Hey guys, Im planning on polishing my 15x7 Z28 wheels as a winter project and i've already done a board search (many times) and have collected much info on this subject. I have a few questions tho. are there differences between polishing IROC wheels and Z28 15x7 wheels? I heard the Irocs dont have "cast" (the very small lines in the metal) on them so you dont have to sand them down as much. Another thing is when you use the clearcoat remover do you use it on the entire 15x7 Z28 wheel? Because it looks like the middle of the spokes dont have clearcoat on them anyway. The only clearcoat that you can tell is there is on the raised outer edge of the spokes and outside of rim. O and im having trouble finding clear coat remover, anybody know where i can pick some up? These are the steps i was thinking of taking, someone correct me if im wrong or add some helpful tips, thanks!
1.) clean wheel
2.) brush clear coat remover on with small paintbrush and wait to dry.
3.) wash wheel again
4.) Sand wheel using 120grit all the way to 1500
5.) Put polish on and let sit
6.) buff off using moderate pressure with paper towel

 

Yeah - that's gonna be my project too. From what I've read, those are the right steps. I found some automobile paint stripper in a spray can at Walmart for about $4. It's from the same company that makes the Aircraft type stuff- I dont know which is better. I also got some Wetordry sandpaper in a package with 220 all the way up to 600 included: only $2.

 

im working on mine right now and it man is it a job
i'm using 80 grit right now as that cast is not sanding out that easy

if anyone has any good ideas on how to do all the little edges let me know, my hands just cant take it any more

i have to say though, if i ever get all 4 done, they're going to look great.

By the way, i also just used paint remover on mine

 

anyone have before and after pics? i was thinking about doing it to mine but they are not stock rims they are aftermarket ones. i dont have a pic yet but i can get one if anyone can tell me how to post it on the website?

 

Heres one of mine.I'm working on my test rim at collage, I will get rid of the waves in the polish by milling it flat. I did this to one of the spokes with a 1/2 inch end mill but since I had to make three passes at it.I got the wavs out but the three passes I took the sideways waves out but there was 2 lines going up the spoke.Tomorrow I will use a 1 1/4 end mill to get rid of the 2 lines.

 

Man... that looks pretty cool. That'd be awsome on almost any color. I wonder how it'd look on my 2 tone, cause I could get another set of these wheels for not a whole lot I'll bet... hmm.

 

wow those rims in the pic look really nice so far. whatd you use to take the clear coat off and did you spread it over the entire rim? could i use some kind of sanding tool on a drill to get the cast off? i heard a dremel may leave blemishes. Could i just sand them out? Thanks

 

I used Laquer Thinner. I put it all over the rim.

 

you can sand it by hand, thats what im working on right now, however this seems to be taking forever to get the groves and such sanded enough

maybe i just need to step down to some 40 grit instead of the 80 im using

 

Thank *** I am not the only one having a problem getting down though the machine lines. I have tried and tried with my 91 style rims and I can't get though the machine lines. I am going to try some 120 next. The lowest I have gone is 220 so far and I am just wasting my time.

I was thinking about using a DA on gringer mode to get some of it off. I don't know though

 

Purpleworm, I dropped down to 120 to get the lines off my 91 wheels. I managed to get all of it except two places. There are pits in one of the places between the spokes. And at the end of the spokes near the outer wheel... I can't get close enough to get it very well.

 

GO HERE.

http://www.gmtips.com/3rd-degree/dox...els/wheels.htm

 

He's insane Too bad the type of wheel you can polish with this method is really limited.

 

Thanks for the info on the 120 grit. I had given up on them but I will go pick some more 120 grit tonight.....I can see this becoming a weekend project for each wheel.

We used a variation of car on the jack stands for a set of ford wheels. We got an old axle and mounted the rim on it and then put it in a lathe. It gets the same results but it is more safe.

 

well guys after a couple night of sanding for a couple hours i've only gotten one of the spokes done on my wheels.

I'm having alot of trouble getting out the cast in the corners, even with 80 grit paper.

85sportcoupe, how did you go about getting your cast sanded out?
Did you do it by hand, or some type of drill attachment. I dont think theres any way i can get a dremel in there except maybe with the flexable attachment.

I'd appreciate any help, cause at this rate its going to take me a month per wheel.

 

TTT