Refinishing aluminum rims - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

TBayToyotaBoy · 06-03-2007, 12:02 AM

Well, the aluminum rims on all three of my Yotas are looking old...the finish on the aluminum is pitted and peeling (on all six sets I have between the three cars).

It was suggested to me that I use muriatic acid to strip the finish off. That's nice, but what's the procedure after that? I believe that the acid leaves the aluminum surface kinda white coloured. Before the clear coat goes on, does anyone know what steps to take?

***-SCWEET1-*** · 06-03-2007, 12:09 AM

I do not know the steps but this is what my SSR Hasemi Mesh looked like before and after.... I suggest taking them to the proffesionals, depending on the rarity of the wheels...

Before:

After:

I paid 35 bucks per wheel, and it was well worth it.

Good luck!!!

Mike Gerber · 06-03-2007, 12:51 PM

"I paid 35 bucks per wheel, and it was well worth it."

Wow, that strikes me as cheap. Was this done at a local place or by some national chain. Those wheels look terrific.

Mike

TBayToyotaBoy · 06-03-2007, 10:17 PM

Yeah, that's an INCREDIBLE deal. Here it costs $100 per rim to refurbish them...with the Canadian dollar at $0.94USD right now, that's more than double what you paid. Trust me, I'd love to use the pros but at $400 plus taxes it's not worth it for 18-year old rims...

atobe · 06-03-2007, 10:52 PM

try searching your local yellow pages... 35$ a rim is the price for a 2 piece rim of course... cause it's just easier for them to do the job..... my rims costed 75$ each because it was 1 piece.....or you can always buy a big can of mother's aluminum polish and get your hands dirty for 10$ for all 4 wheels

***HomeGrown*** · 06-04-2007, 06:23 AM

Muratic acid doesn't sound right for stripping off the finish, although it may clean & etch the aluminum after the finish is stripped, but I'm not sure. I stripped a set of rims using common paint remover and it worked great.

Miltdoggie, those rims look incredible, and the $35 price seems like a bargain. Are they just highly polished, or did they actually apply some sort of clear coat to them after polishing?

Wish I could restore my basketweaves like that.

Kingdom934 · 06-04-2007, 03:14 PM

Wow, thats very nice.

Hey, if you do that to your basket weaves, you'll be the only person with shiny basket weaves as all the basket weaves on camrys here are black...

(wait, is it possible for the basketweaves though)

***HomeGrown*** · 06-04-2007, 07:12 PM

I don't think so, Kingdom. There doesn't seem to be enough exposed polished aluminum surface area, and the relatively sharp edges on the 'weave part of the wheel would tear up buffing wheels in no time. The inner part of the weave could be painted a different color, but I'm not sure I'd put that much time & effort into them.

They will most likely end up back on the wagon when it's time for new tires.
That's where they came from in the first place.