Summary for refinishing aluminum wheels Discussion
Refinishing machined finished/clear coat aluminum wheels is the focus of this thread, with both questioners asking whether they can strip the failing clear coat and repaint the wheels black or gunmetal instead of buying new rims. Jared Hollis asks if a DIY repaint can look good and whether it is worth the effort, while Chris Comeaux wants to know how to prep polished aluminum wheels for adhesion and whether primer is needed under base coat/clear coat or acrylic enamel. The excerpt does not include a posted answer, so no specific process or recommendation is given in the source. The practical takeaway from the discussion is simply that the wheels’ existing clear coat is failing and the owners are considering repainting as a lower-cost cosmetic fix, but the thread excerpt itself does not confirm results, materials, or prep steps.
Q. I am a hobbyist looking to save some cash by refinishing my machined finished/clear coat aluminum wheels myself. The clear coat is coming off and I’d very much like to paint the wheels black with a new clear coat. Is this possible and also have good results? And is it worth it as opposed to buying new black wheels? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if this is a repeat but I couldn’t find anything that answered my question specifically. Thanks again.
Jared Hollis
hobbyist – Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
2004
Q. I too, am looking for an answer to this question. I have some Eagle polished aluminum rims that came on a civic I bought. The car is black and I’ve made a few changes to it that make the wheels stand out in a way that doesn’t match the overall appearance I’m trying to achieve. They are designed in a way that makes them look like a girl put them on the car. The finish is not bad-they look good when I clean and polish them, almost like chrome. But, the design looks like a flower (makes me want to throw up). I was also wanting to try to paint them black or gunmetal to see if I can get away with not having to buy rims right now. I also want to know how I can prepare the surface for adhesion of paint and if a primer needs to be used between the aluminum and base coat/clear coat or an acrylic enamel.
Chris Comeaux
– Lake Charles, Louisiana
2004