I've just started polishing my iroc rims, and so far they look really nice. The problem is that they scratch really easily. If I even drag the tip of a screwdriver down the polished surface it leaves a scratch. I just know as soon as I take these things out on the road they will get torn all to hell. Does anyone know what sort of clearcoat I can put on them to protect them? I've called some places about a clear powdercoat, but they said it turns sorta yellow after a while. Whatever they put on them from the factory worked pretty well. Does anyone know what this is, or have any ideas about what I can do? Thanks guys. Oh yeah, heres the before and after pix.

Before:


After:


[This message has been edited by ViciousZ (edited April 16, 2001).]

 

I'm currently doing 88 IROC rims. The clearcoat issue is difficult. Eastwood has a can of clearcoat that will coat polished aluminum, also Dupont makes come clearcoat for flexible bumpers, some thing called 2120 or something like that. Application requires a paint shop/body shop. Did you strip these wheels? I had great success with a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder equipped with a buffing wheel, using the rouge compound. Then Mothers to remove residue. Try that Eastwood stuff $7 a can, I decide to go with out clear coat. I did clear coat(paint clearcoat) the clored inserts.

 

i am doing my rims soon and i dont plan on doing the inserts. i just want the outside to look mirrored. is that a good idea, and how long did it take you? thanks

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Jarrad
1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
TH-700R4
G92- 7.5" 10 Bolt 3.23gears
Bright Red Hardtop/ Grey Custom Interior
5,507 IROC's Hardtops/Ttops; 2,415 5.7L IROC's Produced in 1990

DAILY DRIVER: 1991 S10 2.5L/5SPD WITH CAMARO RIMS

 

This is probably a stupid question, but did you guys take off your tires when you polised those rims? And about how long did it take? Could you do all four in a day?

 

all 4 rims in a day is unlikely. A "good" job should take you at least 3 days. (my WS6 rims took a week. 30 hours) It is A LOT of work.

I wouldn't bother coating the wheels with anything. First, it will take some of the shine away. About 25& of it actually.
2nd, it WILL turn a slightly darker color over time and will be prone to peeling like the original coat. Just like any high polished surface they show every little scratch. I've talked to many body guys that have done this, most at the message boards on www.autobodystore.com (which is a great site for this sort of info by the way). You may want to ask them.
I do recommend a coat of car wax on the wheels though. It will help prevent "fine" scratches .

To answer the other guys question about removing rim from tire. It is not necessary, but it does make the job a lot easier.

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91 Formula 1LE 1 of 46
305 TPI 5speed
1LE/G92/WS6

Paxton SN92 supercharger, Ford SVO 24#injectors, Crane AFPR,SLP airfoil, ported/polished plenum, March alt. pulley,Crane Gold 1.6rrs,MSD coil,MSD6AL (5400rpm limit),Holley 9mm wires,Ac delco R43ts plugs,custom chip,Bosch O2sensor,SLP 1 5/8" headers,SLP catback,shortened shifter,3:73s w/Auburn posi,180* t-stat,JET 195* fan switch, Macewen white face gauges, Autometer gauges, Zoom hi-performance clutch.

 

POR-15 makes a clear. Just FYI, I've no experience with the stuff, I just heard POR-15 is kickass stuff.

 

The proedures takes ALOT of time. Hard to give an accurate time because it depends on experience and equipment. Safe sided I say minimum 2 days per rim.
1. Strip rim with Aircraft Stripper( one shot/coating won't do it, sometimes 4-8 applications to remove all original finish/paint) so apply,scrape apply scrape, wire brush, hose and so on, til they are stripped.
2. Now that they are stripped, you are ready to sand the rims, maybe starting with 400 grit going to 1500(depends on the quality/state of the underlying metal), use wet compatiable sand paper.
3. Now buff using the different compounds and buffing wheels. Wheels should me mounted on a bench grinder or a hand held angle grinder. 1st tripoli compound and then 2nd rouge compound.
4. After the buffing is complete using terry towels and Mother's MAG wheel polish, rub/polish by hand. Watch as amazingly the rag turns black as you remove all residue. You will always remove black stuff. I have yet to come out with no black stuff.
5.Mask of wheel with masking tape and trim to shape with SHARP razors(takes practice).
6.Spray primer/adhesive promoter on parts that you plan to paint(I'm USING 88 IROC RIMS AS A EXAMPLE).
7. Spray the color of your choice NOTE: most paints take 2-3 days to completely dry. You will do more than one coat.
8. Now spray clearcoat on the painted areas. More than one coat 1-2 days to completely dry.
9. Remove masking tape and sand all over spray and uneven lines, then seal the sanded edges with some clear coat.
10. Now would be the time to apply possible clearcoat to the shined area, BUT I have yet to find one that works.

Okay these are the steps I took I'm not a professional and by no means is this the only or smartest way to do it.

GUYS check this site:www.finishing.com
Seems that there isn't an effective coating that will last.
Eastwood company makes a can of aluminum clearcoat, I heard mixed results.

 

The reason you never come off without black stuff is that that's the polish after it's reacted with the aluminum and turned black.

 

I got a pair of brown Z28 rims from another camaro and I used some chemicals to get the clear coat and brown off then I glass beeded them (which is like a sand blast) and then my dad had one of his friends that worked at a body shop to spray clear coat on them( I think it was a kind of body clear coat). You should go to a body shop and see if they can spray some car clear coat on the wheels or see if they have a certain kind of clear coat for wheels kind of like how they came from the factory.

Hope that helps