Wheel Paint

[nashville_bill]

Well, I bought a new rear tire and thought while the tire was off that I would clean up the wheel a bit. I guess I could use a spray paint remover or maybe just use sandpaper to remove and clean up the not so bright aluminum. If I use paint remover, what paint should I use to re-paint the black part? Or maybe leave the wheel aluminum with no paint?

Does anyone have any wheel refurbishing hints that will help me on this?

[randy]

Hey, Bill.

I used a Rustoleum semi-gloss black for the wheel background and then took off the overspray on the spokes and rim with 400 grit sandpaper. Then polished with Simichrome. The results were very nice. It's a boatload of work, best don ein the winter, but well worth it in the long run. The wheel looks factory new.

Randy

[slicky5150]

Hello, I stripped my rear wheel with aircraft stripper and a wire brush. (I run a spoked rim on front) I would not want to do it again. I give Yamaha credit that paint is on there. I plan to polish it someday but I know that will be even more work because it is so rough. I think it looks good stripped but Im tellin ya its a long process. I suppose you could have it bead blasted to remove the paint. If I were going to paint it Id just go over it with some sandpaper and a wire brush and call it a day.

Good luck, Chad

[skids]

I did that to a bunch of xs11 wheels. I found that the '81 paint is a lot tougher to get off than the '78 paint. I like 'em nakid!

Originally posted by slicky5150
Hello, I stripped my rear wheel with aircraft stripper and a wire brush. (I run a spoked rim on front) I would not want to do it again. I give Yamaha credit that paint is on there. I plan to polish it someday but I know that will be even more work because it is so rough. I think it looks good stripped but Im tellin ya its a long process. I suppose you could have it bead blasted to remove the paint. If I were going to paint it Id just go over it with some sandpaper and a wire brush and call it a day.

Good luck, Chad

[skids]

PS, try not to get paint stripper on tires you plan to use. It is best to do before mounting a new tire.

Originally posted by skids
I did that to a bunch of xs11 wheels. I found that the '81 paint is a lot tougher to get off than the '78 paint. I like 'em nakid!

[chevy45412001]

wheel cleaning

Just remember that polished aluminum requires a lot of maintanince.Water spots are a bitch if left anatented.After cleaning and painting I would cler coat them so the shinny parts stay shinny,with just a wipe of a rag.