So this is just a informational thread on how too redo the original rims if the Clear Coat is peeling off and there is also Oxidation in the Aluminum or if they are Aftermarket.

If your Wheels look like this well this process does take a little bit of effort but, will look good when you are finished. Most people won't take the time or effort to redo the Original Rims after they look like this:




Well this is the Items you are going to need:

• A Couple Cans of Klean Strip Aerosol Version (not liquid) Get The Aerosol
• A Choice of Sandable Primer, Two Dupli-color Wheel Gloss,Two Cans of Clear Coat and Sandable Primer
• Newspaper, Masking Tape, Packs of Sand Paper (220, 400, 800, 1000, 2000 grit)

 

Stripping the Wheels of Clear Coat and Paint:
Step 1:
Place the wheel in a place where you have access too a hose, or Power Washer.

Step 2:
Spray a thick coat of the Klean Strip Paint Stripper (Aerosol Version) covering everything on the wheel, make sure you get all the dips and small parts in the wheels.

Step 3:
Wait 15mins or Instructions on the back of the Can, and either use the Hose or Power Washer to take off the stripper. If coated correctly it might remove most of the Clear Coat on the Wheel and Some Paint.

Step 4:
Dry Wheel off with Leaf Blower or Any Other way and put another Layer of Stripper on and wait another 15mins
Use A $1-3 Plastic Scraper or Good Plastic Bristle Brush for like $2 you can get at Home Depot or Lowes or Somewhere else. Begin Scraping the Left over Paint off and Clear Coat.

Step 5:
Continue Step 4 until all Clear Coat and Paint is Removed
.....................................................................................................

This is what the wheel will look like after step 3 Usually if Lucky:

 

The Sanding of the Wheel

Step 1:
Begin by using 200 grit Sand Paper on the Real rough areas of the wheel and be sure you go with the circular flow if not you will scratch the heck out of the wheels making the next grit that much more daunting of a task. So place the wheel standing up, place the wheel between your legs and follow the lip of the wheel. Do Not Go Above 400 or 200 Grit for the Center of the wheel unless your wanna leave it bare Aluminum with just Clear Coat when your Finished.

Step 2:

After the Bad spots is mostly gone is the really rough parts where it looked horrible, now its time too remove the small scratches and discoloration/oxidation areas from element exsposure.
Pull out the 400 Grit and wet sand it, have a spray bottle with you its a lot easier with that instead of the hose.

Step 3:
After the 400 grit follow the same process and begin moving up with the grits all the way to 2000 grit on the lip of the wheel or if your really want the center but as mentioned at the end of step 1 its only if you wanna make it bare aluminum with Clear Coat. Make Sure between each Grit you wash the whole wheel off so you removed other left over grit paper pieces off the wheel.

After your Finished with all the way to 2000 Grit it should look like this:
The Left Wheel is After stripping sanding. The Right is Before the Stripping/Sanding.

 

Excellent results!

 

Painting the Wheel

Before you start figure out what kind of color combination you wanna do, do you wanna do bare aluminum all over or leave the lip bare Aluminum and Paint the Center of the Wheel (the way it was oem) or the opposite. The Steps should cover Any of those options.

Step 1:
Begin masking the lip off and cover the valve stem with Masking Tape Also and after masking it off and protecting the wheel from paint or Clear Coat with Old Newspaper. Begin putting Primer on the areas you want to paint with Gloss. I only put 1 coat of primer on because I laid it on thick, its your choice of coats you wanna do.

Step 2:
After waiting 15mins or so put the paint on, and waiting at-least 20mins between each coat, and apply 3 coats of the Paint preferred.

Step 3:
Now Carefully remove the Masking Tape and Newspaper without accidentally hitting the paint you just put on. Now mask off around tire and use the old Newspaper too cover the edges. Now after waiting 30mins on the last Paint Coat. Begin putting the Clear Coat on and waiting roughly 30 min. between each Clear Coat and put 3 Coats on and on the last coat put it on thick. Ok well you can now remove the tape and newspaper carefully after waiting at least a hour or two after putting the last coat of Clear Coat on.

This is what it would look like during your steps:

 

The Finished Results

Before:




After:

The Clear was still drying by the way in this picture. They turned out nice imho.
Also, I decided I did not want the black accents so, I did not paint the insides black like original. A heck of a way to spend about 16 hours but, I saved a ton of money for other things.
While waiting for things to dry I got to drill/chisel out the old crusty battery tray. I have a new one coming from Hawks.




This is after all of them were finished and on the vehicle

 

Nice job. A few things to add to this. For stripping, use aviation stripper sold at any auto parts store. It strips the clear and the powder coat. Never took more than two applications, almost all stripped on the first. On aluminum, you want to use a self etching primer or you will have adhesion problems. You shouldn't use a thick coat. Instead,a tack coat (fairly thin) at first, then a thicker coat or two. Give it an hour at least, really should let it dry overnight to avoid solvent pop. Once you have sanded to 400 or 600 grit wet, you can polish them pretty easy. I used Mothers mag and aluminum polish by hand. I had about 40 hours in a set of IROCs in rough shape. Painted them once and didn't like the color. I stripped and painted them again.

Average condition of the wheels

First painting

Final painting, still have masking tape residue on them in this pic.

 

Thanks for the reply and info, I've always had issues with the self etching but mine worked just fine. Your rims for the IROC look good BTW and thanks for reply.

 

Aerosol seemed too work better then the liquid stripper BTW, I used both the regular and aviation stripper towards the end. Both worked equally 4 me.

 

Thanks, I busted my tail on those wheels. I swore I wouldn't do it again, but I'm contemplating doing my original 15" Z wheels. I think I just forgot what a bitch it was.
Aerosol probably worked better for you because you got better coverage with it. As far as the etching primer, I got some from NAPA that was crap, I forget the brand. But duplicolor worked great for me. I hope for your sake I'm wrong and you don't have problems with your paint, but etching primer is what you should use on aluminum.

 

I guess its just more of a preference

 

Awesome info.

I've been looking into having mine redone as they are in bad need.

Found a guy in Detroit who charges 200 a wheel but then there is shipping both ways on it so that gets pricey fast.

Will need to find patience and time but looks very doable.

Thanks for posting...

Still tempted to buy another set for 800 bux plus shipping....

 

I work for a wheel repair company that can redo and wheel and paint it any color, for less then the guy you found in Detroit and that's including shipping both ways.