RS6 Wheel Refurb.

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:33 pm

Finally got round to swapping my wheels todays to get ready to refurb the RS6's Very Happy

I took two in to have the tyres removed and will take the other two in later in the week. So this is what I have started with:

If you are wondering why I am refurbing them then I would point out that this wheel is the best of the four!

With a 4:1 mix of megs superdegreaser I gave them a good clean. With the exception of a few tar spots (which I hope to deal with in the next stage when I remove the wheel weights and glue) I was very pleased with how the wheel came up:

The second wheel didn't come quite so well. I imagine it was probably a front wheel in it's past life and has more ingrained brake dust and stuff:

So the first of the questions! - Whats the best way to remove that crud? My next stage is to clay the wheel with Meg's Last Touch which I hope will remove all the tar spots etc. Will this also remove the brake dust - or will it just destroy the clay? Is there a better product I should be using?

Cheers James Cool

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:40 pm

autoglym tar remover or a bit of petrol on a cloth will remove the tar spots. Presumably you will then be rubbing down the wheels before priming, painting etc. anyway. Smile

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:48 pm

Thanks Owen, I'm more worried about getting the grime off really as I know the tar will come off ok. Yes i will be rubbing down once I have got the wheels to a stage of cleanliness I am happy with. Preperation is everything and I am probably going OTT, but I only want to do this once! Wink

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:01 pm

either autoglym or wonder wheels will help. check the labels on each.....

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:02 pm

Once you get the tar off, the ingrinded stuff you can get off with some wet n dry

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:15 pm

you tried using thinners to clean them up a bit or a stronger degreaser? How you going to spray them? using thinners or the degreaser will be better as they need to be wiped with these later to take off any wax etc that might be left on to stop reaction in the new paint. as long as you carry on as you are and work cleanly i cant see you having any problems. you going for same colour or for something different? Smile

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:35 pm

Good thinking, I have some wonder wheels for the dust, will try that cheers Wink

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:43 pm

If you are going to clay them, use the clay bar with the tar remover as the lube Wink

Wonder wheels Shocked

ACID ! ! ! !

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:45 pm

but if he degreases/ wet/ dry... ?

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:49 pm

I bought it with that in mind, but wasn't sure if it was really necessary Confused

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:03 am

Was just a suggestion as you seem set on using the tar remover.
I don't use tar remover anymore, the clay bar does it's job whilst removing anything else stuck on the surface.

Sorry, just hate wonder wheels with a vengence. Even if the paint is rubbed down, any of that wonder wheels gets in behind any pourous paint and then it's nicely sealed up with fresh paint, it'll lift later. BTDT.

For what it's worth, my normal procedure goes;

1/ Clean wheels down with strong cleaner, (megs APC or megs SDG)
2/ Clay,
3/ progressively lighter and lighter wet n dry
4/ scotchbrite pad,
5/ thinners
6/ tack rag
7/ primer,
8/ light scotchbrite pad,
9/ thinners,
10/ tack rag
11/ base coat colour
12/ light scotchbrite pad
13/ thinners
14/ tack rag
15/ lacquer
16/ leave 24 hours
17/ if needed 2500 grit wet n dry
18/ polishing compound and machine
19/ seal and wax

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:18 am

Not so much set on it, just less aware of the alternatives. I have bought clay and Meg's last touch with the intention of using them, but then other ideas were aired which made me wonder if claying was OTT. This is my first go with clay and lube, and whilst I have heard good things about them have yet to experience them.

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:34 am

I only use the compound and machine as my lacquering skills are crap. I just can't seem to get a shiny finish.

I've always used white primer, normally use my local motor factors, but that's just because it's in town and my nearest Halfrauds is out of town, I'm lazy.

Jase..
Cool

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:59 am

Are you doing the refurb yourself? I've got to get mine done at some point so I can have them as spares.

What size are they? i'd presume 18's which is probably slightly cheaper to refurb than mine which are 19's

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:42 pm

thinners between all those coats! do you mean degreaser? im very surprised it doesnt lift the paint Confused

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:58 pm

Doing it myself hence the project thread Wink

Yes they are 18's - I guess 19's would cost marginally more to do but in reality I think it would be more dependant on the amount of kerbing/ peeling lacquer on them. I think it only costs £50 - £65 ish per wheel, but on top of purchase price and needing 2 new tyres I decided to do it myself Cool

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 11:08 pm

I think it only costs £50 - £65 ish per wheel, but on top of purchase price and needing 2 new tyres I decided to do it myself Cool

[/quote]

James also thought..."with the cost of nappies,formula milk and baby wipes I'm going to HAVE to refurb my own wheels".. Wink

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 11:17 pm

Or more strictly my wife did Laughing

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 11:38 pm

Stuff given to me by my friendly painter guy, he called it thinners, but then maybe it's not. Certainly doesn't lift the paint Shock

Cue a phone call tomorrow to find out.

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:56 am

Probably be panel wipe to make sure the surface is clean ready for next coat.

I use IPA but need to be careful as it can dissolve some paints Very Happy

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:20 pm

Is that Greene Kings IPA Laughing

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:44 pm

Not had that in years!!!! Very Happy

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:37 pm

A rag and a bit of petrol worked a treat to remove the tar spots, thanks Owen Wink

I then took any last contaminants off with a clay bar. It didn't help with the brake dust but I'm hoping that will come off with the wet and dry. So I have two wheels ready for the next stage, and will hopefully take the other two in to have the tyres taken off tomorrow Cool

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:43 pm

Good stuff - watching this with interest! Wink

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:28 am

im in the raf and have access to a media washer. basically its a pressure washer (pressure is adjustable) that shoots out water with plastic media, the media is smaller than a grain of musturd!!! its possible to take off all the cack with that and if you wanted you can strip it to bare metal by adding more media and increasing the pressure. if you want them doing or anythig else (size permitting) if your in the leicester area give me a shout.

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:14 pm

Cheers for the offer mate Very Happy

I'm in Dorset so its not really feasible sadly. I'm sure the wet and dry will bring them up well Cool

Had the other two tyres off this morning, so got to find time to prepare four wheels somehow Rolling Eyes

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:04 pm

Stuff given to me by my friendly painter guy, he called it thinners, but then maybe it's not. Certainly doesn't lift the paint Shock

Cue a phone call tomorrow to find out.

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:55 pm

Right, contrary to popular belief I haven't forgotton my wheels! Laughing

I managed to find a few hours today and gave them all a good preliminary rub down. Used wet and dry paper, 60 grade on the kerb marks and 600 for the rest.

Managed to get all four done which was a result Very Happy

I'm pretty new to paintwork so have a few queries. Rubbing down has removed a surprising amount of the kerbing, but some of the deeper scoring remains. The thing is should I perserve with the rubbing down to remove them? Will any low spots on the wheels be hidden when it's finished, or will they show up even more?

Couple of pics of the deep scoring:

I realise it is pretty hard to visualise this from the pics, so I am going to bring them this weekend if anyone thinks they can advise ....

Next step is to prime them. Ideally I would like some filler primer to fill any minor imperfections. Can anyone recommend anything or shall I just get something off the shelf from Halfords?

Cheers Wink

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:19 pm

Halfords do a filler primer in a can. Yellow in colour, so I'd still use a white primer underneath the silver base coat when you get to that stage.

"86style" dude Graeme's your man to tell if the extra primer is overkill Wink

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:30 pm

Ok will get some of that primer filler cheers Jase Wink

Am hoping a few coats of that where required and some good sanding and I wont need to use any filler. I have bought some Chemical Metal but my concern in using it is that any imperfections are so small that I wont be able to get enough 'bulk' of filler in without having to enlarge the damaged area, which I dont want to do Shocked

If so I'm worried the filler may crack in due course Sad

Once I have the desired finish with primer filler then it's no trouble to dust over with a lighter coloured primer prior to the top coat. Am also thinking I might use cheaper Halfords silver for the backs and inside of the wheel and save my Avus silver for the visible outside Very Happy