Re-polish Rims?

[loud2004marquis]

Have some spare Marauder rims and am wanting to refinish them. Does anyone have any experience re-polishing and clear coating the OEM rims?

Should I have them blasted?

Any tips/advise would be greatly appreciated!

[lji372]

Never done it.
I would advise against blasting.
I polished an elbow once, wasn't happy with the progress, so I glass beaded it to give me a head start and made it worse :(

Spectragod has some knowledge about the clear coat

[RubberCtyRauder]

Don't sandblast aluminum. Glass beading is possible, but need further info on that media It will be a ton of work as you have to get thru the clear first. Why not just get them PVD coated?

[jwibbity]

what about soda blasting????

[MOTOWN]

PVD em and call it a day! they look fantastic.

[rauder88]

Have some spare Marauder rims and am wanting to refinish them. Does anyone have any experience re-polishing and clear coating the OEM rims?

Should I have them blasted?

Any tips/advise would be greatly appreciated!

Know this is an old thread but I started to do this to my powder coated wheels. I can post some pics later if you want. I stripped the wheels with brush on paint stripper. Everything came off, powder coat, factory coating as well. I can see why they PO had them coated, some pitting and curb rash. These will not look 100% without PVD, but I wanted them for snows because with a big brake kit CVPI rims wont fit.

Anyways after stripping, I sanded with 600 grit where pitted and corrosion was. 1000 grit over the whole wheel. Then followed with wet sanding 2000. Used a die grinder with 4" buffing wheels with Brown Tripoli and White Rouge bars. Results were pretty good, mirror finish. Down side is I have about 8 hours into each rim, stripping, prepping, and polishing. Still have to coat the rims, doing my research on this still.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Clear powdercoat better than auto paint clear coat

[rauder88]

Clear powdercoat better than auto paint clear coat

Yes it would be better and tougher. I didn't like the results, my buddy that does powdercoating tested a polished piece of aluminum I gave him, it took a lot of luster out of the aluminum. Tough to explain, it but it wasn't nearly as deep as it was before, just don't want that for the wheels.

I am currently experimenting with aviation products.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Bare aluminum will need buffed regularly. Ask me his I know with 4 Weld Racing rims

[Spectragod]

I stripped, polished and re-cleared a set, it's cheaper to pvd them, materials were $500 my cost.

[rauder88]

Bare aluminum will need buffed regularly. Ask me his I know with 4 Weld Racing rims

I know that is why I need to seal them someway.


I stripped, polished and re-cleared a set, it's cheaper to pvd them, materials were $500 my cost.

It can get pricey yes. Right now with stripper, sand paper, compounds and buffing wheels I'm only into this endeavor $67. Powdercoating would cost me $100. Not sure how much aviation product I would need but cost should be around $50. If it can keep B29's and P51 mustangs looking good at all times, then it should work just fine on wheels.

[RubberCtyRauder]

There was a company that sold a kit to protect aluminum called Zoop seal but they went out of business but I'm pretty certain somebody else has a product just like it.. Found one called shineseal
http://shineseal.com/

[03mmmonroe]

PVD em and call it a day! they look fantastic.

What is PVD? must be out of the loop. Auto clear coated inside of front wheels and with big brakes clear coat is turning brown / I am thinking due to heat will have to work on wheel over the winter. will follow your updates.

[fastblackmerc]

PVD coating

http://www.oerlikon.com/balzers/en/know-how/coating-technologies/pvd-process/

[RubberCtyRauder]

https://detroitwheelandtire.com/pvd-what

[03mmmonroe]

https://detroitwheelandtire.com/pvd-what

Thanks great information

[RubberCtyRauder]

Thanks great information

4 marauder wheels is $700 plus shipping to/from

[03mmmonroe]

4 marauder wheels is $700 plus shipping to/from

Thanks may have to look into. Was that factory oem finish or the PVD bright.

[RubberCtyRauder]

PVD brite chrome or black chrome is the same price..i have not done mine yet, Jerry (lji372 pretty much secured that price I believe and has had many done) Any repairs will be extra, curb rash etc type.

[cer0413]

Repairs were 20bucks a wheels for mines.

[Spectragod]

I know that is why I need to seal them someway.



It can get pricey yes. Right now with stripper, sand paper, compounds and buffing wheels I'm only into this endeavor $67. Powdercoating would cost me $100. Not sure how much aviation product I would need but cost should be around $50. If it can keep B29's and P51 mustangs looking good at all times, then it should work just fine on wheels.

The process to re-clear the wheels as the factory had done them....

Strip with aircraft stripper
1500 grit any loose ends that didn't get stripped
Polish the wheels

This is where it gets expensive......

You HAVE to use a water based adhesion promoter ($200 a pint) for the urethane clear to stick to the wheels

After that is applied and dried, you can clear with PPG urethane clear coat, as it is what was recommended by Alcoa.

Anything short of the above will provide less than OEM results, if I had to pay for labor, PVD would have been my first choice.

But then again, if your balking over a C note to do the job, maybe just some Plasti Dip will do it for you.:confused: