dipping wheels for paint removal?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Oct. 20, 2011 9:26 p.m. irish44j Dork

I have a set of BBS 15" basketweaves that have bad paint, 2 decades of brake dust, and various other crap on them. Usually I sand/refinish my own wheels, but due to the high number of spokes and little areas that would be hard to get to, I foresee my lack of patience not allowing me to strip these myself.

What are my options for getting them cleaned up so I can paint them? Some kind of dip? Where would I look for someplace that does this - would a typical wheel refurbishment/repair shop have that kind of equipment?
Oct. 20, 2011 9:31 p.m. jimbbski Reader

Media blasting!
Oct. 20, 2011 9:32 p.m. fasted58 SuperDork

aircraft stripper
Oct. 20, 2011 9:37 p.m. irish44j Dork

I've used aircraft stripper before, but seems it would be pretty difficult on these wheels - not easy to get into all the crevaces/mesh spokes to scrub the crap off.
Oct. 20, 2011 9:49 p.m. duetto_67 New Reader

a strong solution of regular lye (sold as drain opener at Ace) in water works real well to remove anodizing - might work on paint also.
Oct. 20, 2011 9:55 p.m. ditchdigger Dork

jimbbski wrote:

Media blasting!

You have clearly never encountered the finish on BBS wheels before. That stuff is the most tenacious coating of whatever I have encountered, plus the wheels have more nooks and crannies than a heatsink. It scoffs at glass bead. 80 grit sand just roughs it up. I resorted to traction sand at 160psi and it burned the finish but didn't strip it.

Two things that did work for me. An oxy/acetylene torch is hot enough to burn the finish off without really heating the wheel. Then it can be media blasted.

I also went to the industrial solvent supplier and bought a quarter drum of straight methylene chloride. It was large enough to dunk a whole wheel in. An hour in there and a pressure washer removed 99 percent.

The sandblaster/powdercoating place I used to use at work with their shipping container and full body suit blaster rig can do it but forget about ever polishing the lips as they will be pitted to hell by the abuse it the blasters dish out.

Good luck.
Oct. 21, 2011 5:21 p.m. irish44j Dork

hmm....thanks...

since I'm not terribly concerned with them looking beautiful (just presentable), maybe just a general cleaning and scuff-sand and then paint over it all is going to be the way to go. As long as they're 10-footers, that's fine :)
Oct. 22, 2011 8:26 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

Aircraft cleaner and a power washer.
Oct. 22, 2011 1:01 p.m. porksboy SuperDork

A place in Austell Ga which is a suburb of Atlanta will dip aluminum by the pound. Try (770) 948-2287 or (404) 755-3329. They should beagle to help. I have used them for all kinds of crap from full frames to metal lawn furniture. Even alloy wheels.
Oct. 22, 2011 8:02 p.m. Woody SuperDork

I'm pretty sure that oven cleaner will remove anodizing.
Oct. 22, 2011 8:26 p.m. donalson SuperDork

Woody wrote:

I'm pretty sure that oven cleaner will remove anodizing.

as I understand it has to be the smelly kind though