Sandblast wheels?

[I_Wanna_Retire]

Any pros/cons to sandblasting OEM wheels and repainting to solve the chrome peeling problem? I have a local shop who quoted me $10 per wheel to sand blast and $5 each to paint. Seems like a good, and cheap, way to solve the problem, unless somebody has a downside to this?

[Joe_Black]

Soda blasting would be preferential to sand blasting as it's much less harsh on the wheel and leaves a better finish to prep for painting. Same equipment, just different media, so the shop you checked should be able to do it for about the same price.

[rowhard]

Joe, can't say I have really had anything professionally sand (soda) blasting. Do you think it would be possible to just do the inside of the rim and just refinish it to solve the peeling problem?

[2K1 1K2]

i wanna...

hi. sounds like a deal. keep us posted on results/satisfaction level, if you go with 'em.

thanks.

-jose

[Joe_Black]

Do you think it would be possible to just do the inside of the rim and just refinish it to solve the peeling problem?

To refinish chrome you wouldn't typically media-blast as you would then have a much harder task re-polishing the surface and blending it to the remaining finish. Usually (I'm certainly no expert here!) the affected area is cleaned and polished then replated. You can deposit chrome in layers, which is where triple-chromed finishes come from, and where it meets and overlays the affected area can almost be invisible if blended well during the polishing process. With chrome, the more highly polished the base the more mirror-like the finish.

Now that I've got a powder-coating set up my plan was to soda-blast and powder coat my 16's white for the 5-spoke rally look. I've never been a big fan of chrome.

[WyrreJ]

I was thinking about sand-blasting (now soda-blasting, do I hear diet-coke-blasting?) and then powder-coating them black or maybe something metallic looking like black-nickel.

[CoastieCosta567]

Now that I've got a powder-coating set up my plan was to soda-blast and powder coat my 16's white for the 5-spoke rally look. I've never been a big fan of chrome.

I have been thinking of doing the same thing with mine, but are the stock rims strong enough? and aslo like i'm leaving to boot camp this may 29 i will have to leave my VX in the hands of my wife to be in a few days and have her take care of a few things in my Ironman, like the rim re-painting and getting 31-32 inch tires on them. But also how wide can i get the tires with the stock width? cuz i want them to be wider then stock, maybe come out a little bit.

[WormGod]

I would go with a silver finish, considering where I live with the lovely salty winters here. A nice silver with a clearcoated finish will last a good while in any conditions. Chrome is of the past. *ducks thrown pies*

[thedutchguy]

Forget it!
Sandblasting will not remove your chrome!
It will only remove the peeling bits.
Only de-chroming is an option!
But due to the hazards(toxic) it is illegal over here in the Netherlands.
In short:Chrome wheels are OK as long as they don't peel, but if they do, better search for other alloys.(I did)

[Joe_Black]

Sandblasting will not remove your chrome!

LOL, you need to play in the shop more! Chrome is simply a thin layer of hard metal deposited (electrostatically or chemically) on the base base metal, and like any metal it can be abraded away. If the chrome is properly adhered to the base metal then you wouldn't strip it away completely, although it would appear so as it wouldn't look like what most consider chrome. Of course, as you mentioned, flaking and other problem areas would come right off leaving a relatively uniform surface to prep for whatever coating you choose next.

As for rim "strength", the vast majority of OEM wheels are very over-built and quite stout. Think of the liability a manufacturer would open themselves up to if they produced wheels like the aftermarket. If you root through paper work that's shipped with aftermarket wheels there's fine print in there absolving the manufacturers of any liability for you using their wheels since they can't consult and advise on your particular application, among other legalese.

When powder coating you have to be careful of heat, especially with aluminum. But there are some fantastic finishes out there for powder applications, plus you can layer and even clear powder. The alloy "Bundt cake" wheels on one of my Mercedes diesels I'm thinking about glass beading then clear powder for smooth satin finish. Of course the big hold up for me right now is simply finding a large enough oven!

[Chopper]

If the chrome is adhered well enough, you don't have to remove it to powder coat...just rough it up a bit. I think Dutch guy is talking about prepping to re-chrome. VERY dirty, and very illegal in most places. Hey Joe, most of the powder coat salesmen I've seen, quote 400 degrees as their products curing temp; no problem for any alloys I know of. Don't thing you'd even have a problem with the wonderful, Chrysler plastic chrome wheels (300C, trucks etc.) You could do one wheel at a time in a kitchen oven... a big one.

[Joe_Black]

Thanks for chiming in Wayne, always appreciate your voice of experience!

I picked up one of the mid-range outfits from Eastwoods, and they state 430 degrees for flow-out and cure. Some of the specialty powders are a little different but most seem to be about 400 degrees as you stated.

My Dad listens to a morning buy-sell-trade show on a local AM station, so he's got his ear out for used oven. Thinking about maybe just fabbing one up, since it's basically an insulated metal box, and using off-the-shelf heating elements and controls for a regular oven which are plentiful and inexpensive.

Hey, off subject, but know of any 73 - 87 Chevy truck cabs in your neck of the woods in good shape? I flipped my CUCV on the tow down from Atlanta this past weekend and figure this just may be the opportunity to get A/C into it.

[WormGod]

It's funny, but I am sort of in the same boat. I have been hunting for some new wheels lately, but all I am coming across is the big ugly 20"+ "oooh, lookit these 24" saucer blades mounted on low profile tires on my Escalade" ****es. What ever happened to good looking wheels? The mass demand for these poor excuses for rap video rims on oversized SUVs sucks. Searches by make, model, and year always turn up with 20" MINIMUMs at most websites. Worthless I tell ya, worthless. This yo boy crap is making Gen X angry. *end rant*

So, looks like I might just be sticking with my old Enkei's and refinishing them. They are clearcoated, so a good thorough scuff should do the trick. I don't want to put much cash into them since they are 5 years old, so I am probably just gonna fat-cap 'em. Keep the outer lip silver clearcoated and paint the spokes either black or bronze.

By the way, scuffing chrome will be fine before painting. No need to sand/soda blast them. Just make sure that the areas to be painted are not areas that are peeling or look prone to be peeling soon. Might be a good idea to use an adhesive primer pre-paint since wheels take a beating throughout the seasons.

[rowhard]

Wormgod, I felt much the same way about the wheels that were available. Gaudy, pain in the, to clean, then I found these.

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...8109#post98109

[CoastieCosta567]

As for rim "strength", the vast majority of OEM wheels are very over-built and quite stout. Think of the liability a manufacturer would open themselves up to if they produced wheels like the aftermarket. If you root through paper work that's shipped with aftermarket wheels there's fine print in there absolving the manufacturers of any liability for you using their wheels since they can't consult and advise on your particular application, among other legalese

thank you Joe, . i plan to paint them white and finish it with a couple of clear coats, my brother will do it for me, he works at a body shop. thanks again bro.