Alloy Refurb - DIY?
Discussion
I got some free alloys today off a mate that I want to use when I take the car to the track. The alloys are in really bad shape, not kerbed, the paint just seems to be flaking off around the stud area. No idea what has caused this, almost like some sort of strange reaction to something and the paint has started to flake off.
I don’t really want to pay £50 a wheel to have them refurbished; I just want them looking half decent, so therefore was thinking of doing it myself.
The plan is
Get some wet and dry sandpaper, sand the wheels down to bare metal.
Mask the tyres up and apply primer and then some silver on top.
However a few questions:
What sand paper, I was thinking 400 and 800?
What type of primer will I need, can I use the standard Halfords grey primer?
What type of silver will I need, again can I use a standard Toyota silver?
I presume I will need to add a clear top coat, again what type would I need.
Plan to get all the bits on Friday from Halfords then spend the weekend doing them. Any one ever tried anything similar and care to share any tips?
PS the alloys are the standard Mk2 MR2 alloys.
I don’t really want to pay £50 a wheel to have them refurbished; I just want them looking half decent, so therefore was thinking of doing it myself.
The plan is
Get some wet and dry sandpaper, sand the wheels down to bare metal.
Mask the tyres up and apply primer and then some silver on top.
However a few questions:
What sand paper, I was thinking 400 and 800?
What type of primer will I need, can I use the standard Halfords grey primer?
What type of silver will I need, again can I use a standard Toyota silver?
I presume I will need to add a clear top coat, again what type would I need.
Plan to get all the bits on Friday from Halfords then spend the weekend doing them. Any one ever tried anything similar and care to share any tips?
PS the alloys are the standard Mk2 MR2 alloys.
A friend works in a body shop and i asked him to do my wheels. He said he'd do them for free if i done the prep work. I WILL never do it again, Takes aaaage's, has to be perfect or will just flake off again.
He sprayed them and done the clear coats. Rattle cans dont work well on wheels either and i can assure you that within a week you'll end up paying out for a pro to do it.
And after all that, they are just for the track. Doesn't seem worth the hassle.
Just to add, After having the tyres changed a few times they will scrape the paint off no matter how good the job is. And assuming track use, the tyres will be changed ALOT.
Paid to have them powder coated or dont bother.
In future, I'll be leaving them be or paying to have them PC'd.
He sprayed them and done the clear coats. Rattle cans dont work well on wheels either and i can assure you that within a week you'll end up paying out for a pro to do it.
And after all that, they are just for the track. Doesn't seem worth the hassle.
Just to add, After having the tyres changed a few times they will scrape the paint off no matter how good the job is. And assuming track use, the tyres will be changed ALOT.
Paid to have them powder coated or dont bother.
In future, I'll be leaving them be or paying to have them PC'd.
In contrast, we painted the alloys on our track XR2. As long as you;ve got a decent back to metal, they stay finished OK (for track work). If you have any cack on the rims though, the silver comes off again. We used the el cheapo "Alloy Wheel paint" from Halfords, then did white primer / yellow over the top. Chav tastic, but looked OK considering the car =)
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff