I bought a nice set of 16" formula wheels this winter. They don't have any curb rash or pits. The only problem is that when I cleaned them up the clear coat is kinda yellow and hazey.

I've done a search but all the results were about stripping the wheels and polishing them. I would like to know if there is any way to save the clear since it's not peeling or pitted. Can I wetsand the wheels like you would wet sand the clear coat on regular body parts? Is there some kind of polish that would take off a thin layer of clear coat? Is the clearcoat probably yellow all the way down to the metal where I'll just have to bite the bullet and strip the wheels?

Thanks

 

you didnt happen to use a cleaner on them did yah...i used simple green on my wheels once and ruined the clear coat it went all foggy and whiteis yellow also.
do a search for polishing wheels...yes you proably should strip the clear of em and polish them every now and then.

 

All I did was wash the real good with the car soap and warm water and a sponge. I really don't have the time right now to spend 4 hours per wheel stripping them and then polishing them. I was hoping to be able to bring the clear coat back to life since it's not peeling.

 

Yeah, only way to fix it now is to strip it off.

Long tedious process, but worth it in the end.

 

stripping it only took about 2 minutes for me...i sprayed aircraft stripper on, let it sit for about 15 minutes, the fired up the power washer and off she came! looked 10 times better just with the clear off

 

I've stripped wheels before and I know that it doesn't take that long. The hard part is properly polishing them. That requires some time invested to do a good job. I don't really have the time right now and I don't want to do a quick half a$$ed job. If I can't do anything to make the clear coat look better short of stripping it and polishing the wheels I'll just leave them as is until next off season when I can take my time a do it correctly.

 

Before you go about stripping them, try wetsanding them a bit like you said and see if that gets rid of the yellow. Then apply a fresh clear coat (use engine or wheel paint). It worked on my Mom's van wheels.

 

Do you think spray can clear coat will work ok or should I try wet sanding and then take the wheels to a paint shop and have them shoot them with clear?

 

Yea i have had better luck with the spary than the big gallon of aircraft striper. But dont forget to use gloves becuase that stuff will burn you skins realy bad, oh and it also says that it is known in californa to cause cancer. But thats only in californa, so you will be fine in any other state lol . But hey what dosent cuase cancer these days?

 

just being in california causes cancer. theyre ridiculous about it.