DIY wheel refinishing??? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

SpecRaceM5 · 1st March 2005, 20:58

I want a different look so im taking off my throwingstar covers, and painting the center of the 5spokes black and would really like to do a pollished lip. A friend of mine suggested putting the car on jack stands and turning it on and having a friend give it gas while i hold steal wool against the lip. Does anyone have any better ideas? how do wheel refinishers go about doing polished lips? Do they have a machine that they mount the wheel on and basicaly do the same thing? Im not powder coating them.

doug · 1st March 2005, 21:54

What you're proposing is a monumentally bad idea-- one that could easily end up in your losing a hand; don't do it. Call a professional. (Besides, if you lose a hand finishing your wheels you won't be able to type--- so we won't ever know how they turned out). Just kidding--- but do call a pro.

SpecRaceM5 · 2nd March 2005, 04:18

haha ok i was just curious. ill probably just do the centers black for now and then have them redone by a pro with the polished lip. im still curious how they do them though.

UltimateM · 2nd March 2005, 10:26

I think you will find the professional wheel finisher's either use a lathe or special bead-blasting technique to remove the enamel paint and polish the alloy lip for that great look.

cheers!!

SpecRaceM5 · 3rd March 2005, 01:26

gotcha. thanx 4 the reply

KLittle · 5th March 2005, 01:28

In short the following process is used to professionally polish/paint rims:

1) Chemically strip all existing paint from rim.
2) Glass bead the entire rim surface.
3) Polish the lip accordingly.
4) Thoroughly mask area that has been polished.
5) Prep/Prime/Seal & Paint area accordingly.
6) Bake paint accordingly to thoroughly cure paint if required.

Note that the painting process is done last, as this is the only way to get a perfect edge between the polished and painted areas. Any other method will yield lesser results, as mine still look perfect nearly 6 years after having them done by a local shop here in the Bay Area specializing in such work.

Regards,

Ken Little

Scorchio · 5th March 2005, 12:08

flipping 'eck Ken........those look fantastic!.......i am definitely going to get mine refurbed this spring .......properly polished rims (not painted) look excellent ......trouble is, over here the salt and grit in the winter, would kill the finish if the laquer was not perfectly applied.

johzev · 7th March 2005, 03:21

Anyone with experience having the lip polished on M parallels? I believe they came from the factory with polished lips on the 740 series cars but painted on our M5's. If anyone has had it done I would love to see some pictures.

SpecRaceM5 · 7th March 2005, 08:29

klight: do u mind posting a few more pics of your car and rims.

E34M5 Scott · 8th March 2005, 07:11

Try this link
http://www.bayaream5s.com
There are lots of pictures there.