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Having wheel rims "refinished"?
asop
Member Posts: 9,006 ✭✭✭✭
Anyone have this done? We live in Wisc. and was wondering if the process lasts? Cost? Thanks
Comments
One of the guys at work had the aluminum wheels from his Jeep refinished. They looked nice. He sold it three or four years later, so the refinish lasted at least that long.
Probably depends on the quality of the service/ person doing the work. Just difficult to find competent workers, isn't it?
I've never done wheel rims, but I have refinished a lot of aluminum trim and other parts that had gotten pretty bad on old sports cars. I use Mother's metal polish.
You know, I never thought about it before. Thinking about it now though, I've never known anyone to refinish rims/wheels. They just get replaced with new. Kinda odd.
Ihave seen places that advertised when polishing for semi trucks and trailers I will guess places that specialize in car and truck also have To be there
I polished a few sets of centerline aluminum mags for my old camaro
A lot of work even with the mothers polish and polishing balls they sell
My son a few years back for his honda just went on tore rack and bought a new set of aftermarket rims not as much as I thought they would be
Might want to do a internet search for places that do polish rims pr weigh just buying a set
Lot of how to videos on YouTube and i am sure better materials and supplies than when i did mine
It can be done just plan on alot of work and effort depending on far you want to go
I have also seen lots of people just clean light sand and paint the rims with good results
I did my car trailer aluminum rims that way at least eight +yrs ago and they still look good just used spray can aluminum color paint made for rims
They are powder coating rims now as well. Have seen some very nice ones.
Brad Steele
Back in the mid-1990's.......I hit a couple of lane domes(aka: city ****ies) in Dallas, and dented two wheel rims of my '92 3000GT-VR4.
Replacement cost, for the factory forged aluminum directional wheels........$650 EACH!!!😳...…I DON'T think so!
I ended up finding a wheel repair/refinishing business in Motor Trend. They came back looking like NEW.........for about a hundred bucks each.
Can't remember their name, but an inter-web...…or grocery store magazine rack search, should turn up a business or two.
Hope this helps......
The Jeep ones I was talking about were bare aluminum facing edges and painted gray inside the spokes, then a clear coat over that. I think the clear coat is usually what makes them look like they need refinished.
Before I wrecked my last Highlander I was planning on getting my rims "dressed up" because of how many times I hit the curb. Its mainly things like my bank's ATM….you cannot get close enough to the stupid thing to reach the buttons without rubbing your rims. Thankfully, I haven't rubbed the new ones…..I'm certain that day will come though.
I saw a bumper sticker on a car that I want to get soooo bad……"Please be patient, I'm 9 years old"
I think that is hilarious.
I guess some hobbies do get you to the bank more often.
Absoltely! Curb finders. Saves wheels and whitewalls from damage.
Unless you have a 'show car', it's not worth the price.
I've done several of my own, and it was definitely a labor of love. Tons of time invested, stripping, polishing, masking, and then finally painting and/or coating.
If you are serious about having them refurbished, I would check with a local paint/ body shop.
As mentioned above, it's usually more practical to replace the set of wheels with new. YMMV.
Personally, I wouldn't consider refinishing a set for less than 1500 bucks in labor alone.
Curb feelers and the one on the top of the wheel well is to let you know how wide your car is. Curb feelers wouldn't work today because all cars are airconditioned and you couldn't hear them scrape the curb with the windows up.