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. :hihi:
DIY wheel refinishing???
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.
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
Joined
·
905 Posts
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.
Joined
·
905 Posts
gotcha. thanx 4 the reply
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
![]()
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
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.
Joined
·
905 Posts
klight: do u mind posting a few more pics of your car and rims.
Joined
·
41 Posts
Joined
·
905 Posts
Here are a few photos of the AW M5 from Jan. ’04 when I was running the 17” factory E34 M5 staggered rims on the car (polished lips of course) without centers. I had left this set-up on the car into last summer before reinstalling the TS covers, which obviously changes the complete look of the car. Now I have factory E34 M5 M Parallels on it and this car now looks completely different once again. I love the look of the factory silver E34 M5 rim on the AW M5 and am now considering something new and different for the MB M5 as well.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Not bad for a set of rims that were polished and painted in the exact manner that I had defined above about six years ago now. Even if I do say so myself. ;-)
Hope this is helpful.
Regards,
Ken Little
Bay Area M5's
![]()
Not bad for a set of rims that were polished and painted in the exact manner that I had defined above about six years ago now. Even if I do say so myself. ;-)
Hope this is helpful.
Regards,
Ken Little
Bay Area M5's
Joined
·
905 Posts
Absolutely stunning. Might I suggest painting your dust caps black to match the wheels though. But yeah. I love the factory m5 wheels so much. Three wheels in one if you have the covers. Like I said. I think I am going to just paint mine solid black with no cover. Hmmmm wonder how they would look with the covers on. P coated covers with a black lip. Would deffinitely be different. Anyways, nice ride. Love the wheels.
I've hand-polished a set of rims in the past. After 1 wheel I'd had enough and wished I'd just sent them away for a pro to do - it's VERY hard work.
I had them bead-blasted and then polished them with a polishing mop and cutting paste on an electric drill with flexible output shaft. - As I say though I wouldn't recommend it!
I had them bead-blasted and then polished them with a polishing mop and cutting paste on an electric drill with flexible output shaft. - As I say though I wouldn't recommend it!
Joined
·
905 Posts
thanks for the reply. would you happen to have any pics? like i said im probably gonna go all black now.
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
