Sandblast wheels?

[I_Wanna_Retire]

Any pros/cons to sandblasting OEM wheels and repainting to solve the chrome peeling problem? I have a local shop who quoted me $10 per wheel to sand blast and $5 each to paint. Seems like a good, and cheap, way to solve the problem, unless somebody has a downside to this?

[Joe_Black]

Soda blasting would be preferential to sand blasting as it's much less harsh on the wheel and leaves a better finish to prep for painting. Same equipment, just different media, so the shop you checked should be able to do it for about the same price.

[rowhard]

Joe, can't say I have really had anything professionally sand (soda) blasting. Do you think it would be possible to just do the inside of the rim and just refinish it to solve the peeling problem?

[2K1 1K2]

i wanna...

hi. sounds like a deal. keep us posted on results/satisfaction level, if you go with 'em.

thanks.

-jose

[Joe_Black]

Do you think it would be possible to just do the inside of the rim and just refinish it to solve the peeling problem?

To refinish chrome you wouldn't typically media-blast as you would then have a much harder task re-polishing the surface and blending it to the remaining finish. Usually (I'm certainly no expert here!) the affected area is cleaned and polished then replated. You can deposit chrome in layers, which is where triple-chromed finishes come from, and where it meets and overlays the affected area can almost be invisible if blended well during the polishing process. With chrome, the more highly polished the base the more mirror-like the finish.

Now that I've got a powder-coating set up my plan was to soda-blast and powder coat my 16's white for the 5-spoke rally look. I've never been a big fan of chrome.

[WyrreJ]

I was thinking about sand-blasting (now soda-blasting, do I hear diet-coke-blasting?) and then powder-coating them black or maybe something metallic looking like black-nickel.

[CoastieCosta567]

Now that I've got a powder-coating set up my plan was to soda-blast and powder coat my 16's white for the 5-spoke rally look. I've never been a big fan of chrome.

I have been thinking of doing the same thing with mine, but are the stock rims strong enough? and aslo like i'm leaving to boot camp this may 29 i will have to leave my VX in the hands of my wife to be in a few days and have her take care of a few things in my Ironman, like the rim re-painting and getting 31-32 inch tires on them. But also how wide can i get the tires with the stock width? cuz i want them to be wider then stock, maybe come out a little bit.

[WormGod]

I would go with a silver finish, considering where I live with the lovely salty winters here. A nice silver with a clearcoated finish will last a good while in any conditions. Chrome is of the past. *ducks thrown pies*

[Ldub]

and getting 31-32 inch tires on them. But also how wide can i get the tires with the stock width? cuz i want them to be wider then stock, maybe come out a little bit.

...............Size...........Width......Diameter


Stock...245/70x16".......9.64".......29.50"

...........265/70x16".....10.43".......30.60"

...........265/75x16".....10.43".......31.64"

...........275/75x16".....10.82".......32.24"

...........285/75x16".....11.22".......32.83"

These sizes will all fit stock wheels & require varying amounts of trimming & probably a couple inches of lift for the largest sizes.

Find a great tire calculator at www.1010tire.com