PDA

View Full Version : Best way to remove wheel paint (Alloys)?


Wiscon_Mark
10-23-2012, 10:43 PM
I'm looking at getting some 00-04 Outback 16" alloys (the ones with the nice silver w/ gold spoke hightlights) and the idiot owner painted them blue. He's asking 200 bucks, which is a screaming deal for 16s around here, so I'd like to get them, but I don't want to sand or strip the paint off. Will lacquer thinner work or is there a better way?
Dead91silvia
10-23-2012, 10:47 PM
If he spray painted them, lacquer thinner should work. If not, you can use air craft stripper or other stripers. I use this stuff called Paint Stripa on my dads Tacoma wheels I got for his 90 Toyota 4x4.
MonstarMotorsports
10-24-2012, 12:20 AM
that stripper stuff is amazing, flakes it right off :)
phi11
10-24-2012, 12:22 AM
that stripper stuff is amazing, flakes it right off :)
but i'm guessing he wants to keep the silver w/ gold spoke highlights?
d1giPhux
10-24-2012, 12:46 PM
Go for the aircraft stripper GEL that they sell in a large container. Its like $20, strips stuff off easily, and you can brush it onto the areas you want stripped. Works super good! Looks like this:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/08/AU_AircraftRemover_Quart_L-1.jpg
Dead91silvia
10-24-2012, 01:28 PM
that stripper stuff is amazing, flakes it right off :)
but i'm guessing he wants to keep the silver w/ gold spoke highlights?

It strips stuff off in coats. If I remember right, Red85celica is doing this right now to a set of old BBS/SSR style wheels for his 85 Celica. The one wheels I saw stripped 3 coats of crap paint off, but left the factory Gold finish intact.

When I stripped my Tacoma wheels, they had flaky clear so it made it easy.

this is why you test on one and go from there. :smt023
Huffer
10-24-2012, 03:23 PM
The factory paint might be shot to hell... I'd just bargain him to $180 and repaint them something nice and subtle.
Thomistopheles
10-24-2012, 05:46 PM
It'd probably be faster and look better if you strip them bare with aircraft stripper and paint them.

I don't know what it is with WI people painting scoob wheels blue... There's a guy in Neenah trying to sell obnoxious neon blue WRX wheels for 200.
anothernord
10-24-2012, 08:26 PM
The factory paint might be shot to hell... I'd just bargain him to $180 and repaint them something nice and subtle.

Like...

GOLD!
Wiscon_Mark
10-24-2012, 10:46 PM
I don't know what it is with WI people painting scoob wheels blue... There's a guy in Neenah trying to sell obnoxious neon blue WRX wheels for 200.

Those are the ones I'm looking at. They're actually Outback wheels.

Thanks for your input, guys!
Thomistopheles
10-24-2012, 11:06 PM
Whoops... I just saw "WRX" in the description and tried to shield my eyes from the bright blue :lol:
Wiscon_Mark
10-31-2012, 10:10 PM
Bought 'em. They were in such great shape, paint wise (he'd never used them after finishing & painting them that I just scuffed it up a bit and painted over.

This is what they looked like:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/10/dfZIJ-1.jpg


Now (excuse crappy cameraphone pic):
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/10/HVClh-1.jpg

I'm going to clear coat them tomorrow and then they're going on my mom's 2010 Legacy 2.5i Premium which is this color:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/10/IGxZl-1.jpg

I think it'll look really good!