Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Clearcoat Damage to Aluminum Wheels

Mount the wheel on a brake lathe and spin slowly. Sand the wheel with a backing block or a pad. Hold the abrasive flat against the surface of the wheel. Move slowly back and forth from the center to the outer edge of the wheel in order to remove imperfections.

Important: Do not use abrasives coarser than 80 grit.

^ Sand with 80 grit.
^ Sand with 150 grit.
^ Sand with 240 grit.

SLIGHT CLEAR COAT DAMAGE ON UNPAINTED WHEELS

CAUTION: Use of eye goggles is necessary to prevent personal injury.

1. Remove the original clear coating.
1.1. Apply a chemical stripper to the wheel surface and allow the chemical to penetrate the coating. Remove the stripper following the manufacturers recommendations.
1.2. Rinse the wheel surface thoroughly with clean water.

CAUTION: Do not use vehicle power to rotate the wheel while sanding to avoid personal injury.

2. Remove the surface oxidation. Sand the wheel with 240 grit (wet or dry) while rotating the wheel on a slow spinning brake lathe or by mounting it on the vehicle and spinning the wheel by hand. This should restore the machined appearance and promote adhesion.