Rattle can rims

incubus · 09-30-2010, 01:53 AM

So I let my best friend drive my car. Unfortunately, he's a FWD guy (402hp corrado) + wasn't used to the snap oversteer that the FC's have. He ended up hitting a crub in my 91

Luckily him being such a cool guy, he had the rim repaired. The place did an awesome job, except when the put it on a lathe (I think) it rubbed some of the paint off of it. So I decided that I would have them painted. I didn't feel like getting powder coating done, since they probably won't be used that much longer. (Street tires, but will be a track car soon.)

So I started off by taking them off the car (duh.) Pressure washed them pretty well. It got a good amount of the brake dust + road grime off. You could probably use some kind of brake parts cleaner at this point as well.

Then after that I wire brushed them to get more crap off. It's a good idea to wear a dust mask while doing this. Some brake pads are made with asbestos.... not the asbestos thing for you lungs! huhuhuhuh

After that, I hit them with some 600 grit sand paper. You could probably go with something a bit more rough that that as well.

Here's where you want to deflate your tires, take off your wheel weights, then tape them off. I used a wax crayon to mark the tire where the weights went + how much was there. 2" painters tape was used to tape off the wheels. If you have shit tires, then skip that. I just got mine put on so I didn't want copper side walls. I did about 4" strips around the rim, then longer ones after that. Tape your valve stems also. I've also heard of stuffing business cards down there, but I didn't like how they stuck up. You wouldn't end up getting the whole lip of the rim.

This is also the point where you want to repair any crub markings on your rims. JB weld, or bondo are all appropriate mediums to use. Make sure the area is clean + dry, mix to recipe, apply, then sand down when dry.

After this, I hit the rims with a coat of primer. I sanded them in between coats with an SOS pad. I ended up using two cans of duplicolor primer on the 4 wheels.

Let them completely dry. Then get to your color. I ended up using some high heat engine paint for this. It was the only color that was close to what I wanted. These came in slightly larger cans than the primer. I ended up using two cans of this as well. Make sure you do it from different angles, + get the back side of the rims as well. Even strokes from 4-6", or whatever the instructions say. Also scuffed up in between coats with an SOS pad as well.

I let them dry, then clear coated them. This will help them not peel a bit more. I also used two cans of duplicolor clear for this as well.

Let this dry. Then remove the tape + carefully put your wheel weights back on. Or use stick on wheel weights since your wheels are nice + clean. They'll stick really well if you did everything right.

Then just have fun with them!

From my experience, you have to be a bit careful with them. When I was putting my wheel weights back on, it chipped off a bit. I don't think these are as strong as powder coat by any means - I wasn't expecting that either. It's a good cheap way to make your car look better though.

Pics soon.

t_g_farrell · 09-30-2010, 07:32 AM

Instead of all that sanding you can just hit them with the aerosol aircraft
stripper to remove all the old paint. It will do a great job and as long as you
protect the tires and the stem and rinse it good afterwords should be fine.
Then you just need to do the wire wheel at the end to make sure it all comes
off.

If you can't or don't remove the tires, I would recommend that you at least
pop them off the front side bead. Then you can pull the valve stem and
replace it when your done. Also make sure to mask the wheel with plastic
that drapes over the tire to keep any liquid from getting inside the wheel.

This whole job is a lot easier if you just pop the tires off and then remount
when you done but I know sometimes thats not an option.

When I did my waffles I used the duplicolor wheel gray then coated the
entire wheel, painted and unpainted parts, with a clear coat. Didn't use the
wheel clear coat, as it dried opaque instead of clear, just used the regular
clear coat. Its holding up well, been 2 years so far.

As far as using bondo on a wheel, that could be a problem down the road
when the tires get changed. The bondo might get bumped and chip from the
tire tools being used around the rim. JB Weld would be better or just file
down and sand away the blemishes.

RotorDad · 09-30-2010, 12:24 PM

Aircraft stripper is definitely the way to go when removing the old paint. Playing cards work if you don't want to dismount the tires, I have used thin strips of poster board.

incubus · 10-01-2010, 02:22 AM

Ah yeah, I forgot to mention aircraft remover + popping the beads off the tire. I didn't end up stripping the old paint of the tire. I just cleaned them really well then roughed it up so the paint would stick.

The clear I used was regular paint clear. I heard the same thing about the wheel clear.

09-30-2010, 01:53 AM	#1
incubus rotor's are in my blood Join Date: Sep 2010 iTrader: (0) Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	Rattle can rims So I let my best friend drive my car. Unfortunately, he's a FWD guy (402hp corrado) + wasn't used to the snap oversteer that the FC's have. He ended up hitting a crub in my 91 Luckily him being such a cool guy, he had the rim repaired. The place did an awesome job, except when the put it on a lathe (I think) it rubbed some of the paint off of it. So I decided that I would have them painted. I didn't feel like getting powder coating done, since they probably won't be used that much longer. (Street tires, but will be a track car soon.) So I started off by taking them off the car (duh.) Pressure washed them pretty well. It got a good amount of the brake dust + road grime off. You could probably use some kind of brake parts cleaner at this point as well. Then after that I wire brushed them to get more crap off. It's a good idea to wear a dust mask while doing this. Some brake pads are made with asbestos.... not the asbestos thing for you lungs! huhuhuhuh After that, I hit them with some 600 grit sand paper. You could probably go with something a bit more rough that that as well. Here's where you want to deflate your tires, take off your wheel weights, then tape them off. I used a wax crayon to mark the tire where the weights went + how much was there. 2" painters tape was used to tape off the wheels. If you have shit tires, then skip that. I just got mine put on so I didn't want copper side walls. I did about 4" strips around the rim, then longer ones after that. Tape your valve stems also. I've also heard of stuffing business cards down there, but I didn't like how they stuck up. You wouldn't end up getting the whole lip of the rim. This is also the point where you want to repair any crub markings on your rims. JB weld, or bondo are all appropriate mediums to use. Make sure the area is clean + dry, mix to recipe, apply, then sand down when dry. After this, I hit the rims with a coat of primer. I sanded them in between coats with an SOS pad. I ended up using two cans of duplicolor primer on the 4 wheels. Let them completely dry. Then get to your color. I ended up using some high heat engine paint for this. It was the only color that was close to what I wanted. These came in slightly larger cans than the primer. I ended up using two cans of this as well. Make sure you do it from different angles, + get the back side of the rims as well. Even strokes from 4-6", or whatever the instructions say. Also scuffed up in between coats with an SOS pad as well. I let them dry, then clear coated them. This will help them not peel a bit more. I also used two cans of duplicolor clear for this as well. Let this dry. Then remove the tape + carefully put your wheel weights back on. Or use stick on wheel weights since your wheels are nice + clean. They'll stick really well if you did everything right. Then just have fun with them! From my experience, you have to be a bit careful with them. When I was putting my wheel weights back on, it chipped off a bit. I don't think these are as strong as powder coat by any means - I wasn't expecting that either. It's a good cheap way to make your car look better though. Pics soon.

09-30-2010, 07:32 AM	#2
t_g_farrell Waffles - hmmm good Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Huntersville, NC iTrader: (0) Posts: 757 Rep Power: 0	Instead of all that sanding you can just hit them with the aerosol aircraft stripper to remove all the old paint. It will do a great job and as long as you protect the tires and the stem and rinse it good afterwords should be fine. Then you just need to do the wire wheel at the end to make sure it all comes off. If you can't or don't remove the tires, I would recommend that you at least pop them off the front side bead. Then you can pull the valve stem and replace it when your done. Also make sure to mask the wheel with plastic that drapes over the tire to keep any liquid from getting inside the wheel. This whole job is a lot easier if you just pop the tires off and then remount when you done but I know sometimes thats not an option. When I did my waffles I used the duplicolor wheel gray then coated the entire wheel, painted and unpainted parts, with a clear coat. Didn't use the wheel clear coat, as it dried opaque instead of clear, just used the regular clear coat. Its holding up well, been 2 years so far. As far as using bondo on a wheel, that could be a problem down the road when the tires get changed. The bondo might get bumped and chip from the tire tools being used around the rim. JB Weld would be better or just file down and sand away the blemishes. __________________ 1980 GS stockport, Fat Nikki, RB Dual Facetfuel pumps, Holley regulator, RB Street port exhaust, 2GDFIS, MR2 MK I electric fans, 2G strut bar, relayed fans, lights and fuel pump, LEDs Project Fat Nikki Budget 12A rebuild Video setup < $30.00

09-30-2010, 12:24 PM	#3
RotorDad Big Ugly Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, Va iTrader: (1) Posts: 591 Rep Power: 16	Aircraft stripper is definitely the way to go when removing the old paint. Playing cards work if you don't want to dismount the tires, I have used thin strips of poster board. __________________ *Boosted Big Body On 335's* PS3 ID: Rotordad 1986 Mazda RX7 GXL - Street ported 13BT, Haltech, 62mm, ect. 2006 MazdaSpeed 6 - Eagle, Wiseco, Cobb, ect.

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10-01-2010, 02:22 AM	#4
incubus rotor's are in my blood Join Date: Sep 2010 iTrader: (0) Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	Ah yeah, I forgot to mention aircraft remover + popping the beads off the tire. I didn't end up stripping the old paint of the tire. I just cleaned them really well then roughed it up so the paint would stick. The clear I used was regular paint clear. I heard the same thing about the wheel clear.