OK, I've got a little time on my hands before the concrete season starts really kicking in so I've decided my wheels need some attention. It's kinda hard to see in the pic but the clear coat on the wheels are pretty scratched up and chipping in a few places. I can either wet sand and clear again, take them all the way down to aluminum and polish to a mirror finish and clear coat, or last thought is to try out duplicolor's black wheel paint. I'm on the fence of which would look better so you guy's help me decide, and that's what I'll do and later post the before and after.

 

i would reclear coat them.

 

I think black rims look really nice on the stealths.....

John

 

Well I went with stendori's suggestion since no one else suggested anything from the time I posted to the time I started. I almost went with a black center and kept the outer ring polished which would have been less time consuming but also less of a bling factor. I'll post some pic's when they're done. maybe tonight?

 

You are to quick, if I had time to vote it would have been 2 to 1 for black on the Stealth.

 

Sorry I missed the original topic. I was going to suggest going black... JK I think those aluminum rims look really nice with the polished look.

 

A thought...if you think your going to reclear them and do it correctly in a day...your mistaken.

I've done a few sets of truck tires...lots of steps! Prep is KEY!! Costly if you don't already have the stripper, sprayer, buffing compound, acid wash, good 2 part clear coat...etc. Don't use spray cans of clear coat, it won't hold up....made that mistake and had to redo them a year later!! Sucked!!

Steps that need to be taken to do it correctly...dismount the tires. Strip the wheels of existing clear coat, re strip and use steel wool to get in all the nooks. Acid wash, buff to get any scratches out and re acid wash. Then you'll need to let them air dry for a day in a nice warm place. Then wipe them down with cheese cloth and alcohol...allow to dry completely. Then use a quality 2 part acrylic urethane clear coat from the auto body supply store, sprayed out of a airless sprayer...dry for 4-5 days before remounting the tires.

I've been there and done this a few times...prep is absolutely key, skip steps or rush and they'll chip, peel in a short time. Take the time to do it right and they'll last and look great for years. You won't get it done right in a day or two...4-5 days is more realistic. Good luck.

Wenty

 

Well I didn't get as deep into it as Wenty describes but I did strip,acid wash, wet sand, and buffed before hitting them with an automotive clear coat. About 4 hours per wheel. They're not show room new but a big improvement from what they were. There were a few nicks and scratches that were deep and wouldn't come out unless I wanted to sit there all day long sanding and buffing but I can live with it. Next time I'm thinking just powder coat them black if I still have it when the time comes. Here's before and after.

 

I had them prepped and was going to wait for the weekend but as of this early morning I was recruited for an all weekend drywall job helping my brother so with my day off I went ahead and banged them out. Now they need to set for about a week or two before they see any mud.

 

Look pretty nice. Lot of work for sure. I'd have gone either way.