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Definitive write-up on how to refinish alloy wheels. Posted by turrbo [Email]  (#8)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from turrbo) on Wed, 31 May 2006 18:34:40
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I couldn't find a good write-up on the steps to refinish alloy wheels on this BB (though I got some good advice), so here goes...You can view some pics of the wheels in my Member's Gallery. These wheels were in bad shape, with lots of curb rash, rusty spots, and strange stains that wouldn't budge! The car is a '95 9000 Super CS, with the original Super CS wheels made by Fondmetal.
Materials Needed:
Tons of rags
Paint Thinner
220 and 400 Grit wet or dry sandpaper (can get others if you desire)
Masking tape
Masking paper
Bondo Spot and Filler Putty
Haft-Grund Primer and Scratch Filler
Wurth Silver Metallic Lacquer Wheel Paint
Wurth Clear Coat Lacquer
PART 1: Prep
The first thing I did was clean the wheels and clean them thoroughly! I used water and dish detergent (Joy) to remove all wax residue, road dirt, and most of the brake dust. I scrubbed the wheels and tires with a wheel brush and a sponge, rinsed and repeated. Several times. Next, I used paint thinner (mineral spirits) to further clean the wheels, and this lifted even more dirt. It didn't do anything to the paint however. Be sure to scrub where the curb rash as, as this is where the Bondo putty will go.
On to the sanding. Using 220 grit paper, I dry sanded each wheel. You can wet sand if you want to minimze dust. The clear coat and paint came off extremely easily! I washed them with paint thinner again, rinsed them and let them dry, then I sanded them again, making sure to sand the areas where the filler will go, and making sure all spots of paint were off. I wiped them down with a dry, lint free cloth, and then it was time to start masking. I didn't want any Bondo getting on my tires, so I made sure to get the masking tape in between the tire and the wheel, saving the masking paper for just before priming.
PART 2: Filler
I used Bondo Spot and Filler putty (dark red stuff, nasty smelling stuff in a tube) for the repair of the curb rash and deep scratches. I'd wear a mask when you do this, or you'll get a pretty good buzz off this stuff (or maybe you'd enjoy that). I experimented with different spreaders, and the best I found was just a folded piece of thick cardboard.
There is kind of a technique to applying this stuff that you'll have down after the first wheel. Don't apply too much or you'll wind up having to do a lot of sanding to get it even. I just squeezed the putty out onto the area I was working with, used the folded cardboard to smoosh it down and spread it, then set the wheels in the sun to dry. After an hour or two (Bondo says it dries in 30 mins, but I waited longer), I used 400 grit sandpaper and dry sanded (can also be wet sanded) the Bondo to get it smooth and even. It's a good idea to rub your finger along the edge of the wheel without looking to tell whether it's smooth or not. If there was a spot that really had too much putty, I used the 220 grit to smooth it more, then feathered it with the 400 grit. If needed, I re-applied Bondo to the areas that needed it and let the wheels dry again, then sanded as before with the 400 grit. When that was all good, I masked the tires with masking paper and moved on to the next step. Don't forget to mask the valve stems! At this point I removed the wheel caps and worked on those off the wheels.
PART 3: Priming
Priming is important to make an even surface and for the new paint to stick. I used Haft-Grund from Autopia, which was white and worked very well. Me thinks this paint is somehow related to Wurth (also a German company) because the cans were exactly the same. Make sure it is at least 60 degrees out and the wheel isn't cold...I put them in the sun to warm up because they had been in a cool garage. Shake the primer for at least 3 minutes after you hear the ball rattling around, hold the can around 10 inches away from the wheel and begin to spray. Stop periodically to shake and keep spraying until all the surfaces are white, but don't spray too much or it will dry unevenly. Let the wheels dry for a few hours, preferably in the sun, lightly sand with the 400 grit paper, then respray, making sure to shake first. Don't do anything else today except relax!
PART 4: Painting
It's downhill from here. After letting the primer dry overnight, it's time to paint with the silver metallic paint. I sanded the primer very lightly with 800 grit paper first. Again, make sure to shake the paint for at least 3 minutes. Spray the paint on until everything is covered, but not too much! Let them dry for at least 30 minutes (I waited more than an hour) and spray again. I did 3 coats of paint. That's it for today...go have a beer.
PART 5: Clear Coating
The last steps were the clear coating. I almost was going to skip this because they looked so good, but I'm glad I didn't since the stuff really put a good shine on them. Make sure sure the paint has dried at least overnight, preferably longer (This is important, as detailed later!!). Using the same technique as before, (3 mins of shaking!) spray the clear coat on. Don't be shy on how much you spray, but don't spray too much on one spot either. Let them dry for an hour (again, they said 30 mins, but I think that's too short) and re-spray. I put three coats of the clear lacquer on. Don't put the wheels on for a few days.
Essentially, that's it. The only problem I ran into occurred when I clear coated two of the wheel caps too soon after painting. They developed a spidery look, as the paint cracked under the clear coat. When I tried to remove the stuff, I discovered just how strong this stuff is!! I soaked the two caps in paint thinner for hours and sanded a lot, but nothing would come off. I would up using my Dremel with the sanding attachment to sand them down, which of course screwed up the plastic. I had to break out the Bondo putty to fill in the scratches, re-prime and re-paint. I waited overnight to clear coat, and they came out perfect, but man this paint is not going to come off your wheels!! I couldn't believe how easily the old paint came off!
Overall, this is a fun spring project. It takes a few days to fully complete, but it's very rewarding to have perfectly new-looking wheels and not pay over $100 per wheel to have them professionally done. Total cost was probably around $150. I've never had any bodywork experience and I did the job with no problems. I have to say, the wheels look great and it makes the car look better overall. I cleaned them today, and I only needed soap and water and a sponge to get the brake dust off, where before I would need strong wheel cleaner and a brush.
I'll have more pics of the wheels mounted on the car soon. Hope this write-up helps someone who's debating tackling the project!
_______________________________________ ¯_(ツ)_/¯ -turrbo My babies: 1995 9000 Super CS 2001 9-3 SE Convertible (gone but still in the family) 2004 9-3 Aero Convertible (sold but in good hands) 2007 9-3 Aero SS 2008 9-3 Aero Convertible
, Wed, 31 May 2006 18:34:40 <-- Viewing This Message
, Thu, 1 Jun 2006 04:28:26
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