EviLette Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 ...I'm a fuckin detailer, so I can't believe I'm asking this question, but.... You know how, when they put a weight on your rim to balance your tire, it leaves corrosion where it was? Well I've got that, and I've got some corroded spots in general on the aluminum part of my wheels... (not the snowflake shit... it's just painted...) I would really like to refurbish my wheels, they at least look decent, but I've tried everything to clean the discoloration off the aluminum and have yet to find something that works. Do I need to take it somewhere and have it umm... well not acid bathed but some kind of chemical aluminum cleaner, or is there something I can do at-home when I've got the wheels off to paint them 3d? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 It's corrosion.. rust! The only thing you can do is sand them down and polish the aluminum. I had my friend (professional aluminum polisher) do the lip and centercap of my wheels, and I painted the crosslace part. Others on the board have done the same thing too. Heres some pics http://photobucket.com/albums/v142/canadianbadass2k/crosslace/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebojsa_o Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 What he CBAD said. I did mine myself, so they don't look as good as CBADs, but you get the idea, and I clearcoated mine. I might be taking the clear coat off this summer, because I'll probably buy winter tires and rims for next winter, and they shine a bit nicer with no clear coat, I might even sand them some more if I feel like it at the time. The rim on the left is WITHOUT clearcoat, and on the right is WITH clearcoat. http://img410.imageshack.us/full.php?image=p10007697vx.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EviLette Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 ok thanks guys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Yea, use sand paper on the lip, i started with 400, then 600, 800, 1000, and then 1500, then rubbing compound, then aluminum polish, and they turned out awsome! THen i painted them, wich was a mistake, shoulda powdercoated them.. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Prospeeder/100_1064.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Prospeeder/100_1065.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Prospeeder/Wheels/100_1122.jpg Its not Rust, aluminum doesnt rust, it corrodes, theres a difference, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EviLette Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 God DAMN that is shiny... I think I'm gonna have to do that... Work on them one at a time, ya know... But what do you mean by powder coat? I've never understood what a powder coat is... is that like the factory finish, because i always thought that was painted.... **EDIT** Damn that's so hot... What do you do to keep the aluminum from dulling back up, OTHER than making the assholes balancing your rims put the balance on the inside? I imagine clearcoat would protect them, but like you said previously, it killed a bit of the shine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 powdercoat is a coating that is dry and electrostaticly put on then baked at 350 degrees or so for like i dunno, an hour, and is 3 times more durable then paint, and is abrasive resistant EDIT: I use mother aluminum polish once a month, and if it does get dull, use some rubbing compound on them, they look great still, i did them last summer and they sat all winter in the elements it prolly took me 10 hours a wheel, so be warned, you WET sand it also, if youv never sanded alumium, it will sluff off a grayish black crap, when you wet sand it washes it away and keep the paper from clogging and keep heat down, gotta have special sand paper also ment for wet sanding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EviLette Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 hmm... okay that clarifies a lot... does powdercoat have a similar finish to paint, or is it more of a powdery looking substance even after clearcoat or whatever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 looks just like paint, heres what my wheels looked like before, look familiar? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Prospeeder/Turbo%20Grand%20Prix/100_0812.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Prospeeder/Turbo%20Grand%20Prix/100_0811.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Prospeeder/Turbo%20Grand%20Prix/100_0105.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EviLette Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 EEEW! Yeah, it looks familiar, but mine aren't NEARLY that bad. I noticed the powder coat started coming off after I had some Proper wheel cleaner on them for a bit too long... but the corrosion wasn't that bad. It is, looks almost like mold, where the balance weights were on the rims, but for the most part, it was just a little bit of dull, discolored splotches here and there. It was just really bugging me. So far I've got a hell of a shopping list to take care of when I cash my paycheck on thursday. **EDIT** Damn I do a lot of editing to my posts, lol. My rims are a bit chewed up on the edges from past owners catching curbs... and I will admit, I've had a couple stoney events where I wasn't paying the attention I should've been and did a bit of chewing on the aluminum rims myself... how much of that do you think can come out with the whole sandpaper thing, or is that something i should dremel out before polishing, or don't fuck with it at all? HAHA you're the expert here. You and MR. Shiney Crosslaces.... ingenius idea there, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebojsa_o Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 My rims had some curb marks on them when I bought them. I started with 220 grit sandpaper, and just went over everything, until I was satisfied, and all the crap came off. Then I did 400, 600, 800, and 1000. After that came the rubbing compound just because I had some laying around, and then aluminum polisher. I used that Blue Magic stuff, or whatever it's called. Worked well. The smaller scratches from curbs came off, but one rim had a pretty big chunk that was fucked up, and I couldn't do anything about it really. Still once the rim is shiny like that, you don't really notice the curb scratches that much. My rims were pretty beat up though, I'm sure yours are in better shape then mine were, so I wouldn't fuck with those curb marks that much. It's entirely up to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EviLette Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 ok cool thanks 220... I should be able to remember that number... its like... the high power electrical that you dont wanna get hit by... kinda like an HEI distributor, right? lol way offfffff topic. but okay thanks again... all this information is SOOO helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Uh i know what you mean about curb rash, an 75-80 year old half blind woman owned my car, t he wheels are chewed up to hell, especially the passenger side front one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I used Mother's aluminum polish as well to keep them good. I take my wheels off in the winter (have old sawblades from my 88' GP). Bling! POLISHED one on the front, and one that was stock in the back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EviLette Posted February 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I'm spending money on sandpaper, Mother's, and rubbing compound on thursday when I get my paycheck. And some paint too... I'm gonna do 'em black on the inside and shiny silver all across the crossweaves on top and shit like that... yeah. sounds like fun. **EDIT** AHHAHAHAHAHAH I totally missed the wetsanding part... I knew it was gonna be time consuming. I started on one of my rims last night, just sitting outside on the dirt rubbing at my rim... umm... where do you come up with wetsand paper, anyone know? Will I have to go specfically to a body shop type store for that, or can you pick it up at a hardware store/wal-mart?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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