Detailing & Appearance Discuss washing, waxing and detailing information as well as interior/exterior cosmetic modifications. This includes neons, body, cosmetic wheels, etc. Even under the hood detailing.

I have these wheels any suggestions on how to clean them

Old Apr 12, 2007 | 12:12 AM
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Default I have these wheels any suggestions on how to clean them

I have these wheels any suggestions on how to clean them

or where to get them cleaned
and by clean them I mean strip the plastic coating and paint as well as giving them satin finish.
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Old Apr 12, 2007 | 02:18 AM
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I would try maybe using a sand blaster with a very fine grade medium to strip the plastic coating and paint. That way you will have the smallest risk of damage.

But as far as getting a nice satin finish, maybe use some type of polishing wheel and lots of elbow grease. Are you looking for like a satin aluminum finish?
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Old Apr 12, 2007 | 08:10 AM
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yeah aluminum finish
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Old Apr 12, 2007 | 12:19 PM
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If you want to keep the original look of the current exposed aluminum, DON'T SAND BLAST THAT PART OF THE WHEEL. Been there, done that, was disappionted. It'll give it a textured finish and the smooth aluminum finish will be gone. It won't be a shiny silver anymore. When recoated in clear, this new textured finish will have a light gray color to it. The only way to get back a bright aluminum finish there will be to sand and buff. When I did mine, I didn't want to get into it that far. The finish under the gold part will be a very mildly textured finish already, so blasting there is OK. But that doesn't solve the problem with the current clear only part of the wheel.

Having learned my lesson once, I found a paint stripper that was safe to use on aluminum and used that to remove the coating. Ask at the dealer, they can refinish a wheel there, and they can strip the coating without damaging the bright aluminum. Perhaps they'll only strip them for a small fee.

Another thing to try might be to get a wheel from the junkyard and experiment on it first before doing your wheels. It may save a set of 4 wheels is you make a mistake.

Dan McCann
2000 SSEi
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