Aluminum Rims Sandblasting

[Keith S]

The clear coat on my aluminum rims is coming off in places. I have sandblasted and powder coated my other vehicles steel rims when they began to do this. My question is can aluminum rims be sand blasted? As well as have any of you experienced this and if so what did you do?

 

[EddieS'04]

I would bead blast with 120grit glass bead. Or with walnut hulls. Sand will leave pitting, that might show thru the powder coat.

 

[Richard L]

Aluminum is a softer metal and can be pitted by normal sandblasting. I would recommend using Soda Blasting (uses baking soda instead of sand) Soda will remove the paint just as fast as sand, but without harming the aluminum. You don't need an etched surface for powder-coating like you do with conventional paint



Another option is to use Aircraft paint stripper. It works, but is messy and expensive.



Most shops that refinish wheels with do an expert job for about $100-$150 per wheel, depending on exactly what you need done (fixing big scrapes or gouges might cost more, as well as some powder coat colors, like transparent colors)



...Rich

 

[Duane Foster]

A guy who works at the salvage yard I frequent has a Ranger with factory spoked wheels that he's painted. He said he sanded them and used a 3M power cone (red or pink) to get in the tight places. Power cone may not be 3M's term, but you get the idea. He used wheel paint to paint them. I don't know what brand.

 

[EddieS'04]

Rich,



Good Idea. I didnt think about soda blast. I just know sand would be a no.

 

[Richard L]

Duane,

Yes, sanding the wheels by hand or with a small drill powered sanding wheel/cone is an option, however a very labor intensive option.



My first choice would be to have the wheels done professionally by a wheel refinisher.



If the wheels were not nicked or scaped, I would have them soda blasted and professionally powder coated.



The last option is to hand sand them and spray paint them....but too much work and spray paint does not last anywhere near as long as powder coating.



...Rich

 

[Duane Foster]

Yeah, Rich, it would be labor intensive to hand sand the wheels, but the guy with the Ranger said his clearcoat was in really bad shape. In that case, it didn't sound like it was all that bad to sand off. I asked him what he did because I had the same wheels on my ST for the winter. The clearcoat on mine is nearly perfect, so it would be both a shame, and a lot of work or $$, to take it off to paint them.



I'm usually looking to spend as few $$ as possible, which eliminates a pro as an option.

 

[Robert Thomas]

What are we talking about to have the wheels Professionally done. I what to change to Black. I like the stock rims but is it may cost effective to just buy new rims.