Stripping paint from Alloy Wheels

Tips for Stripping Paint from Alloy Wheels

Don’t attempt to strip paint from alloy wheels at home. This advice is for industry professionals. If you want your alloys stripped and repainted, speak to your local garage or a special paint stripping company.

Tip one: Think ahead. Don't cut corners when you intend to strip the paint from alloy wheels. Work out what you need and when you need it, and ensure everything is to hand. Stripping paint from alloy wheels isn’t particularly hard. But to ensure every part of the process runs smoothly, plan in advance.

Tip two: Have plenty of space around you when you work. Handling alloy wheels requires a certain amount of room. You also want your immersion bath in a corner of your premises where it is out of the way but not exposed to changes in temperature.

Tip three: Always remove the alloy wheels from a vehicle. You can strip paint from alloy wheels without removing them but you risk damaging the tyres and valves. You also won't do such a thorough job as you would with an immersion bath.

Tip four: For your health and safety, avoid using a chemical-based alloy wheel stripper. It can damage health because of its fumes and toxic solvents. Use a water-based alloy wheel paint remover instead. This is odour-free, safe to use and effective. It also strips off the paint in sheets. Chemical strippers turn paint into a sludge you have to filter from the bath.

Tip five: Use the right sort of immersion bath. Choose one made from stainless steel or high-density polyethylene. An immersion bath of mild steel is unsuitable.

Tip six: Put a mesh at the bottom of your immersion bath. As already mentioned, a water-based alloy wheel paint stripper removes paint in sheets. These drift to the bottom of the bath. You can remove the sheets with ease if you place a mesh at the bottom. Use stainless steel wire to pull the mesh and the paint from the bath.

Tip seven: Heat your water-based alloy wheel paint stripper to a temperature between 60⁰ C and 80⁰ C. At 60⁰ C you should expect to see the paint come off alloy wheels in two to four hours. At 80⁰ C you could have the job done in 90 minutes. Apart from the temperature, the actual time the job takes depends on the type of paint on the wheels.

Tip eight: Exercise patience with some alloy wheels. Those on German vehicles, for example, could have top-quality primer. A water-based paint stripper will work but you may have to leave the wheels in the immersion bath for more than four hours.

Tip nine: Keep a hydrometer handy. Use this to measure the specific gravity of your water-based alloy wheel stripper to ensure its condition. Check the specific gravity against the manufacturer’s recommended level. If necessary, top up the solution with a wheel strip replenisher.

Tip ten: Keep sandpaper and liquid metal nearby. Once you've stripped the paint from the alloy wheels, you may notice nicks and scratches. You can disguise these by rubbing them with fine-grade sandpaper. You can fill dents, especially those around rims, with liquid metal. Once the liquid metal has set, sand it down to leave a smooth surface.