Aluminum wheels: Safe Paint remover?

69427

69427

The Artist formerly known as Turbo84
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Mar 30, 2008
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Clinging to my guns and religion in KCMO.
I recently bought some C5Z06 wheels to eventually put some wider rubber under the '69 for track days, but the previous owner had painted the rims a color that just won't work for me. I've never used paint remover on aluminum before, and am looking for suggestions for something that is safe on aluminum. Any good experiences with a particular product?

Thanks,
Mike
 
Jeez, Mike, been ages now, but years ago I used ordinary paint stripper on a bare set of aluminum wheels and rinsed it off fairly quickly, then to redo it in spots....no sweat....

now this was SO long ago the product was called Strip-Ezz by Savogran.....

you MIGHT get it at Sherwin or other paint stores....but I not seen it at typical Lowes/Despot in years now....

and I make NO promises about modern chemistry.....The putrid SMELL is similar to what they say is 'aircraft stripper' in stores today, but I swear it's not as good as once was....'-)))

I wouldn't use anything on any rim with tires on it....obviously....as you know, chemistry and me don't get along good, so even ME is not that stupid.....

:clobbered::censored::banned:
 
I used the "premium" HomeDepot stripper on my C6 rims as well as on my Mustang rims to get the ugly clear coat off and polished the aluminum.... no damage to the aluminum or my skin, that stuff doesn't even hurt or burn anymore, all this stuff is now "environment friendly".... BS because now you need a gallon where a pint used to get the job done...
as I said, I used their "premium" stuff for $12 a Qt..... that stuff that they sell for $7 a Qt is probably totally useless, might as well brush some Smuckers jelly on the rims
 
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Chances are the paint is over the clearcoat. See if laquer thinner will remove the paint. It shouldn't have any effect on the clearcoat.
 
Brake clean will also remove most cheaper paints and not affect the clear coat that is on them.
 
Making some slow progress on the wheels. Between the paint remover and laquer thinner I've got most of the "custom" paint off a couple of the wheels. I've decided that I want to take the wheels down to bare aluminum (they were painted at the factory too) as I just like the simple appearance of aluminum. The bigger flat spots are easy to wet sand, but there's some tight places where the spokes join the rim and it seems like I'm sanding off more fingernail than paint. I'm thinking on stopping at a parts store or hardware store tomorrow to see if I can get a small, conical shaped buffing wheel to put on my air grinder, along with some sort of buffing compound to get in the tight areas. Hopefully this (and my bigger buffing wheels) will save me some work getting the rest of the paint off and a slight shine on the wheels.
 
For hard to reach spots, I use my dremel. They have a decent assortment of pads for removing stuff and plishing small areas. Need to be carefull cause it spins really high and scratches easily.
 
JeffP1167 said:
69427 said:
JeffP1167 said:
pay to have them glass beaded and end the frustration.
Click to expand...

First thing, there's no frustration, and secondly, as a rule, I don't contract out work on my car.
Click to expand...

if the rims are powder coated that gonna be nightmare to get off. to bad they aint flat surface rims or you could just spin them on car and sand it all off.
Click to expand...

LONG ago in a land far far away there was this shit call Strip-EEze by Savogran not available at most of the Home stores, BUT I did spot it a high price at a Sherwin Williams store.....THAT shit will strip the gowns off a NUN....

and I bet take apart that powder coating also.....


:D
 
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