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Topic: Pretty wheels! Now tires? (Read 2764 times) previous topic - next topic

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Ive been meaning to ask this for the past week, but I just didnt have the time between friends visiting on vacation and working on stuff around the house.  Lots of stuff...  I just dont seem to have as much free time anymore...

Anyway, this weekend I am heading up to Casper to visit a friend of mine that has access to a pretty nice shop.  I am going to take my 16" snowflake wheels and bead blast them to clean them up and remove all the old clear paint that is flaking off.  After I get them cleaned up I want to paint the recessed areas black and I was wondering if anyone had any experience painting aluminum wheels.  Will normal spray paint work if the can says it will bond with metal?  Should I clear coat the black/bare aluminum after Im done to protect it or would that just flake off easily again?

My friend also said that he has a set of nice Subwoofers and a fairly nice amp that he doesnt want anymore and that he would give to me.  So I may finally have a better sub that doesnt have to sit right behind the passenger seat!  Woohoo!

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #1 –
I had my turbines blasted and i was planning on leaving the lip polished like the XR7 wheels but the sandblaster screwed it up and pitted the hell out of my wheels.  Anywho back on topic you can use a self etching primer, in a spray can, and some good spray paint to ge the job done i have had mine for about a year now and they still look good save for the scratches and chips that come from driving the car every day.  Just make sure you use a tame media to blast em then mask off what you dont want painted then prime a coat to cover you may need two then spray 4-5 coats and you can clear over the paint but im not sure how well it will stick to the bare aluminum you may have the same flaking problem, but then again maybe not if they are clean, like super clean.
Quote from: Krazy_Kling;210178
Honda owners are like rabbits......they hide under your shed during the winter and then 30 of them come popping out around spring.
ASE certified parts specialist.
1988 Mercury Cougar Blue Max edition. SOLD
2004 Impala
My Cardomain http://www.cardomain.com/ride/799588

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #2 –
Here's what I did to my ten-holes and will be doing to my sowflakes as well - it came out PERFECT. The wheels look better than factory new IMO. Anyway, my link:

http://www.foxthundercats.com/tech/wheelrestoration.htm

I may go a step further and polish the snowflakes, but not sure yet. I like the polished look, but then they dont match the center caps...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #3 –
ROFL!!!  I just pictured the scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off and just about died laughing.  I will definitely give that a try after I bead blast them to get the clear coat off from the recessed areas.  It looks really nasty in there and is next to impossible to get the clear coat off by just using a brush.  I plan on using some glass beads for blasting if I can get my hands on some.  Otherwise I just plan on being very careful.  ;)

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #4 –
Well assuming that the fires up around Casper Mountain dont burn anything down I will be getting started on my wheels on Saturday.



You can see how nasty they look after sitting in a junk yard for who knows how long.  I think this one is one of the better ones too.  I will try to get some during and after shots for you guys also.  If things go well I will be hitting the local bars early with my friend. :drink:

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #5 –
Lmao that is funny not a bad idea tho glass is the way to go but you still have to get the fine crushed stuff to do it right aluminum is a pretty soft metal and will be pitted if you use too harsh a media.  Oh and i've always wondered if anyone has ever tried knocking down those fins in the holes might give the wheel a cleaner look.
Quote from: Krazy_Kling;210178
Honda owners are like rabbits......they hide under your shed during the winter and then 30 of them come popping out around spring.
ASE certified parts specialist.
1988 Mercury Cougar Blue Max edition. SOLD
2004 Impala
My Cardomain http://www.cardomain.com/ride/799588

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #6 –
Quote from: capitlj
Oh and i've always wondered if anyone has ever tried knocking down those fins in the holes might give the wheel a cleaner look.


I have actually...but i'm afraid it would look like  when done.
I might photoshop one, and see what it looks like.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: FordTruckFreeek
I have actually...but i'm afraid it would look like  when done.
I might photoshop one, and see what it looks like.


I'd go look for a stray single snowflake at a JY that might be bent or some other  and experiment.. i think if you used a porting kit for aluminum heads that it would work rather nice :D

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #8 –
The only Snowflakes i've seen at any JY around here...are on my car now...no way i'm messin with them, they're perfect except for some refinishing needed, and one centercap with a small dent. :D
Still looking thru my pics for a decent close in shot of a snowflake...anybody have one i can "borrow"? :giggle:
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6
 

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #9 –
i dont know if you are still looking suggestions but if you are going to sand blast them or media blast them they make a compund that is like crushed up peanuts and other stuff that is suposed to be pretty gental
and any time you are going to paint bare aluminum you are going to want to use self etching primer
 and if you plan on leaving the lip or any part of the wheel bare i would suggest polishing it real shiny like then using some brake cleaning to clean it up real good (not oil based and dosnt leave a residue) then put an adhesion promoter then spray some clear and wala always shiney aluminum with very little maitnece

i know i lot of stuff but but that will insure that it looks good and last a long time
:flip:I GOT MORE POWER NOW:flip:
:mad:..BUT I NEED EVEN MORE..:mad:

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Sprayingsmooth
i dont know if you are still looking suggestions but if you are going to sand blast them or media blast them they make a compund that is like crushed up peanuts and other stuff that is suposed to be pretty gental



that be walnut shells :D

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #11 –
Thanks for all the help guys, I left here on Friday evening for Laramie and I left in such a hurry that I totally forgot to put the wheels in the trunk. :nutkick:  What can I say?  I guess I just suck at this game.  lol.  So I guess I will be sanding them by hand now.  I did manage to get some pretty sweet stuff out of my trip anyways.  But that is something for a different thread.  I will get some more pictures of the snowflakes when I get some progress made on them.

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #12 –
Original condition.

After paint stripper and some sanding.

After painting and final sanding.


It dropped from 85 degrees yesterday to about 55 degrees today, and it was pretty windy.  So after just an hour of sanding my wrist was sore and all cramped up.  But I thought I would share the progress I have made.

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #13 –
wow, those really cleaned up good.
I'll do mine sometime...
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Pretty wheels! Now tires?

Reply #14 –
looking good they are going to look great on your car when there finished
1986 Cougar LS