DIY Wheel Refurbing

[DiamondTony 10]

Hi all,

 

Picked up my new wheels yesterday and I want to refurb them but don't really have the cash at moment to pay a guy to do them at £60 a wheel :(

 

I don't really know where to start other than cleaning them, then I get lost. I know there's some wet sanding required, and maybe "dremmel" style tools for sanding kerb marks and polishing, and then lacquer....

 

If it helps they are Kerscher Carmonas, 7.5J and 9J. Want the polished rim and dish, and white centres.

 

If anyone knows a link to a guide, or if anyone knows what they're doing, please get in touch!!

 

Thank you muchly :camp:

[James. 7]

Wouldn't bother with a dremmel unless you want to be there for a fortnight. If they're for everyday use I'd shy away from polished (a fortnight into winter and you'll realise what I mean).

 

I did the same on some RH cups many moons ago. Painted the rims/dishes MB brilliant silver, masked off the centers and painted them gloss black. They looked awesome.

 

Polishing is an artform to get right, but there's no harm in painting them yourself (did my Borbets myself).

 

If you're dead set on polishing, then it's a case of :

 

Lots of wet and dry paper

 

Lots of Autosol and clean rags

 

Lots of elbow grease

 

Don't use wire wool as the fibres can get stuck in the alloy and start to rust.

 

Maybe have a practise on one and take it from there ?

Edited August 8, 2013 by James.

[Jim 2]

There's quite a lot of guides on the net if you look on Google :)

 

Here's an example!

 

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=229424

[DiamondTony 10]

Cheers guys, I'll deffo look into it, I will be prepared to keep clean as they will be everyday wheels, but I may not be driving it all the time in winter as the heater doesn't work lol!! I'm gonna clean them this weekend anyway and take it from there :)

[borarob 0]

as has been said polishing properly will take an age to get to the mirror finish you are no doubt after, and as soon as winter hits they will look pap unless you get teh autosol on them every weekend.

 

i'm in the process of refurbing some BBS RX2, original plan was to polish the rim, i spent ages doing one little section and it still wasn't how i wanted so decided to just paint it instead.

 

If you are going to paint them I really recommend Hammerite Smooth. it is less than £9 a tin from Halfords (strangely the cheapest place to buy it!), you won't need a primer or a lacquer so saves money there again. Its really easy to use and results in a very durable high gloss finish. I have also used the satin finish with equally good results.

 

This may be true of all paint but it is also a fly magnet! so be careful if you are spraying them outside as the flies will jump on it in seconds! (can you sense experience talking here!?)

[fla 9]

good info. I'm refurbing the backs of my tt comps as they had bubbled quite badly. Most of the corrosion has been removed and I will be spraying them with an etch primer, then an undercoat, then the standard silver. Just with the Simoniz stuff. Is this any good?

 

Amazon are selling a paint called Motorsport e-tech

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorsport-Black-E-TECH-resistant-refurb/dp/B0079YY9U2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376501490&sr=8-3&keywords=alloy+wheel+paint

 

(but in black, presumably they will also have it in silver). Any experience of this?

[A.passap 10]

Cheers guys, I'll deffo look into it, I will be prepared to keep clean as they will be everyday wheels, but I may not be driving it all the time in winter as the heater doesn't work lol!! I'm gonna clean them this weekend anyway and take it from there :)

 

Let me know how u get on tony, I'm going to be doing mine in a month or so

[borarob 0]

i've had problems in the past when mixing and matching primers, paints and lacquer from different companies, unless you know what to look for in the 'ingredients' you might end up getting adverse reactions.

[borarob 0]

here are the centres of my bbs done with hammerite smooth

 

 

not perfect mainly down to the environment i have to work in, but good enough for winter duties. Tonight's job is to do the other two

[A.passap 10]

here are the centres of my bbs done with hammerite smooth

 

 

not perfect mainly down to the environment i have to work in, but good enough for winter duties. Tonight's job is to do the other two

 

They look a treat!

[g0ldf1ng3r 14]

bloody hell borarob its hard to believe they were done with hammerite, they look lovely in the photo!

 

ive hand prep'd & etch primer'd my other set of speedlines & my uncle is going to be spraying them in black cellulose paint - lots of layers of paint & lots of rubbing to get the depth & shine....hopefully

[Jim Bowen 1]

I spent ages refurbing some wheels, cost quite a bit of money and lots of time and they turned out not great. Took them to get tyres put on and the guy there talked me into getting them done properly.

 

Am sure there are places around that do it cheaper than £60 per wheels

 

http://www.wheelrefurbishing.co.uk/

 

Prices seem quite cheap, and i've heard good stuff about them.

[Dox 23]

I find that Hammerite chips very easily, those RXs look great

[g0ldf1ng3r 14]

I spent ages refurbing some wheels, cost quite a bit of money and lots of time and they turned out not great. Took them to get tyres put on and the guy there talked me into getting them done properly.

 

Am sure there are places around that do it cheaper than £60 per wheels

 

http://www.wheelrefurbishing.co.uk/

 

Prices seem quite cheap, and i've heard good stuff about them.

 

Good point well made Jim & there are places that will do for less than that.

 

If your in the midlands there is http://www.citypowdercoating.co.uk/ who say they will do for £20 per wheel. Ive no experience of them but for £80 for a set of 4 im considering giving them a go for the set of speedlines i take off

[borarob 0]

you always hear on forums of places doing wheel refurbs for cheap money, say £30-40, i've never found one anywhere close to that! it probably is cheaper to take them to some inductrial unit and get the powder coated but they aren't going to do anything else to your wheel it terms of repair.

 

i left a pretty good key on the wheels so hoping it doesn't chip. I did this to some sebrings using the satin finish and never had any issues. that said i did leave the tyres on those so no idea if when i do the rx rims that will get chipped off when i get tyres fitted!

[fla 9]

I spent ages refurbing some wheels, cost quite a bit of money and lots of time and they turned out not great. Took them to get tyres put on and the guy there talked me into getting them done properly.

 

Am sure there are places around that do it cheaper than £60 per wheels

 

http://www.wheelrefurbishing.co.uk/

 

Prices seem quite cheap, and i've heard good stuff about them.

Think I'll use them instead - save my hands wearing out!

[g0ldf1ng3r 14]

you always hear on forums of places doing wheel refurbs for cheap money, say £30-40, i've never found one anywhere close to that!

 

I agree m8, i only replied to the post as i had spoken with the place & the confirmed the price was £20 per wheel. however, the finish may well reflect that lol

[Dox 23]

How easy do the bolts come out of the RXs?

[Jim 2]

Good point well made Jim & there are places that will do for less than that.

 

If your in the midlands there is http://www.citypowdercoating.co.uk/ who say they will do for £20 per wheel. Ive no experience of them but for £80 for a set of 4 im considering giving them a go for the set of speedlines i take off

 

I've dealt with them and no complaints. Had my 18" Octavia wheels done and they did a very good job :) Getting hold of them can be a pain so you're pretty much best just heading up there and dropping the wheels in with them. Then again I'm no perfectionist or car detailer - so someone fussier than me might have not been happy with the finish on the wheels.

[g0ldf1ng3r 14]

I've dealt with them and no complaints. Had my 18" Octavia wheels done and they did a very good job :) Getting hold of them can be a pain so you're pretty much best just heading up there and dropping the wheels in with them. Then again I'm no perfectionist or car detailer - so someone fussier than me might have not been happy with the finish on the wheels.

 

Thanks for your input Jim! i will certainly give them a go once ive taken the current wheels off :)

[borarob 0]

How easy do the bolts come out of the RXs?

 

no idea if i was exceptionally lucky but i didn't have a problem they all came out pretty easily. I have read online of people having problems ending up with needing stuff drilled out.

[GlosterOx 0]

I think the bolts are loctited in and I have read similar stories of them snapping off after being in situ for so many years.

 

Ian.

[MarkR 11]

These guys have done the 4 Speedlines on my VR6. I can't fault their work.

http://www.lepsons.com/