how to restore alloy wheels

Allow the primer to dry thoroughly between coats and then once you’re done you can use a very fine grit piece of sandpaper to smooth out any uneven surfaces. Sometimes, “take off” wheels can be found at the local junkyard or on Craigslist for a good price. Use a small cloth or brush to scrub the damaged areas to alleviate build up. If your wheel is corroded or has flaked paint then you will need a coarse sandpaper to start with to sand down to the bare metal. Make sure that the wheel is as clean as possible as otherwise you won’t get a good finish on the paint. Chad Zani is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the U.S. and Sweden. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. If you use a sanding block, stick to wooden products. The aim of this stage is to place masking tape around the tire so only the alloy is visible. References. The wheel is immersed in a chemical bath to expose the bare alloy. Some people like to refurbish their wheels whilst still attached to the vehicle but this isn’t ideal. Apply the paint in very thin layers and build the paint up over time. If you’re unsure which type to use then test on a small area first. How to repair scuffed alloy wheels If your wheels have suffered damage, then a professional wheel service can level off any protrusions using a range of sanding techniques. You can hire a professional to repair or refinish your wheel, which will cost anywhere from $75 to $150 (depending on your market). If your wheels are scratched, you have a few options: 1. Wait 10 minutes between each coat before applying the next. You’ll definitely be able to get a better finish if you can properly move the individual wheel around. Mechanics can charge top dollar for wheel refurbs and replacing them can also be expensive. Expert Interview. If you haven’t been able to smooth these over using the sandpaper then the choice is yours to either paint straight over them of fill them using a special car body filler. There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Something which is often overlooked is the wheels of your vehicle. Dents or deep scratches can be filled using metal fillers and will then be sanded to be flush with the wheel. Continue this process around the circumference of the rim until it's completely loose from the wheel. You can leave the wheel in a warm place near a radiator to speed this process up. Leave around a hour between each mist coat and keep misting the wheel until the paint covers the surface. Since the alloy wheel corrosion repair cost can be quite high, it’s best to change your wheels for winter. % of people told us that this article helped them. Dusty, old alloys are going to make your car look pretty tired. If all you can find is rubber, that's fine—it just might not be as effective. Always use clean cotton towels to avoid contaminating your alloy wheel with dirt. With our thorough and complete restoration services, we restore alloys back to their original condition and colour, or customise them to a colour and style of your choice, whilst providing the long lasting results unachievable from mobile repairs. Learn how your comment data is processed. When people ask how to refurb alloys at home they are often unaware how simple the process is. This article has been viewed 9,776 times. Don’t rush this stage as a dirty car wheel will only create a dirty base for the paint and that will just waste your time in the long run. Wax will help protect your wheels from wearing down and keep them cleaner. products! products you will love. Check the primer's instructions to see how long … Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 9,776 times. Wipe in circular motions and focus your efforts on the areas with the highest amount of corrosion. Dents or chunks of missing wheel can be filled using metal fillers; once set they will be sanded back down to the profile of the wheel. A professional alloy wheel repair service will use a range of sanding techniques to remove scuffing. Over time, alloy wheels are bound to experience damage, whether it's light scratches or kerb damage. So rather than see cleaning as a chore, think of it as part of the end result. Never use a primer too close to a wheel and always ensure that you shake the can well. Each wheel can take around x 4 hours to complete so you might have to refurbish them in stages and not all in one day. You can replace the wheel, which is probably the most expensive option, but not necessarily. In this guide we talk about how you can refurbish your wheels at home using tips and tricks to make them gleam. You will probably need to apply around 2-3 coats but some people like to add more. It’s a time consuming task but totally worth it for the end result. Keep your wheel-drying cloths separate from your others to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating on them. Some people choose to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get the car repainted or add extras onto the body to enhance its features but there’s something much cheaper you can do to make a car look new again, and you can do this yourself. When the filler is dry then you’ll have to go back to the previous stage and sand down the filler so you have a nice smooth surface. The next stage of diy wheel refinishing is also vital and not a step that you should be tempted to skip! Save yourself some money and learn how to repair alloy wheels at home with our helpful guide. You can use a wooden chopstick to remove chunks from the actual wheel and warm soapy water. We can repair pot-hole damaged alloy wheels. Attach a fireman's nozzle to your hose to improve its stream. Paint thinner - using paint thinner, clean the area surrounding the damage to your alloy wheel. The most important thing that you must check before spraying your alloys, is to check that the primer has dried thoroughly. You might need to wash and dry your wheels again before priming them for paint. Road dust and dirt is normally removed easily, the problem tends to be brake dust which can really build up over time and create problems. This accelerates the drying process and allows for a hard and robust paint surface on the wheel from day one. At this stage you can choose which type of paint you might like to use. If the alloy has been chipped, a filler can be used to repair the profile of the wheel before it is sanded again to blend the repair into the existing alloy wheel. Moonvvin Alloy Wheels Repair Kit Rim Restoration Sliver Color Repair DamageS Scuffs and Scrapes with Easy Full Instruction for Alloy Wheels 3.8 out of 5 stars 245 £12.95 £ 12 . If the wheel is cracked at more than one places on the inside, has cracks of more than 1-inch, or is severely bent, then it cannot be repaired and has to be replaced only. You need to remove all dirt and grease before you go any further. From the standard alloy wheels to diamond cut and split rim, we have the tools and knowledge to get the job done. Chad Zani. Any sand, dirt or wet primer at this stage could ruin the entire paint job! By using our site, you agree to our. You can use masking tape or…bizarrely…playing cards! Rattle cans (or spray cans) offer much more value for money and they’re definitely considered to be the easiest type of paint to use for this job. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/42\/Repair-Alloy-Wheels-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-Alloy-Wheels-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/42\/Repair-Alloy-Wheels-Step-1.jpg\/aid10543941-v4-728px-Repair-Alloy-Wheels-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"