How To Sand Aluminum Wheels

Use a clean rag to rub aluminum polish onto the wheel working in the direction of the grain.

How to sand aluminum wheels. This works for larger surfaces like an automobile or a boat hull. After this the surface can be painted or coated. The level of difficulty involved in sanding. Start with heavy grit sandpaper around 300 or 400 grit and sand the scratched area including the surrounding inch or so of wheel.

Here s a do it yourself diy method for restoring corroded aluminum alloy wheels to a mirror like shine using the popular stock canyon rims of the jeep wrangler tj as well as the original aluminum alloy wheels on a 2000 honda odyssey. Older and much more pitted surfaces will need to be sanded with 180 grit first i never go lower then 180 on aluminum it will just create more unwanted work and loss of time to get all the marks done by the harsher grit. Outdoor blasting is generally done with a pressure pot sandblaster. Then remove sanding marks with higher 600 grit paper and then move to 1 000 grit and 2 000 grit.

Wash the wheel again to remove any grime or aluminum dust and let it dry completely. The traditional method for blasting aluminum surfaces is to dry blast and then polish the surface. Could anyone give me some guidance on how i should sand some wheels i have. How to sand aluminum alloy wheels.

Detailed steps can be modified for other yard and garage aluminum restoration applications. Aluminum polish is an effective way to remove oxidation from aluminum wheels which aren t well protected from this kind of damage. Wash the wheel off dry and then wipe down with mineral spirits alcohol or paint thinner. After sanding go over entire wheel with steel wool until you have a smooth finish.

The finish is protected by a top coat that has to be removed before you can sand and polish the rims. So 180 followed by 320 400 and. After cleaning with the wire brush sand the wheel first with 300 grit sandpaper and then 500 grit sandpaper. Aluminum rims are more easily scratched and damaged than metal rims and so require a little more care and attention.

Aluminum rims come in a variety of shapes and styles. Inspect the wheel carefully.