Can anyone suggest a good chemical for stripping the paint & clear coat off of factory MINI wheels? I have a few places on my WebSpokes where a tiny amount of curb rash has turned into huge sections of the factory clear coat chipping/peeling away.

I'm going to have the wheels professionally painted & powdercoated, but I'd like to do as much of the prep work as possible myself first.

Also, will powdercoating still stick to the rim if I use a super-thin skim coat of body filler after sanding down the curb rash? Or do I need to use some kind of metallic body filler?

 

Bead blasting is the way to go for wheels since this will really prep the wheels for powdercoating.

 

You have to pay for blasting before you can powdercoat anyways so let them do it all. Saving a few bucks to self remove clear coat can turn into a PITA. :P

 

And as far as the filler goes, I'd stay away from it. I would suggest finding someone who can fill in the rash with metal. However, talk to the guys who do the powder coating. I know my guys have powdercoated everything from a golfball to a beer bottle. It just depends on what they say can withstand the heat.

 

This would work.....found at Pep Boys

 

holy crap! Aircraft stripper is powerful stuff! dont do it in the grass, it will kill it all.
The aircraft stripper will definately take all the paint off. Pour it on, wait a minute and wash it right off with a hose. DONT BREATH TOO DEEP! ive played with aircraft stripper before and let me tell you...thats big boy stuff!

 

SAFETY FIRST!!

... and if you do use ANY chemical for stripping, do NOT get that stuff on your skin. USE THE PROPER GLOVES!!! Usually nitrile works, but with NMP or aircraft strippers you may need butyl or another chemical-resistant glove. Read the instructions. You do NOT want that stuff getting into your bloodstream through your skin, or (since it dissolves everything) having it react with the moisture in your skin and dissolving the fat and collagen out. Yes it can (and will) happen. No, it doesn't feel good.

 

If I were you I'd give my friend Eli a call over at Fast Forward Wheels, he's pretty much done it all and might have the information you're looking for.

He does a ton of the Porsche guys wheels but has done them all.... He's down in Monterey Park, CA.....

 

i can vouch for the aircraft paint stripper. it works very well! use it when it's warm out and definitely make sure to wear gloves and apply in an open environment! use a wire brush or something to that extent to help get rid of the paint as it starts to bubble and peel off.

 

When I had my wheel powdercoated, I dropped the wheels off at a wheel shop that did the stripping for $10. It was done in a day and turned from



to



Had my guy fix some curb rash first with a grinder



I had the wheels powdercoated twice for the two colors. I used a different shop from the chemical stripper. I think it took about a week, there was a lot of work masking and shooting the wheels twice.



Then mounted some tires

Monterey Park and Montery are two VERY different cities, lol.

 

could this be done in a day? i was hoping to drive up to la and get it done and be home before 11.

 

Check with your local bodyshop. We send out alloy wheels to be repaired and refinished for about $135 each. They come back like new with a lifetime warranty.
Otherwise, it your going to powdercoat let them strip them. They have to sandblast the wheels for the powdercoating anyway.

 

thanks ajakeski

 

How did the chem strip workout?

 

How much is power coating?

 

Wheels America in Hayward $140 per wheel for everything.

 

The price depends on the shop, the number of passes, and the colors you choose. My place charges $80 per color pass, but their work is top notch. I chose one of their standard colors. I ended up spending a couple hundred dollars on these but the results really speak for themselves. I used the same company that did my wheels in 2 colors.

I had installed these intercooler horns from a NAM member who painted them and a year later they looked like crap.



After powder coating with a new brighter red

 

I know some people that could use some fat dissolving......

 

I just made a mess in my pants. Those wheels look awesome!

 

Haha thanks! I love them too!

 

[quote=DixonL2 SAFETY FIRST!!
You do NOT want that stuff getting into your bloodstream through your skin, or (since it dissolves everything) having it react with the moisture in your skin and dissolving the fat and collagen out. Yes it can (and will) happen. No, it doesn't feel good.[/quote]


Maybe I could rub some on my gut?