wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?

[DaJJHman]

hi, I want to be able to polish my rims, but they are clear coated aluminum... I was told I can sand off the clear coating and polish them like normal aluminum rims using something like Meguiar's Mag & Aluminum polish, is this correct? Can I do this?
I have done finishing work with sanding before, but I want to know if this might be really bad for my rims...

[Megafast13]

Re: wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?

If they are clear coated than use some Polish as you would on paint, such as M105.

Taking the clear coat off will make them uncoated. I would try a polish first.

[Nappers]

Re: wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?

Are they polished clear coated and how is the clear coat?

My wheels are machined clear coated and I plan on doing a strip of the clear coat and either re-clear or leave them and polish them up best I can.....The clear coat is chipping faster Tiger on the green and they are looking kinda icky!

If the clear coat looks good, you can treat the clear coat as stated like paint! Clean/Clay/Polish/Wax/Maintain.....I've used M105 on our wheels and they turn out great!

[DaJJHman]

Re: wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?

I couldn't get it to polish very nicely (they cleaned, and the clear coat made a decent shine, but not like I wanted - in the end I want to make a mirror... I have done that with other metals, but not on a car wheel)

also, there are various sports in the rim that are pretty scratchy and little pits in them.. I figured I would get rid of these with the sanding as well...

[Nappers]

Re: wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?

If you wetsand, be careful and not go wild.

I plan on using airplane stripper on my wheels and clean 'em up, give me something to do in the future

I recently used Laquer thinner on my boy's metal trim for his pickup and it removed the paint, took a moment to soak in and soften the paint though.

I am leary of polished wheels using a chemical to strip the clear I guess. It's the weekend and you should get some more answers in the week as the MOL brass is off weekends with the Moderators looking here and there for spammers

Hang in there, others will chime in I imagine.

[DaJJHman]

Re: wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?

ok... I'll wait some time, but I try an inconspicuous area first...

[Nappers]

Re: wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?



I'm going to do that too with my wheels.....

Mine are Les Schwab specials, Ultra brand wheels, machined, clear coated, look good but cheap and not tooooo worried.

[DaJJHman]

Re: wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?

I'm going to do that too with my wheels.....

Mine are Les Schwab specials, Ultra brand wheels, machined, clear coated, look good but cheap and not tooooo worried.

mine aren't expensive, so I am not worried very much about them... also, I tried a small spot on an inconspicuous part of the rim and WOW! - the difference is amazing! - no machining lines, semi-mirror polish (only say semi since I need to use some fresh XX00 grit paper... my current sheets are smoothed out from some idiot using them on some stuff he shouldn't have)

[Nappers]

Re: wet sanding coated Aluminum rims?

Groovy,

I just used acid type wheel cleaner (Hot Rims Chrome Wheel Cleaner) on mine to clean up the uncoated chipped off parts of my wheels..... Didn't turn out too bad, the uncoated parts were looking brown and now at least they are aluminum looking.....

You can see where my clear coat is chipping, started last winter.....



Drives me crazy!



doesn't look too horrid from a distance.....And I know the tires need to be dressed and a dent in the center cap, not done yet, just finished washing the Yukon and put my stuff away.....