Rim Restoration

[LEB Ben]

Alright guys...picked up my turbine rims over the weekend, and I'm trying to get everything together so I can get on them this weekend. I'm still wondering how to go about getting them polished.


-I guess the main question is getting the paint off? Just use paint thinner? I'd assume carb cleaner or brake cleaner would work well too. I also read somewhere I could acid dip them, but I dunno what kinda acid to use.


-Then wet sand...figured I'd start out around 600 grit and work my way up to 2000 grit by increments of 200.


-Then the polish...which I figure will be the most labor intensive. Do I just grab some mothers and go at it with a rag/flitz/powerball?




Does that process sound about right? Anything I need to add or I can skip over. Again, here are the pics of the rims:

 

[m78]

See if there's anybody in your area that does "Soda Blasting"
Won't hurt the aluminum

 

[LEB Ben]

See if there's anybody in your area that does "Soda Blasting"
Won't hurt the aluminum

Yeah...I made mention of that in my original thread. Dunno of a shop off the top of my head that soda blasts. I know of bead/sand blasters though. But I would prefer that route, to save some of my time and should have a much better surface to work with. for that matter, I might even be able to polish after blasting and skip sanding all together. I wouldn't imagine it would be that expensive at all either...maybe $15-20 a rim.

 

[Truckin4life]

check on soda blasting, i effing HATE sanding by hand...

 

[m78]

I've never had anything soda blasted so I don't know the cost , but I do know it wipes the paint off like its butter and wont hurt the aluminum.

 

[Skandocious]

Looks like they just need a good rim job.

 

[LEB Ben]

Looks like they just need a good rim job.

You made a funny

 

[Austin]

Looks like they just need a good rim job.

I've seen that somewhere...

 

[m78]

 

[LEB Ben]

Well now...if she came and did my rims like that...I'd throw em on and be happy.

 

[LEB Paul]

Well damn it Chris, I opened this thread with the sole intention of saying "rim job". You stole my thunder.

 

[m78]

Well now...if she came and did my rims like that...I'd throw em on and be happy.

To bad thats not a video.

 

[Skandocious]

Well damn it Chris, I opened this thread with the sole intention of saying "rim job". You stole my thunder.

Sorry-- you're not quick enough

 

[1970Custom]

Sorry-- you're not quick enough

Story of his life...

 

[mrfixit]

If you found someone with a good-sized ceramic tumbler, it would not only clean but polish them too. If those are the same kind of rims I'm thinking of, the area between the fins is coarse, much too coarse to manually sand. It can be done, but is more like a porting and polishing job.
I had a set of wheels onmy old van that I had powder-coated. The local powder-coater only charged me 25 bucks a wheel, and that included the acid dip, neutralizer and wash.

 

[1970Custom]

...I had a set of wheels on my old van...

Did it have port hole windows and a water bed???

 

[TexasNomad]

I cant wait to get mine mounted on my truck! they been sitting in the corner of my room for over a year..

 

[LEB Paul]

Story of his life...

Yep, apparently I have that problem in bed.

Not really a "problem" though, per say.

giggity giggity gig-eh-TEE

 

[LEB Ben]

If you found someone with a good-sized ceramic tumbler, it would not only clean but polish them too. If those are the same kind of rims I'm thinking of, the area between the fins is coarse, much too coarse to manually sand. It can be done, but is more like a porting and polishing job.
I had a set of wheels onmy old van that I had powder-coated. The local powder-coater only charged me 25 bucks a wheel, and that included the acid dip, neutralizer and wash.

Good info...thanks.

I cant wait to get mine mounted on my truck! they been sitting in the corner of my room for over a year..

Get em on there. Easily done in the driveway in about an hour. Break down the rim and tire. Throw about 6oz of bb's in there, grab the new rim... a little starting fluid a little flame and an air compressor and you're good yo go. Just did my little bro's tries this way last weekend.

Yep, apparently I have that problem in bed.

Not really a "problem" though, per say.

giggity giggity gig-eh-TEE

I just knew there was going to be a reference to a bed.

 

[mrfixit]

Did it have port hole windows and a water bed???

No, but I'm sure if you keep looking you can find one. Happy Hunting!

That blue in the wheel was applied first, then it was powdercoated with a clearcoat.