Refinishing wheel lip...

[wikked]

Related to my old thread here http://www.brewcitymuscle.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24016

I decided to finally tackle refinishing the pitted/ruined polished lip on my rims.
Pic before:
(little blurry, not the best lighting in the basement... but this is the CLEAN, washed rim, that aint dirt)

http://www.wikked.com/98/rimb4.jpg

- I started off wetsanding with some 320 grit.
- Moved on to 1000 grit.
- Finished sanding with 2000 grit.
- Then used Eagle One Nevr-Dull wadding polish.
- Finally used Eagle One NanoPolish.

It came out 1000000x better than what it used to be, that's for sure... but it's not really a mirror finish like it was when new. Kind of, but not.
The 'end' result is this:

http://www.wikked.com/98/rimafter.jpg

Would it help if I wetsanded again with the 2000 grit, or go back to the 1000 even? or do I just need to polish it more? The cloth gets black instantly when I'm polishing.

[OxmanWI]

You've got a red x problem

[Slow Joe]

You've got a red x problem

Actually you do... I can see 'em...

[michelle]

I see them just fine. Looks great!

[WilliamZ]

They look much better Jeeeef!

[OxmanWI]

Oh well, moving along

[Yooformula]

need a close up pic but are there any fine scratches left? if not I would continue to polish.

[Poncho]

you went too high. You do not sand any higher than 800 grit

once you hit 800 grit, it's off to tripoli compound
and i think white rouge

what you have now are wheels that are actually going to be shiny but hazy.

[Mr Twigbert]

Looks WAY better though..

[OxmanWI]

ok now I c, looks good!:D

[Boost21]

huge improvement :)

[jbiscuit]

they probably had an anodized + clear coat finish on them. They might not be as "shiney" because you sanded the finish off. From the pics, it looks really good! If you don't clear them though, the haze might come back????

[juicedimpss]

nice work.

[slickwilly]

they probably had an anodized + clear coat finish on them. They might not be as "shiney" because you sanded the finish off. From the pics, it looks really good! If you don't clear them though, the haze might come back????
Yeah I was thinking the same. Plus, clear coating them would help protect 'em so you don't have to do this again in a month.

[wikked]

they probably had an anodized + clear coat finish on them. They might not be as "shiney" because you sanded the finish off. From the pics, it looks really good! If you don't clear them though, the haze might come back????

The polish I was using has 'anti-corrosion' stuff that supposedly protects against sand/salt/water/etc.
http://www.eagleone.com/pages/products/product.asp?itemid=1120&cat=5006
I was thinking about clearing them though anyway.



you went too high. You do not sand any higher than 800 grit

once you hit 800 grit, it's off to tripoli compound
and i think white rouge

what you have now are wheels that are actually going to be shiny but hazy.

hm, that contradicts pretty much every wheel refinishing FAQ that I read though? They all pretty much said 320/400 then 1000 then 2000.

You are right though, they are shiny, but somewhat hazy, with barely visible fine scratches.

[jbiscuit]

that eagle1 wading will haze up again. Its nice stuff but its not permanent. I have to redo to the trim all the time on the chevy

[Junky Giorgio]

looks good jeef, but I would have them clear coated after all that. Once those wheels hit the elements of weather again, I can't imagine them staying like that.

[DRK]

You did it right, Dan smokes crack!! If you keep polishing the haze will go away. It's the smaller grit scratches that create the haze, had you stopped at 800 they would just be larger scratches. WD-40 will them keep them from corroding. just spray it on a rag and wipe them down when you clean them. any barrier that will inhibit oxygen will work. If you do decide to clear them, I would use this
http://www.dominionsureseal.com/productsdetails.asp?id=316&catid=35

[Mr Twigbert]

Ummmm, Mythbusters said to rub chocolate on aluminum and it will make it like a mirror.. Try that..

[wikked]

You did it right, Dan smokes crack!! If you keep polishing the haze will go away. It's the smaller grit scratches that create the haze, had you stopped at 800 they would just be larger scratches. WD-40 will them keep them from corroding. just spray it on a rag and wipe them down when you clean them. any barrier that will inhibit oxygen will work. If you do decide to clear them, I would use this
http://www.dominionsureseal.com/productsdetails.asp?id=316&catid=35

lol thanks, I didn't think everyone could be wrong.

I'll probably just use a can of the dupli-color wheel clear though... they weren't all that expensive to begin with.