wet & dry sand paper, used
wet. I progressed through 480, & 600 grade, used dry, & then
ordinary metal polish. I then waxed them.

I left them uncoated & I find I have to polish them with metal polish
2 or 3 times & use the same wax, on them, that I use on the car,
about 3 times a year. The photos were taken about 3 months after the
last polish.

As an old bloke, I don't work too fast, or long each day. It took me
a day each wheel, fitted in with the normal work around the property,
so 2 or 3 hours each for you fit young blokes. A good job for your
cold winter nights, I would think.

The 8s wheels came highly polished, & are mamaintained the same
way as the 7s.

The more you polish a wheel, with metal, polish the deeper the
colour, & shine, it takes on. The mere act of lacquering them
destroys this shine.

Hasbeen

[bmcecosse]

Hasbeen - were they Aluminium Alloy wheels ? I have started polishing up the first wheel I stripped - using v fine wet/dry paper but wetted with Brasso! It is going to be a long long job! Not sure if my fingers will last out.

[Dave Dyer]

I'm a convert to POR products and they do a paint stripper, which is very effective. I remember paint stripper being a very thick liquid, the por stuff is like water but when it's applied it thickens up and soaks in.

Dave

[FI Spyder]

When I asked about refinishing my second hand laquered Acura alloys it was suggested that I hand sand them as per Hasbeen. Too much work so I just left them with their "patina". They weren't that bad.

I have used aircraft paint stripper from my local auto parts store to stip paint on my lower windshield cover. Works like a charm. I haven't tried it on wheels but it is supposed to be pretty aggresive stuff so might be worth a try.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[Hasbeen]

Yes BMC, alloy wheels.

I had a look at my stock of wet & dry, last night, & I'm now sure I
started the anodised wheels with 240 grit paper. These took a lot of
sanding to get that stuff off, but I had NO PROBLEM with scratches,
from the 240 grit, later in the polishing. That had worried me, when
I started.

Yes these old fingers didn't last too long at a go. I have the
advantage, that when they got tired, I could go & do something
usefull, for an hour an hour or so.

Finish one, & it will look so good that it will inspire those
fingers to continued effort, with the others.

Once you have them looking great, be sure to keep them up there. I
find it takes less than an hour to polish the lot of them, provided
I get to them before they get any corrosion.

I hope you like realy black fingers.

Hasbeen

[fathi]

Hi,
I had used sable to remove the paint and had obtain a very god work in just 10 minutes.