# What paint stripper for wheels?



## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

I've just started a very corroded set of Polo wheels, the paint seems rock hard and very hard to sand so I'd like to strip them.

What's the best stripper for this? I'm thinking off the shelf products won't cut it. There's bound to be some more 'industrial' grade stripper available to the trade?


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## 4d_dc2 (Mar 28, 2008)

Starchem paint stripper is by far the best and strongest I have ever used. Try it you won't be disappointed


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## BaileyA3 (Jun 14, 2015)

I used wilkos own paint stripper on my charge pipe which I think was more powder coated than paint but very tough and the stripper got it all off easy peasy. Nice and cheap too.


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## Caledoniandream (Oct 9, 2009)

Can you get them shot blasted? Much quicker, better, and the best thing for corrosion. 
Saves a lot of hasle and time, got a set glass bead blasted and they where like new.


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Caledoniandream said:


> Can you get them shot blasted? Much quicker, better, and the best thing for corrosion.
> Saves a lot of hasle and time, got a set glass bead blasted and they where like new.


That would be ideal, I'm trying to keep cost to a minimum though. It's on a £1000 car so I'm trying to keep costs down rather than chase a 100% finish.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

If it is a cost exercise then I'd go for some good paint stripper (Nitromous ?) in a well ventilated area and then pressure wash off - worth trying on 1 wheel to see if it does anything ?


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Went to my local paint suppliers in search of Starchem this afternoon, they didn't have it but I got a tin of Final Systems HD Stripper. It has dichloromethane in it which I think is the ingredient that was removed from Nitromous a while back when it got great reviews so hopefully it should be good.

I have applied it to one wheel and have it taped up in a bin bag to sit overnight. It bubbled up the lacquer straight away but the colour and primer seem to be harder to shift. Hopefully with an overnight sweat in the bin bag it should come off easy.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Franzpan said:


> Went to my local paint suppliers in search of Starchem this afternoon, they didn't have it but I got a tin of Final Systems HD Stripper. It has dichloromethane in it which I think is the ingredient that was removed from Nitromous a while back when it got great reviews so hopefully it should be good.
> 
> I have applied it to one wheel and have it taped up in a bin bag to sit overnight. It bubbled up the lacquer straight away but the colour and primer seem to be harder to shift. Hopefully with an overnight sweat in the bin bag it should come off easy.


Hopefully fingers crossed it'll clear it, a good pressure off and they be good to go - don't forget the pictures


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Well this is a nightmare. I left it overnight and today it didn't look any different. I was hoping to just hit it with the PW and watch the paint melt off but its welded on.

I don't think its bad stripper, its just concrete paint lol. The stripper makes it jelly like and then it needed to be scraped of. The paint just will not sand. 120 grit by hand has no effect on the small patches of remaining paint. The only thing that removes it slowly is 80 grit on the DA and even then it chews up the the discs quickly.

What sort of paint would this be? I've never came across anything so hard to sand. It's not like its a great job though - its still managed to corrode so badly.


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## Big Bri (Nov 20, 2010)

Hardwork getting alloys back to Mint again.When you do all the prep at home yourself.Cant realy rush it either.Its just hardwork,Dirty,messy,gloves,no glove,two left handed gloves,holes in one glove.Your correct,its a knightmare. Takes time and will cost a few quid.

Did a set or two of M3 wheels.Spent weeks on the first set an they looked the dogs .Did everything proper.Inclusing removeing my finger prints.Looked the dogs though when finished. 
Next set went to a guy in Preston at £90 a wheel.Great job.Like new.His machine/Factory cost him about a £100,000,00000000000 though.

Keep the faith and take your time.Great feeling when they sit on the car and look mint.

BB
ps,Mine everyday of the week


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## alanjw (Apr 16, 2017)

I gave my Astra wheels to our local wheel man who I have used before with wife's MINI wheels.
He said he had come across my wheel finish before and described it as a nylon coating and was very very difficult to remove. He has caustic dips, stripper tanks and blasting facilities but described the process as 'very tedious'
My conversion of his comments!

Alan


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Big Bri said:


> Hardwork getting alloys back to Mint again.When you do all the prep at home yourself.Cant realy rush it either.Its just hardwork,Dirty,messy,gloves,no glove,two left handed gloves,holes in one glove.Your correct,its a knightmare. Takes time and will cost a few quid.
> 
> Did a set or two of M3 wheels.Spent weeks on the first set an they looked the dogs .Did everything proper.Inclusing removeing my finger prints.Looked the dogs though when finished.
> Next set went to a guy in Preston at £90 a wheel.Great job.Like new.His machine/Factory cost him about a £100,000,00000000000 though.
> ...


I know all about the glove situation! I have those green Solvex gloves which withstand nearly anything thiners or solvent wise. The stripper went through them though after an hour, they didn't tear but my hands started to sting so had to wear blue gloves underneath them.

I think the key now is to do two or three light scrapes and re soak with stripper between them rather than trying to scrape it all off in one go.


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