redbird555

iTrader: (14)

Hi guys I'm looking at buying a set of c5 magnesium wheels that have had a rough life, they were painted and the job was very poorly done its bubbling in a couple areas and is very dull. I'm looking at either wetsanding them smooth and reshooting them or using a chemical stripper to get them down bare and then reseal and primer then paint. My question for you all is can you even repaint a c5 mag wheel after its been stripped? To my knowledge magnesium likes to flake paint off because it is porous and outgasses quite a bit. However GM painted these wheels when they put them on vettes so am I missing something? If I just sand them smooth and then reprep and shoot them would anyone see a problem with that?

sorry just realized this should have went in the paint section but anyway if anyone has some knowledge in here let me know.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

This subject has been discussed a number of times on the Corvette Forum, but since I don't have those wheels on my 'Vette, I haven't given the discusions more than a passing glance. However, I would say that if you carefully, and lightly glass bead blasted the wheels, then used the proper primer and GM specified paint, you'd be OK.

redbird555

iTrader: (14)

thats the thing I've searched corvette forum and there is no information on how to repaint the wheels they only describe touching them up or having them powder coated and since I'm doing neither of the two I'm at a loss.

jimmyducati

iTrader: (3)

took mine to a regular automotive paint shop and had them blasted and painted, nothing special about it. yes the vette wheels are magnesium, but they are an alloy, not pure mag. 3 years later and 2 tire changes and the paint is holding up very nicely, not even chipping around the rim from tire changes like i feared. next time they are off i will be getting them bead blasted and powder coated a semi gloss bronze though, will last alot longer and dont have to worry about chips at all!

redbird555

iTrader: (14)

nice man what tire are you running on the back. I'm coming off a set of ar racing wheels that weighed in at 60lbs each in the rear and 50 in the front so hopefully thee will help out. my original snowflakes with worn tires came in right at 45 lbs each with 245's on them. I'm going to be running a 295 kdw on these since I have a new set laying in the garage

SilverGhost

iTrader: (53)

Be careful with the paint strippers. Magnesium reacts badly to some stripping chemicals. Probably would be a good idea to contact the manufacturer of any paint stripper you are considering using and ask that question. I've found a way around that with my chemical strip tank. TSP mixed with water neutralizes the industrial strength stripping chemical I use in my tank, so I just drop them in barely long enough to strip the factory paint, then right away rinse with the TSP and water mixture. Then its media blast and powder coat.