Polishing Z71 wheels <-- New

[carolinasled]

Hey guys I just scored a set of z71's today off an old friend. I wanted to know if you guys know of any threads other than the bscene that shows a "How-To" or Tech right up on removing the silver clearcoat and polishing out the wheels?

Here's what they look like.

[elbine69]

I saw one on s10forum. They used aircraft stripper to take the clearcoat off some zq8's, then polished them up. Looked like it worked real well.

[carolinasled]

Thanks, I'm going there now to do a search for it.

[elbine69]

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f74/fully ... -s-266927/

Thats the thread I was talking about in case you haven't found it yet.

[carolinasled]

I seen that thread, I will prob just cleanem up and ride.

Boring wheel video.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0P3u_mVs6lY

[carolinasled]

So I grabbed some wet sand paper and polish today and just played around alittle bit. I have a reflection on a wheel and its pretty nice. I did this by hand and I was only playing around. I think I might try and finish the other 3 up the same or better with tools next time. The reflectiin has a nicer shot in the sunshine. But didnt get that.

[Immortal1 (Linn)]

Looking good! I seeee you (or at least your camera) LOL.

Was wondering, do stock wheels have clear paint, or clear powder coat? Which then leads to the next question..... strip the finish, color powder coat the releafs (cast finish), then clear powdercoat the entire rim. VERY shiny, and very durable.

Just looking at the pic with the reflection, it looks very similar to the single stage chrome powder coat that I have.

[elbine69]

Nice those look good.

[pugw00]

could the factory mazda alloys from a 2600i be stripped and polished that might look pretty good for cheap

[pugw00]

another thing do the z71 and eskies bog these trucks down much

[carolinasled]

could the factory mazda alloys from a 2600i be stripped and polished that might look pretty good for cheap

I dont see why not. I have been studying some polishing wheel threads on multiple sites, The smoother the rim to start with the better/easier to say labor you will have to put in it. These wheels have tiny ridges and I have sanded them down very fine. On the other wheels I'm going to try and get them smoother and use a buffer to polish them. I think the outcome will look better. Here is one of the threads I have found, the Aircraft Stripper didnt work this good for me though. So I had to sand more.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=37805

[toddluck]

invest in a mothers power ball polishing ball...it will make it alot easier to polish ...looks good man ..now all you need are the flat caps without the lug holes

[LAYEDOUTB2K (Chase)]

what have people done with the center caps since you cant polish plastic?

[NYTRDR24]

paint thinner, goof off, or lighter fluid to get the clear off....then take some meguiars scratch x and go over it good one time, then hit them with the polish, and lastly to bring out the bling a good carnuba wax. then shoot a clear of some sort over them, they'll look like a spotlight shinin on one gold tooth in a dark closet!

like todd said, the mothers ball works well on larger surfaces, also
a dremel will work wonders in the tite spots!

[carolinasled]

either I'm going to murder them or their going on the bay. Its not what I wanted, Just thought it was at the time.