DIY Refurb for Alloy Wheels - Any Advice?

cougar

cougar

Well-known user
May 6, 2010
718
62
staffordshire
I'm about to refurb a set of alloy wheels for our other ford (galaxy) has anyone got any advice on how to go about this?

Basically the alloys are known for being shoddy (unlike the cougar alloys which seem to last really well)

The galaxy alloys were a diamond cut alloy with a laquer, so they are metal rather than painted. The problem was that the laquer didn't last well, it lifted and peeled.

A couple of the tyres were on the last legs so I picked up another set with 4 new tyres. I'm now going to refurb these.

Where the laquer has peeled the alloy has gone powdery underneath and is now a rough surface which holds dirt nicely. There is also a few scuffs etc.

My plan is to start by cleaning with fairy liquid etc to get rid of any wax, then sand down any burred metal on the scuffs using wet and dry, then fill with some bodyalu or similar. Then sand again until smooth. Then paint with primer, then paint with silver paint, then paint with laquer.

I have a compressor but prefer to use cans normally for ease.

Can anyone recommend a decent paint which will look like metal when finished rather than looking grey? Any other tips?

I'd seen the following paints:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Autoglym-Wheel-Silver-Paint/dp/B001I6VJZ0 - Nice and cheap
http://www.wheelpaints.co.uk/product_details_177.htm - seen it mentioned a couple of times - but pricey

Thanks!
 
Thanks for that it answers a good few questions,

Any tips from anyone on the best paint to use? Or would I be best to pop into a proper paint shop and ask them?
 
Put aerosols in warm water for 10mins before use unless its warm outside, rub the lacquer back with 120grit first then gradually get finer once all the nasty lacquer and corrosion has gone, finish with 400 or 600 for brushed ali look, but sweep in one direction or swirls for personal preference, or go to 2000grit and polish with T-Cut or Met-All, clean thoroughly before re-lacquering
 
i just used a wheel silver aerosol from motorworld and the clear laquer from there aswell, mind you i did just do the outer rims so it was fairly easy but i enjoyed it, hadn't refurbed wheels since doing the bbs alloys for my wife's Jetta GTI a few years ago, and i did an awesome job of them and i did them by hand, took me 2 weeks after work but they were worth it
 
TopCat1127 said:
Put aerosols in warm water for 10mins before use unless its warm outside, rub the lacquer back with 120grit first then gradually get finer once all the nasty lacquer and corrosion has gone, finish with 400 or 600 for brushed ali look, but sweep in one direction or swirls for personal preference, or go to 2000grit and polish with T-Cut or Met-All, clean thoroughly before re-lacquering
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So you reckon I could get away without using any silver paint?

This is an example of an allow which looks the same:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-2007...&otn=5&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=3070267179072700007

although that one is in much better condition. The center cap is plastic and pops out. Each of the 5 spokes has 2 raised parts and a bit that's sunk. The laquer has peeled on the raised parts but not on the sunken parts (if that makes sense)

I gave the a quick rub down with 80 grit last night. In general the 4 I started on are actually very good 3 of them have no chunks missing or kerbing at all. The 4th has a bit of kurbing to the rim and a few scratches to the 3 of the spokes. I could swap the worst with the best one on the car to get 4 with no deep scratches.

So will I get a good enough finish with just laquer or will I need to spray them - any refurbed ones I've seen have been sprayed.
 
I've had a quick play with one of the center caps - these are plastic with a thin plate of metal pressed over them, in the same way as the alloys the laquer has started to bubble and peel on these.

I rubbed down and got finer and finer - just on one patch. It took a hell of a lot of effort and is extrememly hard to get a perfect scrath free finish for laquering.

I think I'm realising why most people seem to paint them, I don't think with my equipment/skills I could do well enough with just laquer.
 
I might change the colour etc of my alloys next year as they are looking a bit tired now and the new in-thing is black with machineed faces not all black (or 2 tone black and metalic grey like mine are supposed to be)
 
ginja said:
I might change the colour etc of my alloys next year as they are looking a bit tired now and the new in-thing is black with machineed faces not all black (or 2 tone black and metalic grey like mine are supposed to be)
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Seen quite alot of cars with colourful alloys nowadays!
Some actually have looked quite smart, thinking of getting mine done in a metallic blue or blue with metalflake!
I wouldn't even attemt it myself though as i know it would go wrong 100%!! :(
 
I must be an old fashioned fuddy duddy, as I only think alloy wheels on any colour or type of car look good in silver, with one notable exception - BBS LM with a gold centre and polished rim. I know black - and other coloured - alloys are now in vogue, but they all leave me cold.
 
I wouldn't have started with 80 grit on a wheel. I've only ever used that for knocking filler down. I'd have started with a 180 or even 320 and maybe gone coarser on just the areas that actually needed it. Creating loads of work if you've done the whole wheel in 80G.

You could Nitromors the whole finish off, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1200 and then 1500 wet flat the ally directly and lacquer as Tony suggested with engine lacquer to prevent clouding when braking etc. You'd have as damn near a polished wheel as you can get. Maybe even 2000 wet flat before lacquer if you want a mirror like finish.
 
V6SINGH said:
I wouldn't have started with 80 grit on a wheel. I've only ever used that for knocking filler down. I'd have started with a 180 or even 320 and maybe gone coarser on just the areas that actually needed it. Creating loads of work if you've done the whole wheel in 80G.

You could Nitromors the whole finish off, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1200 and then 1500 wet flat the ally directly and lacquer as Tony suggested with engine lacquer to prevent clouding when braking etc. You'd have as damn near a polished wheel as you can get. Maybe even 2000 wet flat before lacquer if you want a mirror like finish.
Click to expand...

No I've only used the 80 on the bits that really needed it (they were really bad in places) So far I've not touched the rest of the laquer so Nitromors might be the best answer. To be honest I was wanting something coarser as it was hard work on the worst of it.

Will try and get some pics up soon to show how bad they were and what I've done so far.
 
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