I want to make sure my rims don't corrode again. They are aluminum and have no clear coat. I had them sandblasted a couple weeks ago. I've got an infinite supply of lacquer thinner to work with, so I was wondering if they would damage the rims in any way?

 

d00d since you stripped the rims what you do is re apply a new clear coat to keap the shine. goto walmart of something and find the paint in the automotive dept, and get the clear can.

 

I want to be able to keep the nice looking. If I clearcoated them they would fog up and I'd just have to strip the clearcoat off again. 'd00d'.

 

alirhgt then, your only way out of this then is to justwash your rims everyday so they dont oxidise. if you wanna have good looking rims for a good 2 yuears then clear coat them, if not thenyou have few left options.

 

So you're telling me you have no answer to my original question?

 

The problem with not having a clearcoat is that the aluminum is directly exposed to the eliments. Take a unprotected piece of steel ok, now leave it in the rain or snow for a week or so what happens? Rust that it rust, basically thats whats happening to aluminum since it has no protection it will corrode and start pitting. I sure the laquor thinner wont hurt it but try putting on a rag then on a small part of the rim (pop of the center cap and try where you wont see it) But the only way to keep it good looking is to either clear coat it (2 or 3 coats) or wash and wax em every week and use a aluminum polish to the dulling spots. Hope this helps a little, if you have hard winters get a cheap steel set with winter tires on it and will avoid it from corroding in the salt. Or you can get a cheap sandblaster and just redo the wheels yourself every year.

 

Your best bet is to clear coat them. If not they will oxidize. The instant something comes incontact with exposed aluminum it begins to oxidize.

 

Oh come on guys Just Sand And buff the bitches out Highly Polished and buffed rims Resist stuff alot better than a clear coat that will end up looking like crap after a year or 2

 

AND I HAVE NOT use the car in 3 months
and the wheels are real dirty but they shine !!
i will use polish compound and quick(polish)again
it will took 15 mins per wheel but they'll shine like mirror
DON'T clearcoat them.
Leave it like that.Naked aluminum.then polish if u need.

 

umm i don;t think i would use a solvent on any alum just my though is that it would do some foggy to the rims. How about zoop seal or something from eastwood or even just a coat of wax would protect them. did you polish them after blasting? or just ruff original. if the surface is ruff and pitted from blasting they will get dirty and oxidize 3 times faster than normal when cleared.

myself i would polish them to a great shine which is the smoothest finish you can get and then protect them with zoop seal or another product like it.

Jeff

 

I don't want to polish my rims. I like them exactly how they look now. Here's a pic.

I'm not going to be driving the car over the winter, but I don't have a garage to store it in, so I think I'm just going to find some cheapo rims with bald tires at a junkyard and slap them on til spring.

 

Zoopseal would be your best bet. It lasts up to 2-3 years.

 

I cleaned my front Formula wheels with laqueur thinner and it worked great.
I just need to strip the rear wheels so they shine too.