Lec

18'' Polished SS Wheels.

I am going to refinish these wheels, they need some TLC.

What is the best way to do this.

I was going to go with sanding down polish a little bit, then applying a simple wheel clearcoat (Duplicolor) Then Polishing.

This should result in a showroom shine, correct?

boostedss26

If you want them to look and hold up good you should spary them with real automotive clear, dupont,ppg,valspar,sikkens. I've never used that duplicolor stuff

Lec

Awsome, but the method I am going to use will work? I am not familiar with polished wheels.

I have used duplicolor in the past, it holds up well, as long as you use the actual wheel paints.

boostedss26

If the existing clear is decent, i would wet sand them with 600-800 grit and then clear them so yeah your method willwork

Switt23

iTrader: (7)

I have a set that is gunna probably need re-cleared. Would you say to use a chemical stripper on them, then reclear or would that take the black off the wheels?

boostedss26

Deafinatly do not use stripper!!

just wetsand the polished part with 800 to feather the clear out where it's fallin off and use a grey scuff pad on the rest. Then use a wax and grease remover to clean them then clear em. I'm a painter at a restoration and collison shop i know my refinishing

Switt23

iTrader: (7)

I plan on just wetsanding through the clear on the lip and repolishing the whole thing... would that look better?

Get some 350 to 2000 grit sand paper and some polish, then have the whole wheel cleared or does the clear ruin the polished finish?

Fallen33

800 kind of rough, don't you wetsand after 800 with 1000 or 2000 grit make it smooth?

Wouldn't sanding with 800 and reclear-coating cause some gnarly orange peel effect?

boostedss26

No but if you feel safer useing 2000 go ahead, it will take you a while to feather out all the clear. but it won't hurt anything

REIGN SS

Why not use commercial aircraft stripper?

A friend of mine used it on his wheels and had no issues.

Switt23

iTrader: (7)

I have heard that the KleanStrip airplane stripper works fine. It's the real aciditic stuff you have to worry about.

However the only thing really bad is the lip, so i plan on using a triple cut compound on the clear on the face of the wheel to bring some shine back and then wetsand using 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit sand paper through the clear. then I have some Mother's BILLET metal polish and I'm looking for a decent sealer for the lip now.

cooljake73

dude boosted26 ive saw your car b4 when i was in rhinelander for work

boostedss26

cooljake do you like it lol? guys stripper is not an option unless he wants to repaint the black and he said he just wanted to reclear them, remember stripper will take the black off to

Switt23

iTrader: (7)

I know. Looking moreso at the wheels, I grabbed a bottle of Triple Cut Compound by 3M and on a low-medium speed on my oribtal buffer went to town. I then hit them with a finishing glaze and they are like new.

Tomorrow I start sanding the lip.