How-to-guide: Refurbing and spraying your alloy wheels

[furioAL]

First things first... refurbing and spraying alloy wheels is a very long task... do not attempt to do these unless you have a serious amount of time on your hands... and will persevere through boring sanding in order to achieve a good result... it takes roughly 1-2hours to sand paper prepare one wheel with very few curb marks.. it takes roughly 4-6hours to sand prepare one wheel with major curb marks...

Things you will need:
Rough estimate for materials needed: £50
Spare wheel, jack, bolts, filler (depending on how curbed your wheels are), 3/4 large cans of primer, 3/4 cans of chosen colour paint, 1/2 large cans of CLEAR laquer, a pack of 240 grade wet/dry paper, a pack of 1200 grit wet/dry paper and two large roles of masking tape... if you have some serious curbage or would like to save some time SOME of the preperation work can be done using an orbital sander with fine grade pads...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/10.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/12.jpg

We start of with curbed boring looking alloy wheels:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/11.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/19.jpg

The guide:

The first stage is removing the wheel from the car, make sure you use the car's jack points to avoid damaging the underside of the car...
(if you are unsure of how to change your wheel - follow the instruction in your saxo owners handbook)

Once the wheel is removed they need to be cleaned front and back... i covered mine in Autoglym tar remover and allowed time for it to soak in before rubbing gently with a wheel brush... this was then rinsed off and dried with kitchen paper....

Once dry, deflate the tyre completely, by unscrewing cap and pushing in valve... once flat... bend the tyre wall down (gently) by standing on it.. and tuck masking tape underneath the lip of the rim.. work your way around slowly... if you have a lot of tyre shine on your tyres the tape may not stick.. so work your way out the tread of the tyres as the masking tape will stick well there... you also need to mask around your tyre valve cap. It should look something like this:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/9.jpg

Once masked the sanding can begin (the time consuming bit)...
Rub over the entire front face of the wheel... including every single nook and cranny with the 240 grit wet and dry paper. You will notice when and area is 'ready' as the surface will have lost it's clearcoat and will look either like primer grey, or like bare metal (depending on how deap you have to sand to remove marks)..

You do not have to sand the wheel all the way back down to metal.. you need to remove the surface clearcoat... and ensure the whole surface is flat and mark free...

Work around the wheel systematically with the 240 grit paying particular attention to the lip of the wheel... where there is bubbling or curb marks you will need to work on these areas for some time to make the surface flat... an orbital sander could be used at this stage to save some time....

Filler:

This may not be necessary, it depends on the nature of the imperfections on the wheels... my advice would be only use filler were 100% essential... as if used incorrectly can flake off and make the lifespan of your wheel paint job significantly less.... If needed follow the next section:

Mix up some filler with hardener (a golf ball size of filler to a pea size of hardener) like shown:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/13.jpg

Once thoroughly mixed you will only have around 5 minutes to apply the filler... apply it sparingly as sanding down excess filler can take a long time...

Carefully fill any deep surface defects in the wheel:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/14.jpg

Once filler is used leave for several hours before resanding the areas flat...the exact duration will vary depending on the filler used...

Back to the guide:

Now the wheel should be reasonably smooth, and flat... where bubbling used to be, you should now be able to brush your finger over the surface without feeling any resistance...

If this is the case proceed with sanding the entire wheel with 1200 grit wet and dry paper... this will make the surface of the wheel entirely smooth...

When rubbed down and smooth, it should look something like this:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/15.jpg

We are now ready for primer... apply one light coat of primer to the entire wheel... allow 15 minutes for it to become touch dry...

At this stage assess the wheel... if there are any visible imperfections go back to the sanding stage and keep working on it... do not carry on priming and painting.... the imperfections visible at this stage will be magnified by painting and laquering... so it is crucial you go back and filler/sand out the imperfections...

If after the first coat of primer the wheel has no imperfection apply another coat of primer... i recommend applying 3/4 coats of primer leaving 15-30 minutes between coats for it to dry... then leave the primer for 24hours to fully dry... it should look like this:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/16.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/1.jpg

Once the primer is dry you are ready to apply paint... shake the can well before applying... apply lots of thin coats... as most wheels have lots of corners it is vital you do thin coats as paint can quickly accumulate leaving run lines... I recommend applying around 4-5 good coats of paint leaving 15-30minutes in between coats to dry...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/17.jpg

Then leave the paint for 24hours to harden fully... then you are ready to start laquering...

Apply 3-4 good coats of laquer also being careful not to leave run lines... allowing 15-30minutes between coats... once laquered leave the wheel to dry for 24hours.. it is then finished... It should look something like this:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/18.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/4.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/wheelwhite.jpg

Remove the masking tape from the tyre wall and the valve cap... re-inflate the tyres, then tyre dressing can be applied:

165/65R14 (i.e base models and 1.4’s) – 2.2bar/32PSI – Front, 2.0bar/29PSI - Rear
185/55R14 (VTR models) – 2.5bar/36PSI – Front, 2.2bar/32PSI – Rear
195/45R15 (VTS and common aftermarket alloy size) – 2.3bar/33PSI – Front, 2.0bar/29PSI – Rear


Then the wheel can be refitted to the car... and you can start on the next one... :p make sure you note the tread pattern direction when refitting the wheels to the car...

Now stand back and admire all that hard work:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/wheelwhite2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/wheelwhite3.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/wheelfitted.jpg

You should notice a massive difference from standard:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/6.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/5.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/8.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/7.jpg

Hope that helps a few of you :y:
Alex
:)

[steviet]

nice guide mate.

[MickMc]

Nice guide :y: think i may have to do mine again

[jimbo06]

they look spot on dude, good work!

[BENSAX3]

good guide but i would recomend not touchin the laquer for more than a week cause it may leave finger prints and not to drive the car with the wheels on for a few days so the laquer dosnt become damaged

[furioAL]

good guide but i would recomend not touchin the laquer for more than a week cause it may leave finger prints and not to drive the car with the wheels on for a few days so the laquer dosnt become damaged

How many wheels have you painted :p

Laquer after 24hours becomes more than touch dry... they are fine to put back on the car unless you completely scratch the surface... and to be honest they would scratch then regardless of how dry the laquer was...

Yes the laquer will continue to harder over a week period... but it is plenty hard enough to get them on the car after 24hours... just fit them carefully..

Alex
:)

[stevenet15]

good guide :y: but dont need to leave 24 hours between coats, here is some vts wheels i did in a simular darker colour mate

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b157/stevecnet/Dsc00393mini.jpg

[Predator_R32]

good stuff mate

id leave them a good week before id put them on my car, its about how long it takes to fully harden in my mind

[Emma_ZS]

yet another top notch guide! :y:

[saxovtrandy]

another really good guide there mate

you got me thinking now!!!

[mark16v]

Great guide matey:y:

[Japman]

Good guide mate

[davew]

nice guide alex, can i come back to your a drop my vts wheels back of and pick them up in a week when youve done them :P lol

[furioAL]

nice guide alex, can i come back to your a drop my vts wheels back of and pick them up in a week when youve done them :P lol

if you left the wheels with a considerable sum of money possibly ;)

[mallboy]

great guide mate, will be useful when i get hold of another 2 vts rims;)

[Baz]

started on mine today :)

[k2thecsaxo]

great guide there mate

[OLLYVTS]

Awsome guide again mate.They look 10 times better sprayed.I thinking about doing mine soon.

[0-Rob-O]

nice guide mate love the vtr wheels in white, might get the spray can out now :y:

[Clone]

Thats a very good guide going to use this, rep your way mate.

[RedB]

good guide mate, already spokena about doing mine ;)

[furioAL]

I have now had this thread moved back to the general forums (so it's no longer a premium guide) so you common folk can access it... seeing as several others have done some less detailed guides in the general forum i thought they needed putting in there place :homme:

:)

[stupac50pence]

top stuff, will use that when i do mine

[jeeves_101]

most excellent and thourgh guide.

tip top.

[Lozza_vtr]

Excellent guide fella. :clapping: Going to be doing mine soon. What color was that? I am really liking it.

[furioAL]

Excellent guide fella. :clapping: Going to be doing mine soon. What color was that? I am really liking it.

I just went and checked the tin i have left in the garage and it's Rover stone grey metallic paint :y:

[Martinsaxo]

Think im goin to have to do mine soon, good guide Al :y:

Martin.

[dan_87]

good guide mate cheers goin to start mine tomorrow....

[ellwise69]

awesome guide. might have to have a go.

[DavidKent]

Great guide mate - Should come in handy when i refurb mine.. Eventually!

Rep'd

[dave1]

I think i will just put mine in the shop

[braziers]

gonna do mine soon in sparkling graphite :p
awesome guide tho fella :y:

[hagg]

Does anybody know the colour code for the vts silver wheels? I have stripped the paint off mine last weekend and will hopefully be buying the primer and paint etc. tomorrow from halfrauds.

[Jungle_Jim]

audi Aluminium silver isnt far off mate

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b157/stevecnet/Dsc00459mini.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b157/stevecnet/Dsc00464mini.jpg

[hagg]

I like that, does it come up a shade darker or is it the photo?

[Paul]

Great guide mate, im undecided, should i refurb my alloys black.. or just sell them and buy some black ones...

Humm.

[Baz]

personally id do them yourself, you will know the wheels will look perfect and your tyres are good. Its easy enough

[Chico999]

top class guide mate! av been thinkibg about doing this for a wee while.
Mite wait till some decent weather tho.....

[AdamWhy]

sweet guide dude...

[Alzees_Saxo]

awsome guide mate!

[9ds9]

great guide u need some rep! heres mine! http://www.saxperience.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123568&page=2

[craniel123]

Hi, i am thinking of painting mine white.... has anyone got a silver saxo and painted theres white? or got any pics of a silver saxo with white wheels (the old type of wheel as shown in white in the guide) so i may have a looksee about what it may be like on a silver???


cheers

[Jungle_Jim]

Hi, i am thinking of painting mine white.... has anyone got a silver saxo and painted theres white? or got any pics of a silver saxo with white wheels (the old type of wheel as shown in white in the guide) so i may have a looksee about what it may be like on a silver???


cheers

your better off putting up a photo request thread in the saxo photo and video section rathering than filling this thread up with random pictures

[craniel123]

your better off putting up a photo request thread in the saxo photo and video section rathering than filling this thread up with random pictures

good point never thought of that! doh:wall: lol! id probs get more responses that way too

[SaxoVTRacer]

long task took me 8 hours hahahha

[furioFELL]

Brilliant guide mate, just bagged myself a bargain set of vts rims, £185!! gna start the refurb asap so i can lower it n hav it lookin half decent for F.C.S. on the 22nd, see you there??

[Mark51]

very good guide mate - stickied

what type of primer, paint and laquer did you use? e.g. High Build Primer, metal primer, Halfords etc..?

[Ben_L]

very good guide mate - stickied

what type of primer, paint and laquer did you use? e.g. High Build Primer, metal primer, Halfords etc..?

yeah...

well considering doing mine a slightly darker now. I dont know what colour would be best on posi blue. dont want black, more sort of grey/anthracite any1 have any suggestions?

Cheers


Oh and top notch guide FurioAl. good effort :y:

[smittytom]

This might sound like a no brainer but did you spray the back of the wheel too?
Also what white did you use??

Cheers

[Jungle_Jim]

As i was also responsible for the guide/refurb i can answer the following questions for you guys


what type of primer, paint and laquer did you use? e.g. High Build Primer, metal primer, Halfords etc..?

halfords grey primer, use an automotive car body paint eg rover steel grey, then halfords clear laquer


yeah...

well considering doing mine a slightly darker now. I dont know what colour would be best on posi blue. dont want black, more sort of grey/anthracite any1 have any suggestions?

ford graphite grey metallic is darker mate, i have just refurbed the wheels on my clio in this colour

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/8bitgeneration/refurb-final2.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/8bitgeneration/3-14.jpg

This might sound like a no brainer but did you spray the back of the wheel too?
Also what white did you use??

Cheers

no mate we didnt paint the backs as they are not visable. i used mercedes polar white. dont use just the halfords gloss white, use a proper car body colour as the halfords gloss white is really thin and may cause run lines.

[scottsaxvtr]

good guide fellas top stuff seen better tho

[linzscott140]

Great guide, bro has a set of 4 vtr alloys so gonna use this guide to get them gleaming white to stick on my black vtr.

[Ash-VTR]

Nice thread mate, How long does it take to do a full set of alloys?

Refurb and paint

Cheers, Ash

[Aidey-Westcoast]

ideal... nice guide think i will start on mine next week...!! :)

[Modified]

so what if i had black and silver alloys (TSW black ice) and i wanted it all in gloss black, could i use this guide to the same effect? there is not curbing just the silver parts the paint has started to "flower" and looks so bad! hmmmm tempted!!! but then i guess need 4 wheels while i do it........

[Ben_L]

What did you do with the wheel nuts? Contemplating spraying them but the paint will just get wrecked when I put them back on the car...Would rep you but oh, i cant!...lols

[Sparco_Tom]

good job mate only thing i would suggest is using a lighter grade of sandpaper to some half arsed mechanics/come paint sprayers etc etc as you can leave deep scratches which will show up big time when the paint is layed down.
nice guide though pal good work

[extremepie]

Best guide i have seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[StephenDrew]

Can any one tell me if you need to rub down the wheel with wet and dry after priming?

[mattbarnes34]

this guide is perfect in my eyes
got to get myself some vts alloys and refurb them like this!
brilliant stuff mate.

[DavidKent]

Can any one tell me if you need to rub down the wheel with wet and dry after priming?

Yes, i would recommend it, sometimes primer leaves a rough surface :)

[-Jason-]

Use varied grades to smooth from 400-2000

[gazwhittle]

Good guide just a quick wat of how i did mine...


Sand down with 240 dry , fill where needed then sand with 320 dry then 500 wet ( Using a gradient of paper wet usualy doubles the grain (less gradient) )

then i use filler primer and use guide coat powder so i know where i have sanded and i just use 320 wet and 500 wet to smooth and shape it.

then just the usual spray and sand inbetween coats.

[GazzWalton]

Awsome thread mate! Gunna be mega helpful!

[M8RCU5]

i think i would leave this to the proffesionals lol

[AJ_SAXO]

very good guide there mate, you have done a good job :y::y:

[-Jason-]

Not to hard to do just time consuming ;)

[WilsonWC]

Excellent guide mate,
They look so sweet.

[mufcdouble]

so all the original primer doesnt need to come off,as ive took 1 down to the bare metal


great guide btw

[Dan]

It is a great guide, you just need the patience to do it.

[Mark_Jordan]

is it just the face you did or the hole inside of the alloy if you understand me... and rewlly consideriing doing this but is a lot of effort

[EM07_BEN]

great guide

[tomgarrett]

do you have to mention to your insurance company if you do this, as i am considering spraying mine white ??

[peebee]

Brilliant guide, i start tomorrow morn!:y:

[SharpeConcepts]

Just a quick addition - you need to sand the primer if you have allowed it to dry, so something like p600-p800 wet and dry would be suitable.

also you shouldn't really be leaving the colour any longer than 6 hours before clear coating.

not doing either of those will lead to paint peeling at the 1st opportunity

other than that its a good diy guide:y:

[justan1100]

do you apply the laquer in thin coats too? i found when painting plastic that it would look a little blotchey unless you put it on in thick coats.

But will it be the same with alloys?

[charlie53]

Things you will need:
Rough estimate for materials needed: £50
Spare wheel, jack, bolts, filler (depending on how curbed your wheels are), 3/4 large cans of primer, 3/4 cans of chosen colour paint, 1/2 large cans of CLEAR laquer, a pack of 240 grade wet/dry paper, a pack of 1200 grit wet/dry paper and two large roles of masking tape...Is that per wheel or would I be able to do 4 with that?

[DJDannyB]

thats for all 4 mate, your looking at a can of primer and a can of colour per wheel really..you probs will have a little left in the 4th can like

[charlie53]

thats for all 4 mate, your looking at a can of primer and a can of colour per wheel really..you probs will have a little left in the 4th can likeCheers mate :y:

[olly_vts]

how do you get them so god damn shiny??!

[Mr_P]

how do you get them so god damn shiny??!

That's a combination of the choice of colour and also the laquer will make it "bling" :p

[olly_vts]

hmmmm, gloss black and lacquer, both from halfrauds?

also if you sand in between the coats of primer with 1200wet, will that make it shiny?

[Mr_P]

hmmmm, gloss black and lacquer, both from halfrauds?

also if you sand in between the coats of primer with 1200wet, will that make it shiny?

Yerh mate, That will flatten out the paint ensuring a smoother surface which will also make it "shiny" :P

[Lloydie]

I put a coat of primer on about 3 hours ago and it seems dry as hell. Can i do another coat of paint or should i just wait 24 hours?

[werdna]

Wait 24 hours.

Don't rush the prep stages you will end up with a crap result.

[johnlambert]

what you suggest i do with these??
myself or pay to get em redone?

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss226/john_lambert2009/DSC06085.jpg

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss226/john_lambert2009/DSC06086.jpg

[werdna]

To be fair you can't make them much worse.

If you have alot of free time give them a go.

They do look like they will need filler though.

[Fulch]

Hey guys, firsty great guide, i'm thinkin of re doing mine as the standard paint is corroding and cracking but dunno weather to leave silver or go different colour, the sax is currently silver wirth colour coded bumpers, suggestions please

[furioAL]

If it's colour coded you could do them any colour to be honest.. im not a massive fan of black wheels as they make the tyres look grey.. or you have to constantly apply tyre shine..

I think white or gun metal is the way forward..

Johnlambert- it's worth having a go.. wouldn't be that bad to be honest.. fill the scratches with filler and just sand them back.. i have just been colour coding my clio bump strips today.. and i was trying to remove the standard dimpled appearance by sanding it flat.. I just used some sanding disks on my portercable.. and it is sooo quick to sand stuff back.. if you have an orbital sander on those wheels it would save you a lot of time!

Good luck,
Al :)

[marc_mcquilling]

i wanna do mine!

im thinking bwt getting some VTS wheels to do though.

[Jay_]

this is awesome. will b gettin my hands on another set of VTR rims n then gettin them white wen i get sum £££

[dannyboy2005]

What happens if you have a lip on your wheels, like the VTS ones and the lip has been scuffed down? Do you have to make a new lip from filer and sand it into shape?

And when your sanding, do you sand inside the wheel too or just the parts you can see?

Also, why do you use wet and dy and not ordanary sand paper?

[JCs_VTR]

Im defnitely going to do mine very soon now, such a helpful thread, I was always under the impression that you had to remove the tyre never thought of masking it thanks :y:

[dannyboy2005]

Im defnitely going to do mine very soon now, such a helpful thread, I was always under the impression that you had to remove the tyre never thought of masking it thanks :y:

Deflate it to so you can get round the edges.

[green_vtr_mk1]

hi, what is the name of the colour of paint used on the vts wheel in the guide?

thanks

[ashabbey33]

very good and very clear guide wheels look mint mate

[kran]

hey i was just wondering exactly what did you use to spray the wheel with? did you just use it straight out of the spray can or did u use a air sprayer or what?

thanks

[Chris_O]

most people would just use the rattle cans from halfords mate

[kran]

most people would just use the rattle cans from halfords mate

cheers mate

[Lloydie]

heres mine:

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1748/dsc00327zco.jpg (http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00327zco.jpg)
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/dsc00327zco.jpg/1/w1632.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img507/dsc00327zco.jpg/1/)
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/5504/dsc00328.jpg (http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00328.jpg)
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/dsc00328.jpg/1/w1632.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img507/dsc00328.jpg/1/)
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6387/dsc00367y.jpg (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00367y.jpg)
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/dsc00367y.jpg/1/w1280.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img219/dsc00367y.jpg/1/)

[marc_mcquilling]

i started on mine on saturday.

ive taken a slightly different route though...

instead of masking everything up, i popped down to kwikfit and got them to take my tyre and valve off.. only cost me £2, then went back down to get it put back on and they never charged me. makes it one hell of a lot easier.

and instead of using elbow grease i went to the local hardware store and got meslef a 'flap wheel' (i think thats what it was called)
its basically a drill bit with loads of flaps of sandpaper glued to it.

tonight i stripped a wheel back to the metal in 15 mins. makes it loads quicker.

[Lloydie]

i started on mine on saturday.

ive taken a slightly different route though...

instead of masking everything up, i popped down to kwikfit and got them to take my tyre and valve off.. only cost me £2, then went back down to get it put back on and they never charged me. makes it one hell of a lot easier.

and instead of using elbow grease i went to the local hardware store and got meslef a 'flap wheel' (i think thats what it was called)
its basically a drill bit with loads of flaps of sandpaper glued to it.

tonight i stripped a wheel back to the metal in 15 mins. makes it loads quicker.

Hmmm im guna refurb my front 2 wheels again beacuse i didnt leave the paint long enuf, i may try that 'flap wheel' thingy you speak of mate. Cheers for info.

[marc_mcquilling]

no bother mate.

dont go to b&q though.

they were £8 in ther.

i got mine from a little hardware shop for like £2.50

[liamsaxo91]

What colour did you use for the vts wheel?

[DCoulter19]

great guide m8

[nico_daniels]

I used the same method on my mate transit steelies, but i used simmons wheel sliver, and they came out wicked!!!

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu75/Nico_daniels/24052009008.jpg

Thank for the guide!

[smith92]

cheers for the guide, i fancy doing this over the summer!

[MathewVTR]

Nice, I'm totally doing this when I get my vtr next week. Will probably take me a while to do each wheel because im always at work >.>

[miamibluebaby]

good guide :)

[hazzer321]

i really want to spray my alloys White, mine have kurbing on them pretty much everywhere lol, not execptionally bad but at the end of the day its got 10 years worth of kurbing, i think i can manage the spraying the alloys, but im not sure if i can handle the fillering part, do you have to have a bit of basic knowledge and skill to make it look good while fillering. and just out of interest can anyone let me know roughly how much it will cost to get them done professionally in case i decide i dont wanna try my self

thanks

[marc_mcquilling]

finished mine a few weeks ago, look pretty good job tbh.

just wondering anyone else had problems with stone chips?
any ideas how to prevent it?

[Millardinho]

Looks sweet!
Great guide

[extremepie]

Hi just done my TSW Heats in Gloss Black, do i need to Laquer them too??

[Millardinho]

Great guide!
Will probably use this once i get myself some wheels and some nice alloys :y:

[Mark1]

Nice guide, very useful :D

__________________
My Saxo Mods:
Xenon Headlights - Super White
Xenon Side Lights - Super White
Chrome Snake Eyes Rear Lights
High Intensity Brake Lights

[Saxoo_VT_Whatt]

Really Good guide Shud Be Made A Sticky :)

Nice Saxos Btw ;)

[twin1985]

awsome guide mate cant wait to have a go at mine..

[Phsyco_Paff]

First things first... refurbing and spraying alloy wheels is a very long task... do not attempt to do these unless you have a serious amount of time on your hands... and will persevere through boring sanding in order to achieve a good result... it takes roughly 1-2hours to sand paper prepare one wheel with very few curb marks.. it takes roughly 4-6hours to sand prepare one wheel with major curb marks...

Things you will need:
Rough estimate for materials needed: £50
Spare wheel, jack, bolts, filler (depending on how curbed your wheels are), 3/4 large cans of primer, 3/4 cans of chosen colour paint, 1/2 large cans of CLEAR laquer, a pack of 240 grade wet/dry paper, a pack of 1200 grit wet/dry paper and two large roles of masking tape... if you have some serious curbage or would like to save some time SOME of the preperation work can be done using an orbital sander with fine grade pads...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/10.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/12.jpg

We start of with curbed boring looking alloy wheels:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/11.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/19.jpg

The guide:

The first stage is removing the wheel from the car, make sure you use the car's jack points to avoid damaging the underside of the car...
(if you are unsure of how to change your wheel - follow the instruction in your saxo owners handbook)

Once the wheel is removed they need to be cleaned front and back... i covered mine in Autoglym tar remover and allowed time for it to soak in before rubbing gently with a wheel brush... this was then rinsed off and dried with kitchen paper....

Once dry, deflate the tyre completely, by unscrewing cap and pushing in valve... once flat... bend the tyre wall down (gently) by standing on it.. and tuck masking tape underneath the lip of the rim.. work your way around slowly... if you have a lot of tyre shine on your tyres the tape may not stick.. so work your way out the tread of the tyres as the masking tape will stick well there... you also need to mask around your tyre valve cap. It should look something like this:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/9.jpg

Once masked the sanding can begin (the time consuming bit)...
Rub over the entire front face of the wheel... including every single nook and cranny with the 240 grit wet and dry paper. You will notice when and area is 'ready' as the surface will have lost it's clearcoat and will look either like primer grey, or like bare metal (depending on how deap you have to sand to remove marks)..

You do not have to sand the wheel all the way back down to metal.. you need to remove the surface clearcoat... and ensure the whole surface is flat and mark free...

Work around the wheel systematically with the 240 grit paying particular attention to the lip of the wheel... where there is bubbling or curb marks you will need to work on these areas for some time to make the surface flat... an orbital sander could be used at this stage to save some time....

Filler:

This may not be necessary, it depends on the nature of the imperfections on the wheels... my advice would be only use filler were 100% essential... as if used incorrectly can flake off and make the lifespan of your wheel paint job significantly less.... If needed follow the next section:

Mix up some filler with hardener (a golf ball size of filler to a pea size of hardener) like shown:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/13.jpg

Once thoroughly mixed you will only have around 5 minutes to apply the filler... apply it sparingly as sanding down excess filler can take a long time...

Carefully fill any deep surface defects in the wheel:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/14.jpg

Once filler is used leave for several hours before resanding the areas flat...the exact duration will vary depending on the filler used...

Back to the guide:

Now the wheel should be reasonably smooth, and flat... where bubbling used to be, you should now be able to brush your finger over the surface without feeling any resistance...

If this is the case proceed with sanding the entire wheel with 1200 grit wet and dry paper... this will make the surface of the wheel entirely smooth...

When rubbed down and smooth, it should look something like this:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/15.jpg

We are now ready for primer... apply one light coat of primer to the entire wheel... allow 15 minutes for it to become touch dry...

At this stage assess the wheel... if there are any visible imperfections go back to the sanding stage and keep working on it... do not carry on priming and painting.... the imperfections visible at this stage will be magnified by painting and laquering... so it is crucial you go back and filler/sand out the imperfections...

If after the first coat of primer the wheel has no imperfection apply another coat of primer... i recommend applying 3/4 coats of primer leaving 15-30 minutes between coats for it to dry... then leave the primer for 24hours to fully dry... it should look like this:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/16.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/1.jpg

Once the primer is dry you are ready to apply paint... shake the can well before applying... apply lots of thin coats... as most wheels have lots of corners it is vital you do thin coats as paint can quickly accumulate leaving run lines... I recommend applying around 4-5 good coats of paint leaving 15-30minutes in between coats to dry...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/17.jpg

Then leave the paint for 24hours to harden fully... then you are ready to start laquering...

Apply 3-4 good coats of laquer also being careful not to leave run lines... allowing 15-30minutes between coats... once laquered leave the wheel to dry for 24hours.. it is then finished... It should look something like this:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/18.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/4.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/wheelwhite.jpg

Remove the masking tape from the tyre wall and the valve cap... re-inflate the tyres, then tyre dressing can be applied:



Then the wheel can be refitted to the car... and you can start on the next one... :p make sure you note the tread pattern direction when refitting the wheels to the car...

Now stand back and admire all that hard work:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/wheelwhite2.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/wheelwhite3.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/wheelfitted.jpg

You should notice a massive difference from standard:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/6.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/5.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/8.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/7.jpg

Hope that helps a few of you :y:
Alex
:) where did you get them foglights on the red one?

[Killeybh]

nice white alloys!

[Claki]

Deffo great guide. got me thinkin now, colour coded vtr wheels or just colour coded lip?

[VJOFurio]

Very nice, I used this guide to paint my VTR alloys a Halfords Ford Graphite Grey, saving literally about £200 that my friends pay to have theirs done professionally. Plus you can always do them again another colour after a few months because it's so cheap to do! Thanks alot.

[hard_corejoeboy]

May be a stupid question but do you use the wet and dry 'wet'?

[extremepie]

Yeah, very!! keep it wet!

[23carragold]

superb guide, i refurbed mine a couple of months back, but the one major thing i didnt do was apply lacquer, and needless to say they don't look as good now. I'm looking at doing a whole refurb again soon, this time with the lacquer! Makes a massive difference and keeps the shine for longer!

[hard_corejoeboy]

LOL i used it dry and my first wheel has come out brilliantly!

[nicole_]

i did mine dry lol,
think they've turned out okay :)

[danny_b92]

great guide mate !

[tjbaker91]

I have just had a go at one of my vtr wheels, got rid off all the bubbling, used 80 grade then 1200, do i need to use one inbetween to get rid of the scratches left by the 80 grade?

I have applied a couple of layers of primer but the scratches are very visible, reckon I should just take my time and sand them out so its perfectly smooth?

Any one recommend a grade of paper?

Cheer

[SiickBoy]

very helpful

[Josh_T]

Perfect Guide :y: refurbed my vtr alloys over the last 2 weeks a moonstone grey/anthracite and have come out spot on. Well done mate :clapping:

[VTR-GAZzA]

great guide
how much r vtr allows black to buy about dno if itd be easyer to buy em

[Cleanzzy]

great guide!

[Lewis]

Great guide, done the job great :y:

I have just had a go at one of my vtr wheels, got rid off all the bubbling, used 80 grade then 1200, do i need to use one inbetween to get rid of the scratches left by the 80 grade?

I have applied a couple of layers of primer but the scratches are very visible, reckon I should just take my time and sand them out so its perfectly smooth?

Any one recommend a grade of paper?

Cheer

600 or 800 grade grit paper should get ride of the scrathes, just keep rubbing :)

[Ben_L]

I really fancy changing the colour of my wheels. I havent got the balls to do it though :( i'll probably either cock it up or take far to long doing it even though i do have a whole set of spare steel wheels.

When you've had a tyre changed has the paint chipped at all?

[scott-sx]

refurbin mine too, first alloy iv ever sprayed up and came out good only 3 more to do :( haha but looks Soooo much better on the car. cheers (vtr's btw)

[Ben_L]

Got any progress pics?

[Chris_O]

A bit of paint did flake on the rim of mine when i had a tyre changed. I think its worth getting all the tyres taken off the rims before you start refurbing them then you can spray deeper into the rim meaning less chance of flaking.

[scott-sx]

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv48/scott-sx/glossvtr.jpg

first ever attempt :)

[Jordysport]

Before:
http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd339/Jordysportracing/Picture005-4.jpg
After:
http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd339/Jordysportracing/Picture015-2.jpg

4 cans of hammerite, £18 or so for 4 wheels :y:
that was the seccond coat before i did the rear inside of the wheel and a final light sand and final coat.

[SAM33R]

that VTS wheel looks the business

[benJee_VTR]

Great guide, i gave mine a go:

Before:

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk221/benJee_VTR/Photo0061.jpg
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk221/benJee_VTR/Photo0058.jpg

After:

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk221/benJee_VTR/swheels002-1.jpg
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk221/benJee_VTR/swheels004-1.jpg

[cgllies]

thanks mate thinking about doing my vtr wheels not sure what colour tho iv got a icelandic grey saxo if any1 got any help thanks.

[Davvvv]

Nice guide man, that yellow vts is lush

[davies5390]

i followed this guide and my wheels turned out lovely ... very happy with the result one of the wheels could have been sanded back a bit more and curb marks were a bit deep but im happy overall.

very good guide :)

[davies5390]

Great guide, i gave mine a go:

Before:

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk221/benJee_VTR/Photo0061.jpg
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk221/benJee_VTR/Photo0058.jpg

After:

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk221/benJee_VTR/swheels002-1.jpg
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk221/benJee_VTR/swheels004-1.jpg


what a smart looking mk1 :)

[benJee_VTR]

what a smart looking mk1 :)

Thanks boss :y: Wheels are down to this guide. Might be doing them again in fluorescent yellow though yet :D

[mark_saxp]

top notch guide, cheers :y:

[-Barratt-west-]

great guide mate ive got a mango westy might have to do my vtr wheels white :)

[skylineedd]

They look awsome, Excellent guide mate, :)

[saxomad197]

exellent guide pity i have got the patience to do mine what the colour on the vts rim?

[ats101]

The best advise i ever got for DIY paiting was to put the spray cans in hot water, about 60 degrees celcius. This makes the paint thinner for smoother application.

You'll be surprised at the results.

[joey_harrison]

sickkkk guide, can not wait to do it :D

[lingi182]

thanks 4 this mate, massive help!

[TraV]

i just got some VTR alloys this week, there mint so gonna go straight into spraying,
how many cans of primer will i need to do all 4 and how many cans of gloss black and laquer?

im gonna deflate them and use masking tape but what is it u guys used to preotect the tyres?

cheers cleaning the wheels tonight getting rid of brake dust and stuff beind.

hopefully they will look and turn out lovely.

[TraV]

how long does whole process take ruffly? without using filler.

[benJee_VTR]

I used 1 can of each on each wheel (400/500ml cans) so 4 primer, 4 base, 4 lacquer. I left them to dry overnight between primer, bas and lacquer, so a few days it should take.

[TraV]

cool cant wait i started but i only have 1200 so gnna start 2morrow gonna get 240 wet dry so hopefully be a bit easier haha.

[RosscoMann]

thats awesome:)

[steviovtr]

the wheels look nice imo good work lads
how do u cut in when painting lips round with a fine brush or something like when say black alloys with red lip
>?

[TraV]

Do we do the back of alloys, like just 1 coat of each?

[nuttynez]

great guide and really helpfull for the d.i.y guys out there willing to save a few ££££££

[Pearson]

Great guide, am following this guide when it comes to doing mine on the first week in June when i have a shutdown week at work, so hopefully the Vtr alloys will be gloss black and have 9mm yellow rimtape ready for F.C.S :).

[shaunsvtr]

this guide is great nice one pal:clapping:

[Davidd]

great guide

[SaxSpeed]

good guide, but i did mine myself in less than a day

http://i4.bebo.com/051a/2/large/2010/03/15/22/10095139977a12316756866l.jpg

http://i4.bebo.com/050a/9/large/2010/03/15/22/10095139977a12316756918l.jpg

http://i4.bebo.com/050a/18/large/2010/03/15/22/10095139977a12316757046l.jpg

http://i4.bebo.com/051a/11/large/2010/03/15/22/10095139977a12316756984l.jpg

What use think, there O.Z Ultraleggra in 16"

[SaxSpeed]

and yes before anyone says it i did all 4 lol

[Banks_VTR]

VERY helpful, might actually give this a go myself after reading this

[wicked_red_vts]

just was woundering can u use any kind of primer,paint and laq for this gunna do my vts wheels black

[rick2bass]

brilliant guide, started thinking of black vtr alloys, then a week later....

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/zz184/rick2bass/my%20first%20car/thewhip.jpg

[Bluck]

Great guide :)
Gonna have a go tomorrow

[benJee_VTR]

just was woundering can u use any kind of primer,paint and laq for this gunna do my vts wheels black

It's best to use the same brand really.. for red or orange you need red primer, for white or silver i'd use white primer, and anything else grey primer :y:

For your black vts wheels i would use grey primer, gloss black and clear lacquer. I use hycote paint, seems to go on really evenly. Also put all your cans in hot water 10 mins before you spray them. Makes a world of difference :)

[wicked_red_vts]

cheers mate will give tht a go (Y)

[CraigLovelock]

Also put all your cans in hot water 10 mins before you spray them. Makes a world of difference :)

Never heard of this, will try :)

[Saxoo_VT_Whatt]

going too be doing this all day today :) well at 10ish lol :y:

[adam19]

great guide mate - have sanded down one alloy and now onto the next but having a break- took me about an hour to sand one down think this will take a while lol

[vtsal]

Excellent guide mate...might have a go at mine some time!

Al

[valencia]

very good guide will be following this in the near future

[warner88vts]

good guide mate thanks

[shezzo]

nice guide m8 mines being done atm

[Plekumat]

Nice guide :)
Thinkin of gunmetal grey on my rims

How can the lacquering be done??
and which product should i use?

(sorry for grammar mistakes :P)

[benJee_VTR]

Nice guide :)
Thinkin of gunmetal grey on my rims

How can the lacquering be done??
and which product should i use?

(sorry for grammar mistakes :P)


You should wait for the top coat to cure before you lacquer.. i usually use a very fine (1200 grit) wet and dry paper to take the roughness away and then thickly lacquer over the top. You need to put enough lacquer on so it looks wet, but not too much as it will run! There's quite a fine line between spot on, and the lacquer running.
After 4-5 coats let it dry for a day. Then wet flat (1200 grit paper with water) and buff to a shiny finish :y:

If you're using rattle cans, i usually go for Hycote clear lacquer (leave the cans in hot water for 10 mins before use)
I've used the tetrosyl/upol/cheaper brands and hycote goes on the best. More even and better nozzle :)

[CraigLovelock]

Not sure on the old wet and drying after laquering?

Why does that help?

Does it not leave marks?

[Lewis1600]

Not sure on the old wet and drying after laquering?

Why does that help?

Does it not leave marks?

No

if you buff it afterwards it comes up more shinny, no marks left.

As you are only rubbing a thin layer of laquer off.

Bodyshop do after painting... if they little bits or runs or whatever...

[CraigLovelock]

Ah fair enough, will try.

Just chose ford mercury grey as my colour, swear down its blue lol.

[Thesonicrecreation]

they do look amazing, but i dont think id trust myself

[louimfc]

Nice one, Il give it a go!

[Plekumat]

Was inspectin the rims for paintin and something showed itself:
http://www.saxperience.com/forum/showthread.php?t=315931

[ryza]

:bump:

[Philly1983]

Great guide, thanks.

[mccavish-saxo]

goin 2 tri mine soon an dis guide wil b a gd help cheerz :)

[chadlcfc]

cheers for this guide mate.

[Jas_saxo]

after alloys have been laquerd are you able to put another thin layer of black gloss paint ontop and then laquer them again?
will this fuck any thing up?
sorry for the noob question lol

[marcusd]

after alloys have been laquerd are you able to put another thin layer of black gloss paint ontop and then laquer them again?
will this fuck any thing up?
sorry for the noob question lol

why would you want to do this?

[Jas_saxo]

some sections look like they need more paint and didnt notice it when i was doing it

[joe333]

nice one looks good i am thinking off doing mine soon

[Mini-barker]

Great Guide mate, il be following it at the weekend! :)

[grantperring]

nice guide , guna give that a go now :y:

[piebobs71]

first post pics of yellow saxo with white wheels where do you get white nut covers? i can only find black or chrome or do i have to paint them to?

[Jas_saxo]

how long will paint last on alloys untill they fuck.
took my time on them took about a week to get it perfect and are sitting on the car nicely.
just want to know how much life i can expect from them
cheers

[saxchap]

what colour are the grey vts wheels? graphite grey or?

[piebobs71]

got my 205 1.9gti wheels finally done heres how they started http://www.saxperience.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=13244&d=1278863074 were a bit faded,centre caps done and drying and rim tape ready to go on,gonna give the wheels a wet sand and buff up before they go on which will be when everything else is done

[joe333]

what colour are the grey vts wheels? graphite grey or?

it is called rover stone grey mate can get it from halfords! :)

[vtrsam]

class guide mate x

[Fubsy]

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/18.jpg[/IMG]

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/FurioAL/wheels/4.jpg



Hiya can anyone tell me what colour grey he has used? Rover stone grey?

Regards
Fubsy

[K1zza]

Cracking guide!!
I need to redo the White ones on a VTR I pick up on Saturday, just a quick question. Are the guide to how many cans needed, per wheel or for all four wheels?

[_Rob]

Thats for all four wheels mate

Great guide, i'm doing mine gloss black asap!

[MichieVtr]

excellent guide exactly what i was looking for

[tmile09]

great guise going to start mine tomorrow..anyone know how hard it is to put a red rim on black wheels?:y:

[benhunt22]

If i have white alloys already, and the paints coming off a bit, could i just wash, respray and laquer? thanks for the guide though!

[Kyza]

If i have white alloys already, and the paints coming off a bit, could i just wash, respray and laquer? thanks for the guide though!

Sand it down around that area and scotch the rest providing there isnt any imperfections and then prime and spray.

[Havark]

This worked great for me

http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/havark/89d69c1f.jpg
http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/havark/49e2e4f4.jpg
http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/havark/3c8ff6b4.jpg
http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/havark/9181205c.jpg
http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff380/havark/29d970dd.jpg

[Furio-Gazza]

Quality Guide :y:

[saxodan1]

nice work mate....very handy guide there

[Furio-92]

Great guide, if you cant be bothered to mask off the wheels, which can be time consuming, just use a deck or 2 of playing cards and put them between the wheel and the tyre, i've used this method several times and works well.

[Stirks]

spot on nice!

[RickVTR]

Random question I know but why does noone have the tyres removed? I'm about to refurb and getting them removed for ease

[Dano]

coz refitting tyres isnt easy, and it costs a bomb to pay a garage to do it

[RickVTR]

Ah so just cost. I'm getting mine taken off and refitted for a tenner so it's all good...plus the tyres are knackered anyway

[michael87]

nice guide mate... might give it a go i have a spare vtr wheel, if it turns out ok ill do them all, only thing is ill be at it for ages with work...

[sgeary]

V nice guide matey, usefull will have next to me as I'm doing mine

[VTRBex]

Just tried doing mine, perhaps it is because i am a weak girl added to the fact that i should have used fresh sand paper more frequently but it has taken me bloody ages to do one wheel. In the process of priming it now. It is a great guide tho!! lol

[LouisKS]

Do I really need to leave 24 hours between each sets of primer, paint and laqouring?

Also, is the £50 price set for 1 wheel or all 4 wheels?

[krissy_vtr]

thats me jus got some wheels worthy of spraying :D got a set of pug 205 gti's (bargin at 90quid with tyres for full set of 5).doing them gloss black at the weekend.good thing is that i dont av to worry bout not having wheels on car for any length of time.

[krissy_vtr]

can anyone suggest best paint for doing my alloys gloss black?? and whats best lacquer??

[iFurio]

I want to spray mine but im not the best sprayer in the world so worried ill fluff it up! :L

[alicowmeadow]

great guide mate, very useful!

[trex3491]

Great guide,
I dont know if this is of any help to anyone but i found it quite a useful little guide for just a small scuff repair.
http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/wheel-repair/wheel-scuff-repair.htm
:dweeb:

[Stuart85VTR]

Good guide, i will be following this for the refurb of my vtr and vts wheels. Good job i have alot of patience for the sanding going by the time scales lol. Spot on :y:

[Tc24]

Saw this bumped again... Had to give thanks as finished doing mine last weekend after seeing this guide ages ago :y:

[MickyWelsh172]

Gonna give this guide a go when i get paid, sure the £50 is the rough price should cost for all 4, if it was £50 a wheel you may aswell get it done professionally...

Not sure whats the best products to use in that price brackets though, when im getting prices its coming to around £70-£80 and thats from Halfords?

[Chappers200]

damn they're some nice alloys u got there ... i aint got the skill to do this but my step-bro is a sprayer so happy days

[Walker_]

Great guide mate

[jsaxo111]

Proper helpful guide mate nice to know how to do it properly aswel :y::clapping:

[jsaxo111]

I've also got to refurb up mine there looking tacky and weren't done great when I got them, does anyone know if you can deflate the tyres and get them off the alloy easily once their flat? As Id prefer to take them off and refurb them that way...cheers

[saxo02]

Amazing job .they look mint.

Fair play,good guide aswell.