How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
#1
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
I had a dip$^&t at goodyear swap rims for me when I went to my current blacks. this was 2 years ago. he told me he took off the weights as a favor from the outside of rim. I am about to swap em back and noticed the scratches on the rim he did. spoke to the store and they wont do anything as so long ago.
any one have this happen? yes I could polish the rim but it would look different from the rest of the lip. or I could have weights put back in place which would do the trick I think but it would mess up the look. keep in mind these rims WERE 20K mile perfect! I want them to look right. any thoughts to how to get the scratches off (not very deep but thu the clear!) and yet keep the "hazed" look of the clear? see pics attached.
thoughts?
any one have this happen? yes I could polish the rim but it would look different from the rest of the lip. or I could have weights put back in place which would do the trick I think but it would mess up the look. keep in mind these rims WERE 20K mile perfect! I want them to look right. any thoughts to how to get the scratches off (not very deep but thu the clear!) and yet keep the "hazed" look of the clear? see pics attached.
thoughts?
#2
COTM Editor
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: WINDSOR, CO
Posts: 4,098
Likes: 0
Received 12 Likes
on
12 Posts
Car: 91 Z28, 87 SC, 90 IROC, 92 RS
Engine: LS1, 305 TPI, L98, NADA
Transmission: T56, 700r4's, and NADA
Axle/Gears: 3.89, 3.42, 3.23, NADA
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
The wheels have a factory applied clear coat. You need to treat those scratches like you would scratches in your paint on the body. If you can catch a fingernail, it to big to be polished out. In the case of too big you might be able to touch up with clear, and do a little wet sanding & polishing to get them out. Might be tough to keep an even finish and might end up needing to do the lips on all four wheels to match the clarity of the "repaired" wheel.
That is what I would try. Probably no easy fix... but if I run across one, I'll post it
That is what I would try. Probably no easy fix... but if I run across one, I'll post it
#3
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
thanks. I will do the finger nail test when I get home. I was thinking rubbing compound. all four have scratches so all 4 will need done
#4
Supreme Member
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Mantua NJ
Posts: 5,827
Received 64 Likes
on
57 Posts
Car: 1 Owner 1986 TA with a WS6 package
Engine: 5.0 EFI
Transmission: THM700R4
Axle/Gears: 277 Posi Speedo
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
If you don't mind removing the clear coat from the the wheels,just sand down the entire wheel and those scars will disappear. I did a set for my TA,I haven't polished them yet(don't know if I want to)they look like brushed aluminum,nice and clean.When I had them mounted,I had the shop put the weights on the opposite side.
#5
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
what did you use to sand? paper? grit level?
That's exactly the look I want! did you spin them on the car to allow a even rub?
would like a little more shine but not much more....lind of like the inside of the wheel where the tire covers...
That's exactly the look I want! did you spin them on the car to allow a even rub?
would like a little more shine but not much more....lind of like the inside of the wheel where the tire covers...
Last edited by IMissMy86TA; 05-24-2013 at 10:33 AM.
#6
Supreme Member
iTrader: (25)
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Manteca,California. Nor Cal.
Posts: 7,260
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
5 Posts
Car: SOLD IT. Mopar guy only now.
Engine: gone
Transmission: gone
Axle/Gears: gone
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
It really isn't his fault for just removing the weights. unless he removed them wrong. but yeah the way the guys told you to take care of them will take care of them.
#7
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
he was being nice.
Trending Topics
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 504
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1984 camaro z28
Engine: sbc 383
Transmission: Th400
Axle/Gears: Moser 9", 4.11 gear
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
Almost always when hammer on weights are installed they will leave some kind of scratch. Working for a tire place, I rarely ever remove a hammer on weight that has been on there for a period of time and the wheel to be in perfect condition underneath it. I would say after you get it fixed, just ask them to hammer a weight on the back and then tape weight the inside of the wheel instead of hammering a weight on the front.
Also, a lot of shops remove the front wheel weight anyway, because when removing the tire that wheel weight can scratch the duckhead.
Also, a lot of shops remove the front wheel weight anyway, because when removing the tire that wheel weight can scratch the duckhead.
#9
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
Almost always when hammer on weights are installed they will leave some kind of scratch. Working for a tire place, I rarely ever remove a hammer on weight that has been on there for a period of time and the wheel to be in perfect condition underneath it. I would say after you get it fixed, just ask them to hammer a weight on the back and then tape weight the inside of the wheel instead of hammering a weight on the front.
Also, a lot of shops remove the front wheel weight anyway, because when removing the tire that wheel weight can scratch the duckhead.
Also, a lot of shops remove the front wheel weight anyway, because when removing the tire that wheel weight can scratch the duckhead.
I worry about them taking off the tires I have on my powder coated rims since the entire wheel is powder coated including the lip... think they can do it?
#10
Supreme Member
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Mantua NJ
Posts: 5,827
Received 64 Likes
on
57 Posts
Car: 1 Owner 1986 TA with a WS6 package
Engine: 5.0 EFI
Transmission: THM700R4
Axle/Gears: 277 Posi Speedo
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
I started with a medium 100 course to a 150 fine,to a 220 very fine.I did them buy hand,I didn't spin them on the car(sounds like a good idea though)but I did try to keep sanding in one direction except where the weight scars were, I moved in both directions.It takes awhile to do them but once the clear coat starts to come off it gets easier.
#11
Supreme Member
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Mantua NJ
Posts: 5,827
Received 64 Likes
on
57 Posts
Car: 1 Owner 1986 TA with a WS6 package
Engine: 5.0 EFI
Transmission: THM700R4
Axle/Gears: 277 Posi Speedo
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
These are the wheels that I did,they came off of a Red 87 TA.(got them for free)You can see the weight scars on them along with corrosion at the weighs.I did one just to see how they would cleanup before I jumped into a project.
#12
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
well it paid off for your car.. it really looks great!
#13
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
I was reading dome sites on how to refinish and found this video:
he is recommending starting at 220 then 400,800 then 1200 if you want mirror finish.im thinking I may want 400 or 800 to keep the "machine look" marks and yet make it a bit shinier sure my wife with love the hours away from me...lol
#14
Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Fox Lake, IL
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 1988 camaro sports coupe
Engine: Fast Burn 385
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt w/ 3.27 gears
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
i wouldnt suggest starting with such an agressive grit, but mantaguy has the approach id take. id start with 220, seeing that aluminum is soft and your scratches dont look deep. id also use a paint stripper to remove the clear, 220 will remove scratches in bare aluminum easily, but the clear coat is much harder than bare aluminum. from there i'd go 320/400/400wet....possibly 600wet if ididnt like the finish of 400.
#15
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
im looking at days I am guessing
#16
Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Fox Lake, IL
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 1988 camaro sports coupe
Engine: Fast Burn 385
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt w/ 3.27 gears
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
if you sand well, 600 will get you a noticable reflection. you probably dont need to sand that high. even a polished wheel only needs to be sanded to 600(well) before using polishing compounds. the sanding to high grit method is a waste of time when polishing a wheel.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Toronto
Posts: 517
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: '88 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
Almost always when hammer on weights are installed they will leave some kind of scratch. Working for a tire place, I rarely ever remove a hammer on weight that has been on there for a period of time and the wheel to be in perfect condition underneath it. I would say after you get it fixed, just ask them to hammer a weight on the back and then tape weight the inside of the wheel instead of hammering a weight on the front.
Also, a lot of shops remove the front wheel weight anyway, because when removing the tire that wheel weight can scratch the duckhead.
Also, a lot of shops remove the front wheel weight anyway, because when removing the tire that wheel weight can scratch the duckhead.
#19
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
I had a dip$^&t at goodyear swap rims for me when I went to my current blacks. this was 2 years ago. he told me he took off the weights as a favor from the outside of rim. I am about to swap em back and noticed the scratches on the rim he did. spoke to the store and they wont do anything as so long ago.
#20
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
#23
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
car is home. gonna jack it up put a wheel on and spin as I work it. still haven't done the fingernail test. that will show me what approach I need to take. hope I just need to use some polish or rubbing compound on the clear!
#24
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
or if its in the clear I will just polish with high grade sandpaper
#25
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
ok. there was some deeper past the clear but I used some rubbing compound to get rid of any coloration in the groves and touched a bit with 400 grit to get it smoothed out. not perfect but you would have to be pretty picky to notice it. I'm gonna leave them as is now. thanks for all the advice I appreciate it!
I am gonna plastidip the centers today and get the wheels swapped hopefully tomorrow! I will post picsp
I am gonna plastidip the centers today and get the wheels swapped hopefully tomorrow! I will post picsp
#26
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
it was slow going and I got two of the centers plastidipped. gonna do the other two tonight then doing the glossifier to make them shinny. I will post pics when done!
#27
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
I got the wheels done.. see below.
I did not remove the scratches but made them less noticeable see the rim in the upper left? that's it now.
I did not remove the scratches but made them less noticeable see the rim in the upper left? that's it now.
#29
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
Re: How to remove weight scratches from GTA wheels
thanks! I will post when they are on car this weekend
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post