steps to take when refurbashing you aluminum wheels?, wheel refurbashing Options

[funk]

I have had another member say media blasting is not something to do to your wheels when redoing them.
I beg to differ. if you really want to get out all the imperfections from driving on a set for 40 years media blasting is the first step. Then polish and add no clear coat over your polish. None. clear coat peels and yellows. thanks add your differing ways? what's best in your opinion? My way is to just simply polish with fine sand paper first then polosh with a paste and a polishing wheel. you can brush the aluminum behind the fuch with a wire wheel(brushed aluminum)or leave them media blasted or paint your color of choice.

[arne]

I've got a bit over 20 years experience in tires and wheels (first career, late '70s to late 90s), and I tend to agree with the other member. Media blast should be the last resort, not the default or first step, especially on forged and anodized wheels. To ensure I do the least harm, my first step is always chemical - for our anodized Fuchs that means a lye bath to soften and strip the anodizing. Then hand prep from there.

Media blast may have its place, badly scuffed and scratched wheels, for example. But it should still not be used as a shortcut to skip the non-destructive steps. If there are still surface flaws after chemical stripping, any further steps (either hand sanding or media blast) can be done much less aggressively since the hardened surface has already been removed.

[mepstein]

I've got a bit over 20 years experience in tires and wheels (first career, late '70s to late 90s), and I tend to agree with the other member. Media blast should be the last resort, not the default or first step, especially on forged and anodized wheels. To ensure I do the least harm, my first step is always chemical - for our anodized Fuchs that means a lye bath to soften and strip the anodizing. Then hand prep from there.

Media blast may have its place, badly scuffed and scratched wheels, for example. But it should still not be used as a shortcut to skip the non-destructive steps. If there are still surface flaws after chemical stripping, any further steps (either hand sanding or media blast) can be done much less aggressively since the hardened surface has already been removed.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
Thats why the OP's wheels are now only worth 1/2. The origional finish is gone. The pros don't just blast away.

[ConeDodger]

I've got a bit over 20 years experience in tires and wheels (first career, late '70s to late 90s), and I tend to agree with the other member. Media blast should be the last resort, not the default or first step, especially on forged and anodized wheels. To ensure I do the least harm, my first step is always chemical - for our anodized Fuchs that means a lye bath to soften and strip the anodizing. Then hand prep from there.

Media blast may have its place, badly scuffed and scratched wheels, for example. But it should still not be used as a shortcut to skip the non-destructive steps. If there are still surface flaws after chemical stripping, any further steps (either hand sanding or media blast) can be done much less aggressively since the hardened surface has already been removed.

I had forgotten how much you know about wheels Arne. I have enjoyed your answers to questions about Z wheels for years.

I agree for what that's worth, media beyond soda would be too aggressive for aluminum.

[arne]

An example of refinishing anodized wheels. When I bought my 911, the original Fuchs were approaching 30 years old. They all four had numerous scratches and scuffs, mostly around the rim from ham-handed tire mounting in the past.

The first step was the lye/soda bath to remove the hard surface.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/arnes.stuff.paunix.org-20799-1491592873.1.jpg)

Note that there are still flaws (seen as dark spots) in the surface shown here, mostly on the rim areas.

At this point, the aluminum is completely bare, and smoothing and polishing is much easier than having to sand or blast through that hard anodizing. The next picture shows with the surfaces polished. No special techniques needed here, just sand and polish as needed or desired.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/arnes.stuff.paunix.org-20799-1491592874.2.jpg)

At this point, how to proceed depends on personal preference. If you want the mirror-like polished finish, stop here, paint accent trim if desired and move on. In my case, I then had the wheels re-anodized back to the original finish. This picture shows the difference in finish after anodizing. Note that I had the lips and the petal faces polished, but not the base area. The polished areas have that soft satin finish, the unpolished have a more matte finish.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/arnes.stuff.paunix.org-20799-1491592875.3.jpg)

Trim painting - if desired - is no different than any other detail painting. Clean thoroughly, mask as needed, prime and paint. If you had the wheels anodized, cleaning paint boo-boos off the anodized surface is simple, paint thinners and acetone do not have any effect on the hardened surface.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/arnes.stuff.paunix.org-20799-1491592876.4.jpg)

The finished results look great, when done with proper care and technique.

One last photo, and a safety note - as seen here, remember that you should never paint the lug seats on your wheels. Paint build up there can lead to loose lug nuts/bolts, something none of us want.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/arnes.stuff.paunix.org-20799-1491592877.5.jpg)

[funk]

great info there completely different from what my body guy said. he said go for it media blast lightly then you can refinish as necessary but hey you got the wheel experience and that's what counts and stripping with lye and such is gentle and that seems to be the idea here don't over do it? woops even so to say they are worth halfe as much is pretty bold statement. when you can easily put the shine back into the wheels.

[Mueller]

"media" blast is too generic of a term

There are softer, less damaging methods of blasting, not all are going to cause damage, sometimes advice from more than one source is good idea (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[arne]

"media" blast is too generic of a term

There are softer, less damaging methods of blasting, not all are going to cause damage, sometimes advice from more than one source is good idea (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

True. But since the softer media types can struggle to cut through the hard anodized surface, they are not often used on these wheels.

I still stand by the basic principle of starting with the least aggressive method possible, and moving to more aggressive only as needed.