Rims are discolored - how to restore?

[Diesel Dan]

The stock rims on my 1987 124 model benz are turning a whitish color (badly oxidized?) and have streaks that I can't clean. It seems like I need something more than just a standard wheel cleaning product, but rather I need to somehow restore the wheels with some sort of polishing. I just don't know how to proceed, what kind of scrubbing brush/pad to use, or what cleaning/polishing product to use. Anyone have any ideas?

[dkveuro]

White or milky color indicates the clear coat has lifted .
Need to totally remove all paint finish and re paint with a wheel paint and clear coat.

Might find someone to bead blast them or you can use AIRCRAFT paint striper.


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[softconsult]

Buy 4 new remanufactured wheels. Less than $150 each.

IMHO, not worth the effort to try and re-finish yourself.
Your result will never equal the finish on the remanufactured wheels.
Not to mention you will still have some road rash on the rims.

You can also get a set of 8 Hole 300E alloys from TireRack for 15 x 7 Silver
$99.00 each. I have had several sets.

Steve

[Diesel Dan]

Thanks for the advice!

If I can get the right price on a set of used/remfr wheels, that might be the way to go. Or maybe I'll see if there is a local wheel refinishing shop where I live. Even if I just repainted them myself, I think my half-assed job would look okay with the sun-faded paint on the body of the car! That Texas sun is just brutal on auto paint.

[JCE]

You might also check with your paint and body shop. Mine quoted me $50/wheel to strip, re-paint, and re-clearcoat the wheels. They also said there wewre mobile guys around who do nothing but wheels - at your location. They apparently bead blast and repaint on a special purpose machine in their van for $25-30 per wheel. My understanding is that the 86 and 87 w124 wheels were forged aluminum rather than the later 124 cast aluminum wheels. Don't know if that makes a difference to you - stronger wheels supposedly - but you might want to refinish instead of replace with aftermarket.

If you want to replace, you also might try a MB boneyard and check out the spare wheel from 4 wrecked 124s, they are usually in good condition and pretty cheap.

[Diesel Dan]

Great info - thanks!

[yal]

Some people just have them polished and forgo the paint.

[Diesel Dan]

So "Yal", are you're saying I could just get the wheels stripped down to the bare aluminum, and then have that polished and be done with it? I really don't need the wheels to be shiney or anything, just one consistent color - preferably a silverish/aluminum color. Is the polishing just applying some kind of cream and buffing with a rag, or is there more to it?

[yal]

Thats it exactly. They just strip the paint and polish the aluminum to a bright finish. If you look around I am sure you'll see some cars in your neighbourhood with some type of polished wheel.

[softconsult]

Polishing wheels is a whole lot more complicated than a rag and some polish.
I think they also need to be clear coated afterwards.

Do a google search on "Metro Wheel Atlanta" go to this site and read some of the expanatory articles. They explain the difference between painted, polished, machined, and chromed.

You might also check e_bay for used 8 holes in good condition.

Steve

[yal]

Polished wheels are not clear coated. But I guess you can have them coated if you want, but then they wouldn't be polished The paint is stripped and the wheel repaired and then polished by machine.