SC BBK Spare Tire Project: Wheel Refinishing 101
12-21-04, 06:54 AM
#1
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SC BBK Spare Tire Project: Wheel Refinishing 101
Hey Guys. I know you all LOVE how to's especially ones with pics 
so here's a quickie on how to customize your very own Supra TT wheel that's been beat up into a real nice spare rim for your SC if you have bigger brakes.
First off many thanks to Phuong (SC400Dude) for hooking up the TT front wheel at a nice price so I could take on the project.
The wheel arrived to me dirty and painted black. It was peeling and just a mess:
With a chemical stripper, I removed the old black paint. This is some nasty stuff and turns just about any paint into a wet, soggy, peeling mess. It's very effective tho. Excellent for removing paint from hard to sand surfaces. After it's been sitting for a few minutes you can just hose it off.
After Stripping. We're down to bare alloy now. At this point I sanded the wheel down with 600 grit to smooth the surface and ready it for the base coat.
The next step was the acid bath. I have no pics of this step because I didn't want my camera anywhere near that mess LOL. I'll paint one for you tho: The inside of the wheel was absolutely brown from brake dust so with a 100% concentration of muriatic acid I removed it. The result was a bubbly and dangerous mess. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. The resulting fumes are lethal and highly flammable (Hydrogen gas) so don't try this unless you are experienced in this field. I can't be held liable for your asphyxiation, combustion, or both.
Here's a shot of the inside after cleaning.
See next post for paint...
so here's a quickie on how to customize your very own Supra TT wheel that's been beat up into a real nice spare rim for your SC if you have bigger brakes.First off many thanks to Phuong (SC400Dude) for hooking up the TT front wheel at a nice price so I could take on the project.
The wheel arrived to me dirty and painted black. It was peeling and just a mess:
With a chemical stripper, I removed the old black paint. This is some nasty stuff and turns just about any paint into a wet, soggy, peeling mess. It's very effective tho. Excellent for removing paint from hard to sand surfaces. After it's been sitting for a few minutes you can just hose it off.
After Stripping. We're down to bare alloy now. At this point I sanded the wheel down with 600 grit to smooth the surface and ready it for the base coat.
The next step was the acid bath. I have no pics of this step because I didn't want my camera anywhere near that mess LOL. I'll paint one for you tho: The inside of the wheel was absolutely brown from brake dust so with a 100% concentration of muriatic acid I removed it. The result was a bubbly and dangerous mess. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. The resulting fumes are lethal and highly flammable (Hydrogen gas) so don't try this unless you are experienced in this field. I can't be held liable for your asphyxiation, combustion, or both.
Here's a shot of the inside after cleaning.
See next post for paint...
Last edited by CleanSC; 03-21-06 at 12:14 PM. Reason: Changed Hosting Service for Pics
12-21-04, 06:58 AM
#2
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Thread Starter
Wheel Refinishing 101
Next up: The first color coat. I chose the same gunmetal as the trim (wheels, lights, badges, interior, etc, etc) on my SC.
Second coat:
Next up, the clear coat. I laid it on pretty thick so I can wetsand out the orange peel you see in the pic.
And finally, after 2 days of curing, the wheel was ready for wetsanding with 2000 grit, buffing, and machine glazing. Final result was a glass smooth finish and reflectivity:
Total supplies didn't even reach $10. The paint was your basic Plasti-Kote corner-store auto paint. Came out pretty nice considering the circumstances (me just messin around.) Surely better than some "pro" stuff I've seen...
Well, there ya have it. Custom wheel finishing you can do at home with pro results.
Enjoy!
Second coat:
Next up, the clear coat. I laid it on pretty thick so I can wetsand out the orange peel you see in the pic.
And finally, after 2 days of curing, the wheel was ready for wetsanding with 2000 grit, buffing, and machine glazing. Final result was a glass smooth finish and reflectivity:
Total supplies didn't even reach $10. The paint was your basic Plasti-Kote corner-store auto paint. Came out pretty nice considering the circumstances (me just messin around.) Surely better than some "pro" stuff I've seen...
Well, there ya have it. Custom wheel finishing you can do at home with pro results.
Enjoy!
Last edited by CleanSC; 03-21-06 at 12:17 PM. Reason: Changed Hosting Service for Pics
on the finished product. That does look very professional.
12-21-04, 09:36 AM
#6
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Phuong... Yea amazing what a little paint and elbow grease will do. Again, thanks for the deal on the wheel. CL classifieds rule.
Howie... Pics are coming... I am having MAJOR issues with the gallery. I tried to host these wheel pics on it but it went NUTS on me and had to host them offsite.
Hope that gets fixed soon...
Alan... The acid is good old fashioned pool acid. Cost just a couple bucks for a gallon at the corner hardware store or Home Depot outfit. Just be REAL careful with it. You can't touch it, or breathe it. I'd suggest not looking at it much either LOL. The dangers multiply when it reacts with aluminum so heed the disclamer above.
Howie... Pics are coming... I am having MAJOR issues with the gallery. I tried to host these wheel pics on it but it went NUTS on me and had to host them offsite.
Hope that gets fixed soon...Alan... The acid is good old fashioned pool acid. Cost just a couple bucks for a gallon at the corner hardware store or Home Depot outfit. Just be REAL careful with it. You can't touch it, or breathe it. I'd suggest not looking at it much either LOL. The dangers multiply when it reacts with aluminum so heed the disclamer above.
... yeah those too 
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12-21-04, 09:50 AM
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Beautiful job man 
I looks very proffessional. I could never get my wheels to look nearly as good if i painted it myself. Even though most people wouldnt use it as a spare tire due to its weight over a tt donut, its still very nice. I might go ahead and try to cure my beat up tt wheels the same way, it probably wont come out nearly as good but im inspired.
on another note have you ever considered polishing the wheel yourself? I have a set of curbed up chrome TT wheels. and I want to try to polish the lip so at least the lips have a smooth shiny finish and perhaps it can somewhat match the bling of the rest of the wheel. This is my only options since im too poor to just rechrome them, or i can just paint it like how you painted it but it would be more of a pita doing chrome wheels i would assume.
I looks very proffessional. I could never get my wheels to look nearly as good if i painted it myself. Even though most people wouldnt use it as a spare tire due to its weight over a tt donut, its still very nice. I might go ahead and try to cure my beat up tt wheels the same way, it probably wont come out nearly as good but im inspired.on another note have you ever considered polishing the wheel yourself? I have a set of curbed up chrome TT wheels. and I want to try to polish the lip so at least the lips have a smooth shiny finish and perhaps it can somewhat match the bling of the rest of the wheel. This is my only options since im too poor to just rechrome them, or i can just paint it like how you painted it but it would be more of a pita doing chrome wheels i would assume.
12-21-04, 10:00 AM
#9
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Originally Posted by siaxazn
Beautiful job man I looks very proffessional. I could never get my wheels to look nearly as good if i painted it myself. Even though most people wouldnt use it as a spare tire due to its weight over a tt donut, its still very nice. I might go ahead and try to cure my beat up tt wheels the same way, it probably wont come out nearly as good but im inspired.
on another note have you ever considered polishing the wheel yourself? I have a set of curbed up chrome TT wheels. and I want to try to polish the lip so at least the lips have a smooth shiny finish and perhaps it can somewhat match the bling of the rest of the wheel. This is my only options since im too poor to just rechrome them, or i can just paint it like how you painted it but it would be more of a pita doing chrome wheels i would assume.
I looks very proffessional. I could never get my wheels to look nearly as good if i painted it myself. Even though most people wouldnt use it as a spare tire due to its weight over a tt donut, its still very nice. I might go ahead and try to cure my beat up tt wheels the same way, it probably wont come out nearly as good but im inspired.on another note have you ever considered polishing the wheel yourself? I have a set of curbed up chrome TT wheels. and I want to try to polish the lip so at least the lips have a smooth shiny finish and perhaps it can somewhat match the bling of the rest of the wheel. This is my only options since im too poor to just rechrome them, or i can just paint it like how you painted it but it would be more of a pita doing chrome wheels i would assume.
Polishing can be done, sure. That's something I have yet to try but with the right technique it's not too hard. I don't favor it much because polishing is high maintenance and getting that perfect scratch-free finish takes time. Any blemishes on the wheel will show while painting would hide it.
In your case if the wheels are curbed they would have to be sent to a refinisher where they would fix the curb rash. You can't really do that yourself unless it's VERY slight (just in the chrome plating). If that's the case you can try sanding the lip down and see where it takes you. Worse comes to worse you send them in for a dechroming and full polishing which can't cost too much. I'm not exactly sure what is involved in painting over chrome. Perhaps just sanding it some will be enough to promote mechanical adhesion of the paint and you're good. I don't know so I can't tell you for sure.
Whatever you decide, go for it and see what happens.
12-22-04, 05:35 AM
#15
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Dennis: I sanded it all by hand with 600 grit.
Neo: Thanks for the love, brother.
Matt: I'll help you anyway I can without actually cutting wires LOL. Just hit me up via PM and I can tell you what goes where for a hassle-free install. I can even tell you how to have the Viper arm the stock alarm so you have 2 alarms going for extra security.
I already have some locals interested in custom wheel work now. Great, look what I got myself into.
All good. Next I will refinish the peeling stockies on my Celica so it will sell easier.
Thanks for the kind words, all.
Neo: Thanks for the love, brother.
Matt: I'll help you anyway I can without actually cutting wires LOL. Just hit me up via PM and I can tell you what goes where for a hassle-free install. I can even tell you how to have the Viper arm the stock alarm so you have 2 alarms going for extra security.
I already have some locals interested in custom wheel work now. Great, look what I got myself into.
All good. Next I will refinish the peeling stockies on my Celica so it will sell easier.Thanks for the kind words, all.