[20Ducks]

clearcoat get chips. The first problem is that once the chip is made the corrosion starts. No, it doesn't look like rust....aluminum alloy rims don't rust but they do corrode AND discolor. There goes the notion that a simple repair will get them back to their glorious and original look.

I took all the rims off the car as I knew it would not be a weekend fix. In fact it took several weekends. I used a clearcoat remover that one can find at most reputable car shops. The one I bought could be sprayed on but only the lip is polished and clearcoated on my rims, so I had to spray some in a cup and use a 1/2" flat paint brush (they sell them at Michaels craft shops) to apply the remover.

From this point the dirty work begins. Dirty because aluminum is a dirty metal. I started using 400 grit wet sandpaper, then 600/1000/2000. What I wanted was a polished mirror finish and that will take some serious elbow grease. I finished by using Mother's Mag & aluminum Polish. Blackfire also has some great products to be used for metal polishing as well. Since I travel on a regular basis, I always take the small hand towels from the hotels. I use them exclusively for projects such as this, then just throw them away after they become soiled.

I didn't take any pics of the actual process itself, nothing noteworthy or interesting enough to take a pic of actually. I'll post some pics of the final result tomorrow.


Cheers,
Greg