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Polishing painted aluminum wheels - removing paint


SnowDrift

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I'm looking to get a set of 5 spoke aluminum wheels off a grand prix ('96) that are the painted silver ones. I would like to remove the paint and polish the aluminum. Has anyone done this and been successful that can post some comments about it?

 

I have seen clear coated aluminum wheels with the clear coat removed and they can look really good, but I was thinking there was some "etching" material they use under the regular paint that may not make this task as easy as I had hoped.

 

thanks in advance,

SnowDrift

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I just sprayed mine with some industrial aircraft paint stripper. :shock: Took about 15 seconds. Don't get it in your face or on your hands.... it BURNS! My rims were/are in tough shape to begin with, but they have a nice shine now.

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Now, we're talking! :D

 

Did you have to polish them afterward? -or is the aluminum pretty smooth underneath? My wheels on both my trucks are aluminum (non-clearcoat), so I'm no stranger to polishing, but just wondered what kind of job it is going to be. I have the stripper, already from another project.

 

Were your tires on the rims or were they dismounted?

 

Thanks again,

SnowDrift

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Would our wheels started rusting like hell if we took the clear coat off? Or would they be pretty much fine.

 

one word

 

ALUMINUM

 

aluminum can still corrode though, i've seen corroded aluminum wheels before

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I have the stripper

 

 

i wish i had a stripper, can i borrow her for a while? :naughty:

 

only if i get ur sloppy seconds.... :wink:

 

i don't know man, i never learned how to share

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Sorry, guys, mine only strips for me. I get a kick out of it when we walk through a parking lot and guys heads are turning and they have their tongues hanging out like my German Shephards on a hot day. I just smile and think "yup, and she's going home with me!"

 

Anyhow, back to the original topic...

 

SupremeStyle21,

 

Were you able to strip these with your tires mounted? I assume this is on your GP?

 

Thanks for the responses,

SnowDrift

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Anyone wanna see RUSTING aluminum? Al does rust.. ALL alkali metals will fall victim to oxidation.. lol.. And, I snap pics of my poor rims.. Coroded to SHIT!! I want to shoot the last owner more and more, lol.. Dumb bastard..

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I have the stripper

 

 

i wish i had a stripper, can i borrow her for a while? :naughty:

 

only if i get ur sloppy seconds.... :wink:

 

i don't know man, i never learned how to share

 

:dammit:

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Blue Coral cream Polish is the best :)

oh and the Lumi in the shop power steering pump blew :shock: and I don't (right now) have time to fix it myself... and my trucks fuel pump is bad (guessing) so I have to fix that tomorrow as well ... sucky week so far :?

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SupremeStyle21,

 

Were you able to strip these with your tires mounted? I assume this is on your GP?

 

Thanks for the responses,

SnowDrift

 

Yeah I stripped it all right on the car. Didn't harm the tires.. but if you do it on the car, MAKE SURE you don't get any mist floating up onto the actual car. You'll be screwed at that point. This was some potent stuff.

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thanks again. I talked to the guy I bought the wheels from and he's told me that he had a buddy that did the same thing and spent many hours to get them polished up. This is why I was wanting to know.

 

These wheels are in great shape, now and I wouldn't bother messing with them, except that the car is dark green with the gold trim and pin-striping. That with the silver wheels would look crappy in my opinion. I figure polished will match anything.

 

SnowDrift

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