stripping clear on gta/tta wheels

[Red Regal T]

Picked up some 16" TTA wheels at the junkyard. I'd like to strip the clear off. I applied some paint stripper and it had no effect. I can sand it off with scotchbrite but I'd like some easier way to do it. What kind of clear is that? It's pretty tough. I'm not considering sandblasting because I want to polish them and I don't have a sandblaster anyway. Any good ideas?

 

[John Larkin]

Try a little oven cleaner in a small spot. It'll pit the edges so be careful.

 

[bakerlaw67]

I totally low budgeted my TTA wheels. I went to Home Depot and bought a blaster gun intended for use with a portable sand tank. It cost about $15. Then I used a bag of play sand that was $4 (and said DO NOT USE FOR SAND BLASTING). It worked great. It takes about a bag a wheel (if you don't reuse the sand).

Just be sure to use a VERY GOOD mask and other safety equip. The sand goes EVERYWHERE (I used earplugs and still had sand there!) Aluminum dust is really bad for you and who knows what's in the sand that you are releasing into your air.

 

[Red Regal T]

There must be some kind of stripper that will remove the clear. It must be powdercoat clear, if there is such a thing. That would be the best way. I sanded the clearcoat off of one wheel by hand with 180 grit paper. It's not too bad, but slow. Polishes with fast cut compound and a small polishing wheel on a drill. I'll probably be stuck with this procedure.

 

[RI-Matt]

John,
The wheels may have been clear anodized. In that case you can get anodized stripper to take it off. Don't ask how I know this

Matt

 

[Red Regal T]

Who sells that type of stripper? I've sanded off anodizing before on aluminum mouldings and it's really tough. I think it's powder coating though because it sands off pretty easy.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by Red Regal T
I sanded the clearcoat off of one wheel by hand with 180 grit paper. It's not too bad, but slow. Polishes with fast cut compound and a small polishing wheel on a drill. I'll probably be stuck with this procedure.

Above method worked pretty well. Takes less than an hour to sand 99% of the paint off and polish them. I painted the centers with catalized silver enamel. Don't care for black painted centers. I put them on my silver and black GN. I hate GN wheels. ...... B-O-R-I-N-G...........Glad to get those things off.

 

[RI-Matt]

John, check out

http://www.caswellplating.com

They have the anodized stripper, you mix it up with water, brush it on and wait then rinse it off. Takes all the grunt work out of it.

Matt

 

[slow 87]

Originally posted by Red Regal T
I put them on my silver and black GN.

PICS???

 

[Red Regal T]

http://photos.yahoo.com/thomas23162000

 

[87blackbuick]

could try to get them media blasted. wont pit the aluminum like sand blasting will. they do make a powder coat clear that is pretty durable and is suppose to be chemical resistant.

 

[GNVAIR]

Can anyone recommend a good quality sand blaster?

I bought a Harbor Freight pressure feed sandblaster that seemed to work good when it worked. It constantly clogs up and I have to disassemble the valve to get it working again! I have 3 inline filter so there is NO moisture reaching the media (which is aluminum oxide). I also had the Eastwood blast out of a bucket set up that is also cumbersome.
Any infor would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sand1]

bead blast or take to your local plating shop and they can strip in chemical stripper used to strip chrome