Tech

iTrader: (1)

My buddy cleared my wheels (black center w/ polished lip) and the scratches from the 320 showed through the clear. The directions for the clear say to sand or hit the aluminum with a wire brush (so that's what we did). I'm debating whether or not to strip them again.

He used etch primer, black base and then some sort of clear made for aluminum. What is the best way to strip all the paint off? Chemical(s)? Sand/soda blasting?

Tech

iTrader: (1)

I should clarify...

The outter lip is the area that looks like crap. The black center is fine.

sercastiK

iTrader: (11)

youll need to strip the clear off, sand the bad areas with 400 grit than 600 followed with 1000-1500 grit, make sure to wetsand it comes out way smoother


Jeremy

tuffluck

iTrader: (4)

i would suggest finalizing with 2000 grit. then get some rubbing compound - 3m - and polish the **** out of it. it will, with the right amount of effort, remove the scratches.

Tech

iTrader: (1)

Would sand blasting it vastly reduce the elbow grease? If I can get it done inexpensively, should I go that route first? I don't want to waste my time (or my buddy's).

Jantzer98SS

iTrader: (54)

Get some small 4" or so cotton sewn buffs and some buffing compound (tripoli) and mount them on your drill and goto town. It will save you a lot of head ache, back ache, gritting fingers etc. etc.!

Scott

Tech

iTrader: (1)

This will take off layers of clear? That stuff looks aweful thick.

Also, could you provide me with a source to get those buffs? PM me if it's a non-sponsor. Thanks!

SilverGhost

iTrader: (53)

eastwood carries teh compund and buffs and they are a sponsor.

kinda makes you wish you'd listened to what i was saying the last thread eh

yes you'll need to strip the clear coat, i have no experience with that however.

then once again this is what you do.

WETSAND these steps.

220 grit
400 grit
600 grit
1000 grit
1200 grit(you can skip this if you want, but if you want it perfect, do it)
1500 grit
2000 grit

The surface will now be silky smooth and ready to polish up.
Then you can do what Jantzer recommended to actually turn it to polished..if not you can do what I do..take a dremel with polishing buff and Mother's Billet Aluminum polish and go to town.

Note: How deep the scratches are that you want to remove in the first place will dictate the first grit you must start with. 220 grit is pretty rough and should get you started ok..but if the 220 doesn't take the inital damage out of the metal you will have to start rougher.

The most work will be in the earliest grits..once you hit like 1000 you don't have to spend nearly as much time as you didi with the previous grits..just make sure that at every stage theer are nothign but scratches that are from the grit you are working with before you stop and go on to the finer grit.

Jantzer98SS

iTrader: (54)

Use a good paint stripper from Eastwood. Then get some of the 4" sewn cotton buffs that have a mount for a drill (you can find them in kits for wheels sometimes) or you'll need the special shank the wheel mounts to that slides into the drill. I would probably start with the black stainless steel compound and see if that takes the scratches out easy. Then proceed to the tripoli compound on another wheel... and the final step should be a loose cotton buff with the white compound. You shouldn't need to do any sanding by hand if you have the right compounds/buffs.

Scott

Tech

iTrader: (1)

We are going to use some aircraft stripper on Saturday and then use the buffs for the rim. Thanks Scott (and everyone else).