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View Full Version : How to: Polish and Bling Bling some wheels. (56k Stay Away 15+ pics)

ek9vboi
10-17-2005, 04:10 AM
How to Polish Wheels

Recommended:
Pressure washer (option)
KS-3 Paint stripper (Strongest)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise012.jpg

Tools needed:
Paint Stripper
Assorted Sand Paper (A LOT!)
Paint
Brush (Do not use metal, it will scratch the surface up more)
Paint brushes
Paint (option)
Bucket
Rubber gloves

This is very time consuming and will take a while. If you work on one wheel at a time it would be easier, but I have no patience for that.

Before (Example, I forgot to take a real picture):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/circuit8black.jpg

Step 1 - remove paint:
Put on your gloves, SAFETY 1st. Pour the paint stripper into a cup or bowl, I used a lid (just grabbed anything.) Apply it with the brush, be careful to not splatter it all over yourself…it burns!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise011.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise003.jpg

I let the wheels sit overnight, the paint stripper is so thick that it does not dry up. Take the wheel outside, lay it down and spray it off w/ the pressure washer. In my case it was a water hose, but whatever works. Watch out for paint stripper, it flies everywhere when its getting blown off. After the paint comes off the face of the wheel, do the same for the back; inside part of the rim.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise019.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise020.jpg

Step 2 – sanding:
Start it off with 220 grit. Try to wet sand the rims, dry sanding will seems like it works better, but it leaves marks. Remember, the 1st stage of sanding is the hardest part of all…it will determine how shiny the polish job will be. If you don’t want to see lines, ripples, etc then sand it down a good amount until you can no longer see it. Continue to move your way up to 800 grit.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise016.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise022.jpg

Step 3 – painting (option):
I decided to paint the inner spokes of the C8s because the surface from Rota was far too harsh to polish them and make look nice. I simply sanded them down a little to make a smoother appearance. Tape everything you don’t want paint to get all over. Some of it might be hard to tape up because of space. It was too hard to tape the spokes, so I just painted over them…turned out waste of time because I didn’t tape it up. I had to go back and re-sand everything again.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise035.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise032.jpg

Step 4 – polishing!:
This is the last and final step or so. Since the last step in sanding was at 800 grit, start with 1000 grit to 2000 grit. After working through to 2000 grit, get a compound that will help remove the black stuff (metal sanded off from the wheels.) Then use Mother’s Polishing crème, its really great stuff. I polished the lip and spokes by hand, but I have a special polishing tool. I will be using it soon to make it shinier. Overall it was very time consuming, but to me well worth it.

1000 grit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise039.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise044.jpg

1500 grit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise046.jpg

2000 grit
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise052.jpg


AFTER (Pictures show no justice):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise055.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise058.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise057.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise056.jpg

Daytime pictures:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise063.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise062.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RimRevise061.jpg
Not as shiny as real chrome, but its all good!

Some more pictures of them all done! Yay!!! No pictures of them on the car b/c they are going to be sold. :(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/Rotas6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/Rotas5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/Rotas4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/Rotas7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/Rotas8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/Rotas9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/Rotas10.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RotaEP34.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RotaEP3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ek9vboi/Rota%20C8%20Polished/RotaEP32.jpg
Bone
10-17-2005, 04:48 AM
This thread has been stuck, very nice looking rims, turned out great and thank you for the detailed write up.
ek9vboi
10-17-2005, 09:49 AM
I'm planning to take more day time pictures where the sun is out and shining down on the rims.
+Rav3n+
10-17-2005, 09:51 AM
wow those wheels look amazing! good job
M.A.R.C.
10-17-2005, 10:25 AM
dood you bitch u bought the wheels i wanted then owned them. so how much u wanna sell them to me for?
Antonio
10-17-2005, 10:27 AM
lmao a sticky in a forum with 2 threads :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
M.A.R.C.
10-17-2005, 10:28 AM
lmao a sticky in a forum with 2 threads :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

ok?
DaILLestWun
10-17-2005, 12:10 PM
Damn that was nice...Almost exactly what I want to do to my rims...So how much you charge?? lol
ek9vboi
10-17-2005, 12:30 PM
Damn that was nice...Almost exactly what I want to do to my rims...So how much you charge?? lol

Wow, I was kind of nuts to do this to my wheels. lol... i've only done 1, got 3 more to go but the hard part is done...stripping the paint off.
ek9vboi
10-17-2005, 12:31 PM
dood you bitch u bought the wheels i wanted then owned them. so how much u wanna sell them to me for?

not for sale...yet. i wanna b stunner status 1st. :D
DaILLestWun
10-17-2005, 02:05 PM
Wow, I was kind of nuts to do this to my wheels. lol... i've only done 1, got 3 more to go but the hard part is done...stripping the paint off.

Damn, I've never been too keen on all that sanding crap...but if you're willing to do them for other people let me know lol
NiZMo1o1
10-17-2005, 04:23 PM
turn on niceeee E.....

I agree sanding is a bitch...I did this to my valve cover onces.

Anyways I wanna see these in person when your done with all 4..
Matchs your car in a way...


After that You can do mines too :D jk
ek9vboi
10-17-2005, 04:38 PM
Damn, I've never been too keen on all that sanding crap...but if you're willing to do them for other people let me know lol

PM Dorby, he use to do polishing jobs...not sure if he still does. But PM him, he will give u a fair price. :thumbup:
ek9vboi
10-17-2005, 04:39 PM
turn on niceeee E.....

I agree sanding is a bitch...I did this to my valve cover onces.

Anyways I wanna see these in person when your done with all 4..
Matchs your car in a way...


After that You can do mines too :D jk

Valvecover is my next project. I already have the paint stripped and some of it polished.
frawsty
10-18-2005, 09:29 AM
i hate joo u should of done that to the ls mesh for me
2ToneKia
10-18-2005, 09:40 AM
nice job....really nice end result... !! A+
low97accord
10-19-2005, 06:57 PM
i want my lip to shine like dat!
Brendon
10-19-2005, 07:06 PM
great job. very tedious work but i have done a set of rims before. great job
Maxi Patty
10-20-2005, 01:28 PM
w00t! that's the process I used for my wheels... well, the paint stripped part... but I used this which I'm sure works the same (only in a spray can):
http://www.sport-touring.net/mods/wheel_strip/03-12-01-00.jpg

gloves are a must! this stuff stings/ burns/ itches if it lands on your skin!
ek9vboi
10-20-2005, 10:44 PM
w00t! that's the process I used for my wheels... well, the paint stripped part... but I used this which I'm sure works the same (only in a spray can):
http://www.sport-touring.net/mods/wheel_strip/03-12-01-00.jpg

gloves are a must! this stuff stings/ burns/ itches if it lands on your skin!
I used that in a can, but it wasn't as stong as the stuff i used.

if u planning to polish ur spokes on ur rotas, i would use a palm sander for the 220 grit and everything else is done by hand which is a breeze.
Maxi Patty
10-20-2005, 11:57 PM
The spray form of what I used worked better than the liquid/ goo form that my brother had.

I hope to be able to get them polished soon. = (
imp0rt_tunerz
10-21-2005, 12:47 AM
erics a pimp

lets see it on the car.
ek9vboi
10-21-2005, 01:34 AM
that would sound about right. the rota slips have a smooth CNC while the c8 has a rough texture in some parts. but the part where i sanded down and polish that was easy to come off b/c it was smoothed from the CNC.

The wheels won't be on the car anytime soon. I just finished wheel #2...er painted it rather. sanding 220grit is pretty hard work!
NiZMo1o1
10-22-2005, 06:29 AM
that would sound about right. the rota slips have a smooth CNC while the c8 has a rough texture in some parts. but the part where i sanded down and polish that was easy to come off b/c it was smoothed from the CNC.

The wheels won't be on the car anytime soon. I just finished wheel #2...er painted it rather. sanding 220grit is pretty hard work!


I wanna see them..~!
ek9vboi
10-22-2005, 12:04 PM
Good news, I finish all 4 wheels. 3 wheels last night by myself! lol!!!

Bad news they won't be going on till next week after the hurricane and stuff. Wheels need new valve stems, balance and tire needs to be flipped b/c i got paint on the faces of the tires.
imp0rt_tunerz
10-22-2005, 06:58 PM
go0d LUCK

!!!!!!!!!!!!

wanna do my wheels now?
ek9vboi
10-22-2005, 07:44 PM
go0d LUCK

!!!!!!!!!!!!

wanna do my wheels now?
i'd have to shoot myself b4 i ever do this again! lol

btw i just finished fixing my carbon fiber hood i got for free. it was all oxidized (sp), but its shiny new now. yay!
99.Civic.Si-r
10-23-2005, 11:42 PM
Sweet ass rims. Would love to put them on my Si.
4doorsi
10-28-2005, 05:30 PM
now that the hurricane is over u need to put it on ur car
Nikolie
10-28-2005, 06:43 PM
wow, great job! awesome write up and they came out damn good! :thumbup:
NiZMo1o1
10-30-2005, 05:06 AM
And now thier are For Sale.~!:run:
VTECnLUDETTE
10-30-2005, 11:59 AM
man i wanna try this on my wheels... the stock prelude SH wheels. i tried the paint remover on 2 wheels. the lip came out like pattys wheels. (polished) but the spokes... look really DIRTY. i dunno what to do
jdm:ek-9
10-30-2005, 08:11 PM
nice wheels
ek9vboi
10-30-2005, 08:46 PM
man i wanna try this on my wheels... the stock prelude SH wheels. i tried the paint remover on 2 wheels. the lip came out like pattys wheels. (polished) but the spokes... look really DIRTY. i dunno what to do

Wow, your crazy! You are talking about them 5 star stocks right? I think its normal for the spokes to look dirty. I was stripping off paint on a valvecover and there are some spots that look dirty, but if u polish it, it goes away.

When I was stripping off the paint on the rotas, I noticed some really rough spots (where i painted). It was too rough to polish so I justed painted over, otherwise I would have fully polished them. Its not too late to paint them :rolleyes:

Its a lot of work, but at the end you will like them better and best of all its original!.. unless someone did it before you. lol
TypeRKoncepts
10-30-2005, 09:32 PM
good job...

wanna polish my valve cover for me? :)
ek9vboi
10-30-2005, 09:57 PM
good job...

wanna polish my valve cover for me? :)
lol, I been so lazy...need to finish mine b4, which will be never.
TypeRKoncepts
10-30-2005, 10:17 PM
btw where did u get the paint stripper stuff?
ek9vboi
10-30-2005, 10:28 PM
Home depo or even Lowes as long as its paint on its strong. Aircraft stuff are for wussies (not offending anyone).
92redhatch
12-27-2005, 01:43 PM
nice but very time consuming
theg.o.d!
07-11-2006, 09:52 PM
clean ass rims. inspired the hell out of me!!!
93eg6
09-07-2006, 07:24 PM
damn real sick job.....mad props
GDMFerio
09-07-2006, 07:42 PM
sick shit! are those the C-8's I sold you? ey whenever you're down for a little job lemme know... i'm getting tired of my steel grey i wanna polish the lip...
singlecamboost
07-31-2008, 12:22 AM
nice wheels great job i have a question i have si stocks and the clear coat is coming off of some of them you think i should try this method and then spray some clear coat you think i might get something similar to how they are supposed to look
HeyY0
07-31-2008, 01:36 AM
This thread has been stuck, very nice looking rims, turned out great and thank you for the detailed write up.

http://www.floridastreetscene.net/image.php?u=1&dateline=1191991282
:lawl: :lawl:
Domiken
07-31-2008, 09:21 AM
Very nice man, good job
iSS Mike
07-31-2008, 09:40 AM
3 year old thread.
RFFG
08-08-2008, 08:18 AM
wow


lol


holy fkn bump...




BAN!!