I have the 5-stars in silver and I really like them - very easy to clean. However, 2 of them have scratches, and one of the scratches is pretty deep. However, the color doesn't really seem to be effected on either one? It's sort of odd. I should take some pictures - maybe in daylight tomorrow.

Anyway, is there anyway to fill these puppies and touch them up (and what color would I want)? They'd be unnoticible except then the dirt/brake dust starts to accumulate in the scratch and then it's dark and obvious.

 

Your dealer can get gray touch-up paint for the wheels. One dealer I asked had never heard of it but the other dealer ordered me some so it does exist

 

What I'd do depends on how deep - whether it's through the paint or not. I had a really nasty looking couple of scratches on one of my 5 spoke bullets - didn't curb it, it looked like something hit it while I was driving. Initially I thought they were REALLY deep, but upon closer inspection it just looked like 95% of it was "into" the paint, but not "through" the paint. But defintely "3D" - a big crease you could put your fingernail in. I wet sanded them out with 1000 grit, then 2000 grit, then polished it back to a shine with Prima Amigo and finished them off with Prima Wheel Shield and except for one really small spot that was chipped all the way through the paint, they look like new.
Did all this in about 15 minutes on Saturday.

 

I thought our wheels are clear coated?

 

Pretty sure mine are. But you have a deep gouge - you gotta sand it out. At least IMHO...

There was another thread this weekend with a link to a guy's step-by-step for sanding / filling / spray painting / clearcoating this curbed rims on the car... But overkill for my case...

 

if you can get a hold of the touchup spray you can fill it using
bondo, sand, and spray over it. or even if you get a bottle
you can airbrush it on.

you wont even have to remove the tires off the wheels.

 

I agree! You treat your wheels just like your body paint for stuff like this. Most wheels are clearcoated, just like your body clearcoat.

As long as the scratches aren't all the way through the paint, you can abrade them away. Wet-sanding is one way or using an abrasive polish would work instead.

If they're all the way through the paint, then you'll have to go the touch-up paint route.

Good luck!

-Heather

 

"Gray"? I thought they were silver . I have a chip all the way through the paint. I had good results with the BRG touch-up paint and the langka kit, so I would like to do my wheel.

 

I am pretty sure the clear-coat on a wheel is not paint, but a high-heat polymer coating which happens to be clear.

Yamaha used to sell a version of it they used to cover engine covers with. Very tough material and impervious to thermal changes (i.e. will not yellow, crack...). I used to use it on non-coated after market wheels. Great stuff.

 

"Clear coat" (including wheel clear) refers to paint which is clear and without pigment. There are different kinds of it, just as there are different kinds of pigmented automotive paint. And, wheel clear can be different from typical body clear. It's one of those terms that is very loosely tossed around even though it technically often covers several more specific things.

*The nice thing is that in car care, all you have to know is that clear coat, whatever kind, is treated in the same way you would treat regular (pigmented) automotive paint.

Great tip about the Yamaha stuff... did it apply nice and evenly?

-Heather

 

I was not trying to correct you DP. I just wanted to clarify for the uninitiated, that 'clear coat' as it applies to wheels is not your typical lacquer/enamel based paint. I know you know that.

The Yamaha 'engine paint' will happily go on very thick. But you really want to avoid that. So you have to work it quickly. The critical things is the surface tension of the material you are covering. You need to make sure the inside of the bead edge does not get any of this on it. Once this stuff cures, it is very difficult to remove.

Right before the application, it is best to wipe down the wheel with a 91% isopropyl alcohol and let it dry. No need to sand. The coating will adhere to any smooth surface and as long as it is seamless, its own tension will keep it from loosening from the surface.

I have had it on wheels for over 10 years and it has never yellowed, stained, cracked, hazed, or peeled. It will hold a good polymer based 'wax' for months, regardless of the weather. Do not use carnuba based wax on it. Carnuba tends to cause a slight hazing, but will clear up after a few weeks in the heat of summer.

Now, I have not had to buy any of this for some time, so I do not know if Yamaha still makes it or not. But check any motorcycle dealer and see if the 'engine paint sealer' they use is for sale. It is all made by the same company.

I use it on all bare aluminum parts I polish to prevent oxidation. A little goes a long way.

EDIT: By the way, this is not something just anybody should go and do. If you want to try it, I would suggest practicing, a lot, on bare sheet aluminium. You can get that at most Home Depot's. The fumes from this stuff is very dangerous. Much moreso than from regular automotive paint. I have been painting cars (and other things) for 30 years, so what comes easy to me, may not be that easy for you.

 

great info thanks for sharing

 

Skuzzy- No worries, I didn't think you were trying to correct me! I too was just trying to offer add'l info to those who may not realize that you can still treat both types in similar ways.

-Heather

 

if there's paint under there and only catches the brake dust, i would
probably just use enamel clearcoat (even nail polish top coat) to fill
the gap and sand it down, polish.

....and WheelSheild at the end... (needed to get that advertisement in there somewhere).

 

I agree with kenchan. Except I'd use some Hydro to QD as needed. But kenchan wouldn't think of that. Cause he doesn't believe in Hydro.

 

if you read one of my earlier posts about using Hydro for QD, you will
find that i noted that Hydro works well as QD on clean surfaces, but
does not have the lifting capabilities of Slick and aother QD such as my
favorite, griot's SpeedShine.