Fikse-buffed through clear coat! Help!
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From: Atlanta
Fikse-buffed through clear coat! Help! I've got the FM5's off my car so like an idiot I get this idea to shine 'em up real good. Long stupid story short I noticed this clear coat like stuff bunching up and it dawned on me....that was the clear coat coming off.
So I buffed off a small area and figured I would just spray some clear coat on it. Evidently the Fikse clear coat isn't clear or this **** has yellowed over the last 5 years.
Now I've got one bright polished spot on one spoke on one rim! Idiot bastard.
Could the Fikse clear coat have a golden tint to it?
As luck would have some guy this afternoon told me about a place near here, in fact only a few miles from Vengeance Racing that does all kinds of micro-polishing and neat stuff. Procryo.com...so I looked 'em up and maybe, just maybe they can polish the crap out of all 4 wheels which would look good. They do some other neat stuff too.
So, I've got that going for me. Anybody else got any better ideas? Surely I'm not the only moron to do this.
So I buffed off a small area and figured I would just spray some clear coat on it. Evidently the Fikse clear coat isn't clear or this **** has yellowed over the last 5 years.
Now I've got one bright polished spot on one spoke on one rim! Idiot bastard.
Could the Fikse clear coat have a golden tint to it?
As luck would have some guy this afternoon told me about a place near here, in fact only a few miles from Vengeance Racing that does all kinds of micro-polishing and neat stuff. Procryo.com...so I looked 'em up and maybe, just maybe they can polish the crap out of all 4 wheels which would look good. They do some other neat stuff too.
So, I've got that going for me. Anybody else got any better ideas? Surely I'm not the only moron to do this.
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From: Atlanta
Here's by bud Lil' Richard - "Hep me hep me, Good Lord somebody hep me!"
For Christ's sake I'm not the only dip who has done this. Surely somebody can offer at least a helpful hint. I don't have time to send it or them back to Fikse!!
If somebody doesn't help me I'm painting the damn things DOT Yellow and driving all over the country just to make ALL Camaro owners look like mullet headed *******!!
For Christ's sake I'm not the only dip who has done this. Surely somebody can offer at least a helpful hint. I don't have time to send it or them back to Fikse!!
If somebody doesn't help me I'm painting the damn things DOT Yellow and driving all over the country just to make ALL Camaro owners look like mullet headed *******!!
The clear coat on the center "star" is from Fikse call a "liquid cured clear" . . . I definitely have seen clears that have a"yellowish" hue . . .
At this point, I'd say that wheel needs to be completely stripped and re-coated.
Whether a body shop dies it or it gets sent back to Fikse . . .
The other choice would be to now have all four wheels polished to a brilliant shine. Seen it done before . . .
At this point, I'd say that wheel needs to be completely stripped and re-coated.
Whether a body shop dies it or it gets sent back to Fikse . . .
The other choice would be to now have all four wheels polished to a brilliant shine. Seen it done before . . .
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From: Atlanta
I think after looking at my choices I'm going to pull the centers from all 4 wheels and let Evans Perf. put a mirror finish on them and then they can do a clear powder coating that will be very durable. That's the plan.....for now. I'm sure something else stupid will happen before I get them all back together. Just watch.
Taking the wheels apart is not as easy as it would seem. I understand the centers are "pressed" in, and bolted with funky fasteners that I hear are torque to yield . . . oh and the hoops get sealed together with a special sealant.
My want to call Fikse, just to check.
My want to call Fikse, just to check.
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From: Michigan (Holland/Grand Rapids)
That's the problem with clear coated wheels is the clear is famous for yellowing over time. Sucks but it is true.
I had some custom wheels where the center caps had chipping of the clear so I stripped off the clear, polished them, and then spray cleared them. Center caps actually looked better than the 2 yr old clear on the rest of the wheel.
Then after about 2 years the rest of the wheel was so cloudy I couldn't stand it anymore. So I stripped the clear off all 4 wheels and just polished them up by hand. They looked way better than they ever did with the clear on them.
I have also stripped the clear off of several factory wheels at home using ZIP Strip paint remover. It is a gel you can brush on just where you want and does not harm, cloud, etch, etc. the aluminum at all. Since you already have a fubared wheel you might as well try it on a spot as it costs less than $10.
Apply the stripper (using gloves) with a paint brush and let stand 10-15 min and the clear should just bubble right off, then just rinse the wheels off. If any clear is left just reapply and rinse again.
Good Luck!!
I had some custom wheels where the center caps had chipping of the clear so I stripped off the clear, polished them, and then spray cleared them. Center caps actually looked better than the 2 yr old clear on the rest of the wheel.
Then after about 2 years the rest of the wheel was so cloudy I couldn't stand it anymore. So I stripped the clear off all 4 wheels and just polished them up by hand. They looked way better than they ever did with the clear on them. I have also stripped the clear off of several factory wheels at home using ZIP Strip paint remover. It is a gel you can brush on just where you want and does not harm, cloud, etch, etc. the aluminum at all. Since you already have a fubared wheel you might as well try it on a spot as it costs less than $10.
Apply the stripper (using gloves) with a paint brush and let stand 10-15 min and the clear should just bubble right off, then just rinse the wheels off. If any clear is left just reapply and rinse again.
Good Luck!!
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From: Atlanta
Yes, yes, yes, great info and very timely too now that I have no skin left on even one knuckle!!
And by the way the nuts are 11mm and they are very tight! Too bad I didn't get to break some fingers before I got to the "sealed together" bullshit.
I'm not giving up. The skin grafts will heal up in a few weeks and I'll get right back on the job. I'll post the results later.......the keyboard is a little sticky and bloody right now.....ke..y.s....sti..ck...in...g.....
And by the way the nuts are 11mm and they are very tight! Too bad I didn't get to break some fingers before I got to the "sealed together" bullshit.
I'm not giving up. The skin grafts will heal up in a few weeks and I'll get right back on the job. I'll post the results later.......the keyboard is a little sticky and bloody right now.....ke..y.s....sti..ck...in...g.....
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Thread Starter
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From: Atlanta
Won't matter now because I just got the wheel apart. The Hilti cordless impact wrench and 11mm socket was perfect. No sealant. The sealant is between the two rim halves. I'm rolling now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
About the Hilti. I told my wife that I wanted one cordless drill that would last forever. Expensive little bastard...but...my wife screwed up and got a drill AND the impact wrench! That thing is worth it's weight in gold!!
About the Hilti. I told my wife that I wanted one cordless drill that would last forever. Expensive little bastard...but...my wife screwed up and got a drill AND the impact wrench! That thing is worth it's weight in gold!!
