DIY steel wheel refurb

Hi, I've just bought a 2002 Jimny that I'm very happy with. The steel wheels are discoloured and quite rusty so I want to refurb them, but on a budget - there are other more pressing things that need addressing (brakes, wheel alignment and a decent service). I'm thinking of sanding down the rust with a wire brush attachment on a drill and then spraying them with smoothrite - anyone refurbed their steel wheels and have any comments?

Hi mate,

A mate of mine has just refurbed his steel rims.

-If possible get a 5" grinder with a wire wheel and strip the whole lot of the old paint of.
-give the bear steel a light rub with some fine sand paper
-rub the rim down with thinner's before you paint just to get all the dirty out
-and then paint like you normally would a few coats of what ever colour and then a clear coat.

That's long way of doing it but they come up nicely.

I was thinking grind back the rust then a few coats of silver smoothrite with no lacquer (I'd read that lacquer tends to react wiht the smoothrite), or a couple of coats each of primer, then silver and finally lacquer although that's bit of a long winded way of doing it and I'm not sure I've got the patience!!!! If a couple of coats of smoothrite will give a presentable finish with no rust and no flaking then that 's the way I'll probably go unless htere's anything better out there anyone would recommend.

The enamel finish looks really good. Did you brush or spray it?

little jimny wrote: I was thinking grind back the rust then a few coats of silver smoothrite with no lacquer (I'd read that lacquer tends to react wiht the smoothrite), or a couple of coats each of primer, then silver and finally lacquer although that's bit of a long winded way of doing it and I'm not sure I've got the patience!!!! If a couple of coats of smoothrite will give a presentable finish with no rust and no flaking then that 's the way I'll probably go unless htere's anything better out there anyone would recommend.

I've found that anythin made by Finnigans (hammerite, smoothrite, etc) reacts with anything and everything, it's a nightmare if ther's any old paint and even reacts with their own primer. Because of that and the cost (Aberdonian speak again) I always avoid it like the plague!
John.

mlines wrote: Heres what I did.....

www.bigjimny.com/index.php?option=com_co...accessories&Itemid=2

Yes they've got to be done with the tyres off to be right and you really need to go behind the edges of the holes as well.
John.

Johnniehec wrote:
I've found that anythin made by Finnigans (hammerite, smoothrite, etc) reacts with anything and everything, it's a nightmare if ther's any old paint and even reacts with their own primer. Because of that and the cost (Aberdonian speak again) I always avoid it like the plague!
John.

interesting cos I brush painted my wheels, front winch bumper and roll cage with smoothrite with no problems with bubbling etc - just scratched off when its been in contact with trees etc

Heres what I did
www.bigjimny.com/index.php?option=com_ku...itstart=48&Itemid=75

wire brush on a drill, hammerite smooth, heater, tires on
--- it would have been better with tires off..... but looks a million times better than it did before

--- also no problems with bubbling or anything, no reactions and I didnt take the old paint off.....just the rust and ruff bits ---- John obviously canna paint hahaha

You can always let the air out the tyres and a couple or four G-clamps to squeeze the tyre away from the rim.
You should be able to paint round the lip then and not get any on the tyre.

I do it that way, rather than have the tyres taken off.

Just a thought?

K

Holy thread resurrection, Batman!

Found myself with some spare time, so armed with a power drill, wire wool attachment, masking tape and some rattle cans of primer, wheel silver and lacquer I set to work.

I had already lightly sanded the wheels in the hope that it would tidy up the discolouration from the rust, but it didn't really smarten them up very much. Anyway, here's a wheel ready for some refurb action.





Here it is after receiving the attention of the drill and wire wool bit





Next up was to brush paint the back of the wheel with black smoothrite, and the front with some kurust. Leaving that overnight to dry, the next job was to mask the tyre. This worked out quite well because of the lip on the steel wheel - I wouldn't fancy doing it on an alloy! With it all masked up it was out with primer, and then a light rub down where some dog hairs found their way onto the wet paint!



Now it's time for the silver. Well, I say 'silver' - I used Simoniz 5 Wheel Silver and it looks a fair bit darker than the standard silver the wheel used to be. If I was just doing one wheel I would be pretty annoyed, but seeing as I'm doing the lot it doesn't really matter.



I'll lacquer it in a couple of hours once it's dried. This is the last wheel I had to do, I got the rest of them done last week but forgot to take pictures!!!