Restoring a set of ALU wheels - what to do?
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- coyote1980
- Volvo 480 Club Europe CREW
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Restoring a set of ALU wheels - what to do?
Hi!
The tyres on my Taurus rims are almost worn, so I want to start using my VESA wheels with fresh tyres.
The wheels I bought have some slight parking damage and small spots of corrosion. So I want them professionally restored with a longlasting quality. I won't be doing a thing myself, but want to be sure that my wheels get the best possible treatment.
Step 1) Sandblasting - no questions
Step 2) Galvanizing - is this recommended for aluminium wheels? Or only done with steel / iron wheels?
Step 3) Spraypainting or powdercoating? I have read that powdercoating gives a stronger finish, but has the risk that you easily damage the coating when tightening the wheelnuts. The finish or spraypainted wheels is said to be nicer and smoother. I just don't know how big the difference is between the finish.
Any comment welcome
The tyres on my Taurus rims are almost worn, so I want to start using my VESA wheels with fresh tyres.
The wheels I bought have some slight parking damage and small spots of corrosion. So I want them professionally restored with a longlasting quality. I won't be doing a thing myself, but want to be sure that my wheels get the best possible treatment.
Step 1) Sandblasting - no questions
Step 2) Galvanizing - is this recommended for aluminium wheels? Or only done with steel / iron wheels?
Step 3) Spraypainting or powdercoating? I have read that powdercoating gives a stronger finish, but has the risk that you easily damage the coating when tightening the wheelnuts. The finish or spraypainted wheels is said to be nicer and smoother. I just don't know how big the difference is between the finish.
Any comment welcome
- Williewammes
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Hey there,
I would say sand blasting first, but with a fine sand to get a nice result.
After that I would do powder coating. It is better resisant than spray coating when applied right.
Good luck with it.
regards,
Wiljen
I would say sand blasting first, but with a fine sand to get a nice result.
After that I would do powder coating. It is better resisant than spray coating when applied right.
Good luck with it.
regards,
Wiljen
Greets,
Williewammes
Volvo 480 turbo Paris bleu metallic 1992.
Volvo 480 turbo Grey metallic 1987
Check: www.wdesignonline.tk
Williewammes
Volvo 480 turbo Paris bleu metallic 1992.
Volvo 480 turbo Grey metallic 1987
Check: www.wdesignonline.tk
- robkendall
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not sure over there, but you can buy toughened polymer alloy wheel paint over here.....get it from most motor factor shops....
respray and then laquer as per any other part of car....i just did the pug alloys retro white with red emblems
had the wheels shot blasted first, then rubbed them down with nice wet and dry, then rub alcohol into the metal and gently run a blow torch around until all the alcohol has gone (you can see the 'damp' marks drying)....this removes any moisture from the metal and lets the paint stick better.
rgrds
rob
respray and then laquer as per any other part of car....i just did the pug alloys retro white with red emblems
had the wheels shot blasted first, then rubbed them down with nice wet and dry, then rub alcohol into the metal and gently run a blow torch around until all the alcohol has gone (you can see the 'damp' marks drying)....this removes any moisture from the metal and lets the paint stick better.
rgrds
rob
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Some alloy refurbishment "googling" a while ago made me think UK is the place to fix alloy wheels!? Haven´t found such companys in Finland yet..search continues
Anyhow, what I read on different car forums is that some people had bad experiences with powdercoating if the sandblasting was too rough.
Off topic: there was an article about dry ice blasting in a finnish oldtimer car magazine where an original Volkswagen beetles wheel arches was dry iced and the result was quite amazing. All the dirt removed, shiney undamaged paint left and the rust spots was revealed. Propably ideal for cleaning and restoring a quite good chassi..I will keep it mind if I found in the future an early Volvo 480 86...
Regards,
Anton
Anyhow, what I read on different car forums is that some people had bad experiences with powdercoating if the sandblasting was too rough.
Some seem also to prefer gentle glass or aluminium blasting before powdercoating.I would say sand blasting first, but with a fine sand to get a nice result.
Off topic: there was an article about dry ice blasting in a finnish oldtimer car magazine where an original Volkswagen beetles wheel arches was dry iced and the result was quite amazing. All the dirt removed, shiney undamaged paint left and the rust spots was revealed. Propably ideal for cleaning and restoring a quite good chassi..I will keep it mind if I found in the future an early Volvo 480 86...
Regards,
Anton
- coyote1980
- Volvo 480 Club Europe CREW
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Thanx for the tips
Indeed galvanising is only done on steel wheels, not alu wheels, so that's off the list.
The blasting will be done not with sand but I believe a somewhat larger material.
I will visit a restore company so they can point out what the finish will look like either coated or sprayed. I prefer coating since it's stronger, but some companies told me that the finish was quite crude. I believe one of the companies where I informed advised to coat it, and then spraypaint it for a somewhat smoother finish.
Indeed galvanising is only done on steel wheels, not alu wheels, so that's off the list.
The blasting will be done not with sand but I believe a somewhat larger material.
I will visit a restore company so they can point out what the finish will look like either coated or sprayed. I prefer coating since it's stronger, but some companies told me that the finish was quite crude. I believe one of the companies where I informed advised to coat it, and then spraypaint it for a somewhat smoother finish.
- coyote1980
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Well, I have come back to my choice to have the wheels sandblasted and recoated! Some months ago when I got the wheels they looked terrible. I bought a steam cleaner to clean them thinking 'if this doesn`t work, nothing does'. And it didn't work. Made the wheels a bit cleaner, but couldn't remove brake dust.
Today I decided to give it a go with aggressive wheel cleaner with acids (the one you cannot use on chrome wheels). And the result was amazing Mike
So now it's merely a matter of waxing the wheels and order a set of new tyres Sooooo happy, this saves me some money again
Today I decided to give it a go with aggressive wheel cleaner with acids (the one you cannot use on chrome wheels). And the result was amazing Mike
So now it's merely a matter of waxing the wheels and order a set of new tyres Sooooo happy, this saves me some money again
- Williewammes
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