Refurbishing alloy wheels

[JayRS4]

I`ve just bought a new (s/h) set of wheels for my beasty. There a little on the tired side, see a few years, a lot of road salt, and too many kerbs.

Now there split rims, and the rim itself I can handle, but the mutlispoke centre i think is going to be a PITA. There not going back gold (it`s not a Subaru) i`d like to polish the outer face, but leave the inners matt or dull.

I`m thinking I need to get them media blasted, to remove the old paint and leave a clean surface, but what media would be best and can anyone recommend anyone in the Surrey/Guildford area. Better still, is there a forum memeber that`s up to the task, i`d rather give money to the little man if you knwo what I mean (and no, it`s not just because i`m tight, i`ll pay just as much)



Oh, and while were at it, does anyone regconise what they are, I know there Compomotives, but model? Not listed/shown on there site.

Thanks all

 

[shenion]

Use glass bead (bead blasting.) That will leave a slight matt finish that polishes up easily.

 

[JayRS4]

Thanks Scott. Any recommendations on a polishing compound for after blasting?

 

[shenion]

Sorry, i have this white brick of compound I got at a car meet. I can't remember the name

 

[JayRS4]

Reviving this thread as having just aquired a cabinet i`m now trying to blast them myself, with little success.

I`m using glass bead, it does a lovely job of cleaning up the rim, if a little slow, but the powdercoat on the centres just wont shift, even in areas that it`s lifted.

Will I be ok using something a little harsher (ali oxide?) or will it end up just ruining the wheels? Any other recommendations?

 

[graffian]

Bring one over with you and I will ali oxide blast a bit[little bit] to show what it's like. It's cuts much better than bead and will leave a good profile for paint, you still need to etch prime.

I would get a can of paint stripper and strip them first. Save you a lot of time. The rims will polish with with wirewool and solvol, then solvol or run a mop over them I would use Tripoli. The white stuff is Hyfin, Tripoli is the brown ****, get it at your local engineering supplies.

Don't supose the centers fit in my oven, I just bought 2-1/2 kg of mat black powder;-)

 

[droopsnoot]

I had the same issue with wheels on my Firenza - very similar set-up, coated centre and polished rim. In that instance we just flatted the surface of the powder coat to get it smooth and went from there. That said, they weren't peeling, I just thought I'd start from fresh.

 

[rtbcomp]

Modern wheels are horrendous to blast. I took over two days to do a set of four, the topcoat comes off OK but the primer is bullet proof, and very difficult to see through my blasting helmet in a room full of dust.

I did a set off a BMW Mini, just got the loose stuff off and the garage was quite happy to paint over the original primer.

Use a cheap & cheerful grit to blast ready for painting, then use beads if you're going to polish them.