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turbors89
04-13-2010, 10:57 PM
I have a set of crabs on my car curently and i love them but around the inner lip they are pitted. Is there a way to get it out and possibly polish up the whole rim itself? I read about wet sanding and stuff but im just looking for your input, thanks

raccoon
04-13-2010, 11:12 PM
im doing that as we speak. I wet sand them up too 1500 and then use mothers mag & aluminum polish.

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/7189/dscf7473f.jpg

turbors89
04-13-2010, 11:35 PM
those are very nice looking crabs :thumb: What grit do you start at?

raccoon
04-13-2010, 11:46 PM
200 600 1000 1500

Turbo_Rampage
04-14-2010, 12:10 AM
I don't recommend doing the whole rim! its a royal PITA! It looks awesome when done, but it's ALOT of work!

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/2/3764/2261/21908630009_large.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/2/3764/2261/21908630010_large.jpg

Tony Fields
04-14-2010, 12:19 AM
im doing that as we speak. I wet sand them up too 1500 and then use mothers mag & aluminum polish.

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/7189/dscf7473f.jpg



raccoon, what paint did you use for the rest of the wheel?

Those look great!

Thanks

raccoon
04-14-2010, 12:26 AM
http://images.solidcactus.com/autobarn/dupwpseries.jpg

duplicolor


^^
I dont even wanna know how much time is involved polishing the whole wheel.

Tony Fields
04-14-2010, 01:15 AM
Thanks for the paint info.

turbors89
04-14-2010, 07:48 AM
thanks for the input im going to get polishing now ill post pics of before and after

rich tideswell
04-22-2010, 08:43 PM
http://images.solidcactus.com/autobarn/dupwpseries.jpg

duplicolor


^^
I dont even wanna know how much time is involved polishing the whole wheel.

the clear turned yellow and flaked off on some pizza rims that were on my brothers car

Mike_Shepard
04-22-2010, 10:48 PM
Those look very good; I just picked up a set of crabs and want to have them redone but saving money is always nice

supercrackerbox
04-23-2010, 03:09 AM
the clear turned yellow and flaked off on some pizza rims that were on my brothers car

I had that problem too with a set of crabs I was working on years ago.

ScottD
04-23-2010, 02:38 PM
I used that dupli-color paint on my crabs and am having flaking problems after only 2300 miles on the rims!

Subliminal
04-23-2010, 03:43 PM
Sounds like a movie starring Pamela Anderson. ;)

Mike_Shepard
04-24-2010, 09:53 AM
Racoon, what did you use to do this? Elbow grease, a sander of some sort?

ScottD
04-30-2010, 07:41 AM
Racoon, what did you use to do this? Elbow grease, a sander of some sort?

A LOT of elbow grease.

I am restoring a set of 87 Centurions right now.

Strip the clear off using aircraft stripper. This is nasty stuff, don't let it hit bare skin.

I am going 180-400-800-1000-1500-2000 grit sandpaper. Each wheel is taking me about 3 hours.

The last step is to polish them. I have a buffing wheel, drill, and some Mother's aluminum polish that will bring it to a shine.

prepared
04-30-2010, 07:50 AM
Is there a good way to strip the clear off of parts of a rim? I'd like to refinish some Lemans. I need to take the clear off, but I'd like to leave the white intact as it is in good shape.

Is there anything I can put on the white parts to stop the stripper from affecting those areas?

BTW, thos full polished crabs look great!

raccoon
04-30-2010, 08:05 AM
tape? duct tape!

prepared
04-30-2010, 08:26 AM
tape? duct tape!

Of course tape was my first thought. Do you know if duct or masking tape will resist the stripper?


Hmmm.... duct tape and stripper in the same post. . . .

raccoon
04-30-2010, 08:28 AM
better just redo the whole thing, maybe since these are nice shelby rims why not have em soda blasted.

prepared
04-30-2010, 08:33 AM
better just redo the whole thing, maybe since these are nice shelby rims why not have em soda blasted.

Mainly because I have free labor! My 16 yr old son drives the CSXT and wants to put the LeMans back on. I can buy him some sand paper and he'll sand away night after night while talking to his GF on the phone, IM'ing his band mates, and surfing the webs.

I think I'll avoid the chemicals this time and just start him out with some 180 grit. Not looking for polished on these but more of a brushed look.

raccoon
04-30-2010, 08:36 AM
I said the same thing about the brushed look, then you get greedy.

prepared
04-30-2010, 08:39 AM
I said the same thing about the brushed look, then you get greedy.

I understand that! But, with the Lemans I can't just grab another set. An you know, once you go polished, you never go back!! :D

ScottD
05-04-2010, 01:11 PM
You probably won't be satisfied with the brushed look. Even after 2000 grit wet sanding they don't look that great. But then hit them with a buffing wheel on a drill w/ some Mother's aluminum polish and they look great after all that sanding.

I don't have a good answer for you on how to protect the white paint other than tape that was suggested. On the Centurions I'm working on, the stripper took the black paint off in spots, and addressing that is my last step.

ScottD
05-05-2010, 07:36 AM
Pic 1 is after final 2000 grit sanding.

Pic 2 is polished.

Pic three is side by side.

Polishing adds another 15 min per wheel, it's worth it :-)

jl93sundance
05-05-2010, 07:28 PM
Strip the clear off using aircraft stripper. This is nasty stuff, don't let it hit bare skin.


+1 that sh!t burns lol