Unpolishing?

[displacedtexan]

I just picked up a set of second gen alloys. I like the look of them a lot and my truck wouldn't look right with a set of blingy rims.

I'm thinking I want them less polished. Just more of a satin finish than the high gloss they have.

Anyone ever done anything like this before? I'm planning on just taking sandpaper to them and wet sanding them, and then prob using steel wool/scotch brite pads to make sure it's even and devoid of big obvious swirl marks.

I'm not so much going for a specific look, as just not so shiny.

 

[Signal 73]

buy zip strip or any other paste type paint remover from a hardware store and apply to the clearcoat. it will strip it off and leave it bare alloy which will patina to dull after a few weeks/months depending on your driving conditions. if ya decide to go back to bling, a mothers mini powerball and some wheel polish does wonders. Thats what i have done on my 95, the clearcoat on the rims was all yellowed.

 

[displacedtexan]

Well that will help! Thanks a lot bud.

I didn't realize the alloys had the clear coat. I thought I read they were just polished.

 

[Signal 73]

no problem. this is the **** i used. took a couple applications to get it all off. A plastic razorknife like ya use to apply bondo with helps alot. also some blue scotchbrite.

http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE3-960393reg.jpg

 

[JFlagg]

Beadblasting them might work alot faster... or some kind of media other than sand. I know they can use dry ice and cornstarch, I know my aluminum wheels looked cool after I sandblasted them... kind of a glittery silver, lol.

 

[displacedtexan]

I actually thought about sandblasting them but figured that would leave a rougher finish than I'm wanting. I completely forgot about using a diferent media!

 

[JFlagg]

I used a screened silica sand(with a respirator!) that we use in concrete to sandblast mine and it took the clearcoat right off and left a rough enough texture to paint, but it really wasn't THAT rough. If I wanted silver wheels I would have clearcoated them after that, they looked good. You could always use a fine sand to clean them up then swith to something softer too "smooth" them out

 

[Amish Elegance]

We use Glass bead here, 100-160 leaves a bright satin finish. Great stuff.

 

[sinfulcoin]

I have used glass bead on rims as well and it works great and is quick. The finer the grit the smoother the finish is.

 

[7inchstack]

what about scotch-bright?

 

[Scooter's Roofing]

what about getting some of the OEM machined/cleared wheels vs. the polished ones?