Clean wheels and stick-on weights

[Tony66_au]

The Bundt's?

Paint stripper, Glad Wrap (Saran wrap for the foreigners) and elbow grease followed by a high pressure hose.

Then some more paint stripper or 2 pac thinners and a soak rag.

Once stripped a light sand to remove gravel rash and a few coats of alloy primer, then undercoat and top and clear in MB Wheel silver compliments of the paint code book.

I did a stint polishing alloy tanks and Alcoa rims, bullbars etc years ago and still remember how it goes so I prefer to do this stuff myself.

 

[Oversize]

Tony what's the Glad Wrap used for? And the soak rag; please explain! It's great that you can do it yourself! Are you painting in 2 pak?

Unfortunately these wheels will need more attention than just a light sand (pretty bad gravel rash), plus I want a finish that's as durable as the original and I don't have an oven, or breathing equipment (although I do have a good compressor and gun)....

I may give the restorer that I think is the best a test set of Bundts to see if they do a good job. Then I'll be confident enough to hand over these AMG wheels, the Pentas and the Centras (ie. in order of replaceability/rarity).

 

[Tony66_au]

Plastic wrap first.

I assume you've used paint stripper before?

I always find that the gel when applied usually runs out of strip power and dries out sooner than it has stripped all the paint which means another application and MORE mess.

So if you apply the paint stripper and then cover the applied area in wrap it doesn't evaporate and you get better mileage and usually only 1 application.

With bare wheels id probably use an orange HD Garbage bag but if you have the room pallet wrap or glad wrap works just as well, then high pressure hose the goop off preferably using a sand trap to capture the solids and gel.

This way there is no chance of scrape marks.

Any left over paint I grab a cotton rag and soak in 2 pac thinners and apply to the area that has paint and leave till the paint is soft and then remove with an old hard bristle toothbrush.

2 pac I prefer over powder coating as powdercoat chips and once the surface is broken it will flake and deteriorate in short order.

My "Sand trap" is made of packing sand (about $20 a trailer load), Some farm gate mesh with an angle frame and legs not unlike a DIY camp BBQ frame.

On 3 sides (Or 4 if the concrete is dead flat) create Dam walls with the sand, place frame in middle and you have an instant crap trap that allows the water to drain away and traps stuff like oil, engine grunge etc when you use a high pressure cleaner or similar.

 

[Tony66_au]

Im also tempted to try 2 pac thinners and a tin bath on the wheels to see if immersion works but it sounds a bit messy and the fumes could go bang.

Just be careful with paint stripper as it is caustic which can stain alloy yellow so test a patch on the back of the wheels first.

 

[Tony66_au]

As for sanding?

A rough 80 or 120 grit garnet paper will smooth it out and then finer and finer wet and dry (1200, 1500 and finally 2000) to prep for polishing then finish with autosol or similar using a rag wheel on a small angle grinder to polish.

Then wipe with prepsol and paint with primer,clear or colour and clear.

I watched this on an a commercial scale and the results created show winners from what would otherwise have been scrap, then practised on old doughnut alloy mags until I got it right and it really isn't rocket surgery although it IS labour intensive but the final result is very rewarding and once you've done one it gets easier.

 

[Oversize]

The reason I say my wheels are poorly finished is that the original chipped paint was not removed first and they just sprayed over the top! There's a paint run on the inside of at least one wheel (I've seen this on several refinished wheels) and even the refinished paint is flaking off in some areas. It's that lack of attention to detail that ruins a set of wheels and detracts from the apparance of the whole car. There's no way you'd get anywhere near concourse if your wheels aren't up to scratch.... With the finer detail in a wheel, they shouldn't be left with your local smash repairer, as wheels are a low priority to them (compared with panels) and I feel confident they'd employ the junior apprentice to complete the job; with predictable results...

If I was to manage the job myself, I might look at bead, or soad blasting before polishing and painting.

 

[Tony66_au]

Just be careful with blasting as alloy can be quite soft, Soda blast if anything mate.

 

[Oversize]

Yeah I thought that was the case! I'd be particularly worried about bead blasting if I intended to polish and clear, rather than paint. And that especially applies to rare wheels where you (or a subsequent new owner) may wish to return them to the original finish.... We are just guardians after all!!

 

[Tony66_au]

The guys I used to use did wheels a bit and knew how to do them so just ask your chosen guys if they do alloy wheels, often they will have a brag book with piccies Mark.

I found that Soda guys knew their stuff though.

 

[Oversize]

I wonder if soda blasting would remove the white powder corrosion that you sometimes see on alloy? I'm thinking alloy fan blades and rocker covers too... I know it can't bring back the corroded particles and there'll probably be pitting. What about pot alloy or die castings??

BTW I'll take some pics of my good wheel weights and some effects of bad ones on the surface of a wheel.

 

[Tony66_au]

Aluminium oxide mate, its a chemical reaction and there will be pitting.

 

[Oversize]

Will soda blast it off, or is it too hard? Could soda actually dissolve it, or interact chemically?? Curious...

 

[Tony66_au]

Soda is as abrasive as hell although fully biodegradable which is only part of its charm.

A skilled soda blaster can strip coatings no probs and we did a quicky job a while ago by stripping doorhandles and pulling screens leaving everything else on the car and THEN sent it for soda blast (Obviously dust proofing the engine etc)

It is a good product ESPECIALLY on alloys which are often quite soft.

 

[Oversize]

Now some more pics:

Use these wheel weights:





And get this result (just dirty marks):



Use these wheel weights:



And get this if they're left on too long (note the aluminum corrosion / pitting):

 

[Oversize]

Autobarn are looking into the caramel wheel / pinstripe remover for me. Repco had no idea. Burson had one in Sydney (part #FS9607), but it'd be $50 including freight. I've just ordered one through a mate who runs a panel shop and it should be a lot cheaper...

 

[Tony66_au]

Jeeze Mark, it would have been quicker to send you mine mate!

 

[Oversize]

Unfortunately the wheels turn slowly at the moment! Last September my work decided to move locations and I'm now travelling from one side of the city to the other.... Worse that all my contacts are closer to home so it's almost impossible to get to them before they're shut! And it also means I have very little time after work to do anything... Dammit!

 

[Oversize]

I used my new eraser wheel on Friday night and it worked a treat!!! Thanks heaps Tony! It does take a little learning to get right, regarding angle and drill speed. Go too fast and the wheel heats up and begins to melt; leaving deposits on the surface you're cleaning. It also tends to wanna jump up n down making it difficult to operate.

But get the speed and angle correct and it removes the foam adhesive with ease and doesn't leave a trace. It'll also remove small patches of tar. Pics when they've had another wash to clean off the debris...

 

[Tony66_au]

You will find a few uses for it mate just try not to contaminate it with oil or grease.

Try it on old bumper or dealer stickers and I have used it to buff away road grime on bumpers with rubber over ride strips (That yellow crud you get between the chrome and the rubber) as well as removing buffing compound from hard to get areas (Be careful though) and then you just brush away the rubber bits and its done!