Want to remove the paint from your wheels? This is what I did (Warning: Chemicals!) - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Kostamojen · 01-31-2015, 10:39 PM

Once upon a time (2007) I bought a set of Rota Slipstreams (16x7 +48 13.5lbs) for my previous car, a '95 Impreza... I wound up selling them and a couple years later selling the car for my BRZ:

Fast forward to now, that same set of wheels I sold to a friend which he used for Autox for years, was available for me to purchase again (I'm getting tires for the new Autox season due to the change in tire wear rating) but were plastidiped in pink:

I knew the powdercoating underneeth had seen a lot of wear, so I was contemplating having them re-coated. But everyone I talked to said $400+ to blast and powder coat a set of wheels. Since these are going to be "racing" wheels, I don't really care about looks but I sure ain't runnin pink wheels!

So I did some searching, and found this video:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCdr8RWQd64"]Paint Strip Off a ROta - YouTube[/ame]

I was like "Wow! Same wheels, and it looks so easy!". More searching and some time later, I bought some paint stripper from Napa Autoparts... Tried it last weekend, and it didn't go so well! You need to put it on THICK not thin, and it works, but I used a whole quart and it barely took off anything from the outer spokes:

So I did more searching, realized that the RIGHT stuff to use is the "Klean Strip" Aircraft paint remover, and you need a GALLON of the stuff for 4 wheels and put it on REALLY heavy! (Its a Gelatin like substance, so keep it thick and apply generously)

You do need to be VERY careful with this stuff! Use cloths you don't want to keep, wear kitchen gloves ON TOP of some rubber gloves, wear a mask, don't get it on ANYTHING you don't want it to be on. It stinks for sure, but Brake Cleaner is worse in terms of fumes. Its also water soluble so its actually not to hard to clean up.

At any rate, after a few coats today, learned a few more things... My method was to POUR it directly onto the wheel and move it around so it stays thick. And as it starts to peel off, brush it again and brush the paint thats coming off so it gets the next layer. This was probably the most efficient, yet VERY messy, way I got it to work, and the results were damn good:

TEN YEAR OLD WHEELS THAT LOOK NEW! YAY!

I'm going to use some artisan polish to clean up some scratches and stuff, but I won't be doing a "chrome" like polish, not really into that look and these are beater wheels. But I'm very happy with what I learned from this and how much I saved (spent $60, but thats cause I bought the first can at $20... I could have done this for $40 if I bought the right stuff first).

Kiske · 01-31-2015, 10:51 PM

Next time cover them with plastic wrap/trash bag. The stuff doesn't work if the fumes escape. Roughing them up with a bit of sandpaper will also give the stripper and easier time breaking the surface.

Bergen23 · 01-31-2015, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiske

Next time cover them with plastic wrap/trash bag. The stuff doesn't work if the fumes escape. Roughing them up with a bit of sandpaper will also give the stripper and easier time breaking the surface.

This guy knows what he's talking about.

I've used this stuff many times in other applications (Bicycle frames) and I always sanded first, then dumped the stripper on, hit it with a scouring pad then steel wool and it always worked pretty well.

Kostamojen · 01-31-2015, 11:23 PM

Sandpaper might have got through the coat and scratched it, it was pretty thin in some spots.

M23 · 02-01-2015, 12:50 AM

Wow...looks nice. Doesn't look like Rota anymore

Ryoung91 · 02-01-2015, 01:51 AM

Do you think this technique would work with the stock FRS wheels? I feel that the stock wheels would look much better in that brushed metal finish rather than the 2-tone appearance

Kostamojen · 02-01-2015, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryoung91

Do you think this technique would work with the stock FRS wheels? I feel that the stock wheels would look much better in that brushed metal finish rather than the 2-tone appearance

I don't see why not. Might require more coats (or less coats) depending on whats kind of paint job it is.

Kostamojen · 02-01-2015, 04:29 PM

After a mild polish:

01-31-2015, 10:39 PM	#1
Kostamojen Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Drives: 1993 Impreza w/ WRX Swap + FWD! Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,071 Thanks: 217 Thanked 949 Times in 499 Posts Mentioned: 31 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Want to remove the paint from your wheels? This is what I did (Warning: Chemicals!) Once upon a time (2007) I bought a set of Rota Slipstreams (16x7 +48 13.5lbs) for my previous car, a '95 Impreza... I wound up selling them and a couple years later selling the car for my BRZ: Fast forward to now, that same set of wheels I sold to a friend which he used for Autox for years, was available for me to purchase again (I'm getting tires for the new Autox season due to the change in tire wear rating) but were plastidiped in pink: I knew the powdercoating underneeth had seen a lot of wear, so I was contemplating having them re-coated. But everyone I talked to said $400+ to blast and powder coat a set of wheels. Since these are going to be "racing" wheels, I don't really care about looks but I sure ain't runnin pink wheels! So I did some searching, and found this video: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCdr8RWQd64"]Paint Strip Off a ROta - YouTube[/ame] I was like "Wow! Same wheels, and it looks so easy!". More searching and some time later, I bought some paint stripper from Napa Autoparts... Tried it last weekend, and it didn't go so well! You need to put it on THICK not thin, and it works, but I used a whole quart and it barely took off anything from the outer spokes: So I did more searching, realized that the RIGHT stuff to use is the "Klean Strip" Aircraft paint remover, and you need a GALLON of the stuff for 4 wheels and put it on REALLY heavy! (Its a Gelatin like substance, so keep it thick and apply generously) You do need to be VERY careful with this stuff! Use cloths you don't want to keep, wear kitchen gloves ON TOP of some rubber gloves, wear a mask, don't get it on ANYTHING you don't want it to be on. It stinks for sure, but Brake Cleaner is worse in terms of fumes. Its also water soluble so its actually not to hard to clean up. At any rate, after a few coats today, learned a few more things... My method was to POUR it directly onto the wheel and move it around so it stays thick. And as it starts to peel off, brush it again and brush the paint thats coming off so it gets the next layer. This was probably the most efficient, yet VERY messy, way I got it to work, and the results were damn good: TEN YEAR OLD WHEELS THAT LOOK NEW! YAY! I'm going to use some artisan polish to clean up some scratches and stuff, but I won't be doing a "chrome" like polish, not really into that look and these are beater wheels. But I'm very happy with what I learned from this and how much I saved (spent $60, but thats cause I bought the first can at $20... I could have done this for $40 if I bought the right stuff first).

01-31-2015, 10:51 PM	#2
Kiske Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Drives: RX-7 / BRZ Location: USA Posts: 2,338 Thanks: 1,023 Thanked 2,499 Times in 1,079 Posts Mentioned: 27 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Next time cover them with plastic wrap/trash bag. The stuff doesn't work if the fumes escape. Roughing them up with a bit of sandpaper will also give the stripper and easier time breaking the surface. __________________ //2013 World Rally Blue BRZ Limited FBM Turbo--gone //2018 Crystal White Pearl BRZ Ts 2.2l Harrop Supercharged

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01-31-2015, 11:23 PM	#4
Kostamojen Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Drives: 1993 Impreza w/ WRX Swap + FWD! Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,071 Thanks: 217 Thanked 949 Times in 499 Posts Mentioned: 31 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Sandpaper might have got through the coat and scratched it, it was pretty thin in some spots.

02-01-2015, 12:50 AM	#5
M23 Banned Join Date: Sep 2014 Drives: 86 Location: Penisville SoCal Posts: 344 Thanks: 197 Thanked 88 Times in 58 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Wow...looks nice. Doesn't look like Rota anymore

02-01-2015, 01:51 AM	#6
Ryoung91 Member Join Date: May 2014 Drives: 2013 FRS Location: Tucson Posts: 41 Thanks: 13 Thanked 19 Times in 14 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Do you think this technique would work with the stock FRS wheels? I feel that the stock wheels would look much better in that brushed metal finish rather than the 2-tone appearance

02-01-2015, 04:29 PM	#8
Kostamojen Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Drives: 1993 Impreza w/ WRX Swap + FWD! Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,071 Thanks: 217 Thanked 949 Times in 499 Posts Mentioned: 31 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	After a mild polish:

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