Fix "curbed" rims
Thread Starter
4th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,538
From:
RE: Fix "curbed" rims
ORIGINAL: kartracer55
What are you looking to fix? What is wrong with them? What sort of finish is on them?
Jim
What are you looking to fix? What is wrong with them? What sort of finish is on them?
Jim
5th Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,638
From: Whitehall, Michigan
RE: Fix "curbed" rims
He's looking to fix up curb rash... I've heard a story of welding a piece of metal over the rash spots and with lots of careful grinding they were able to make it look like new but that's a step above most people's at-home abilities, and patience... There's a couple clever fixes for curb rash around, someone probably knows, I don't remember though.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 519
From:
RE: Fix "curbed" rims
Are they just plain aluminum? I mean is there any coating on them?
I have done a few fixes on aluminum before, and I am going to warn you now... it will never look like It did when they were new, BUT you can minimize thier appearance.
First, you are going to need either a dremel or an air die grinder.
The attatchment you want to use is called an abrasive "buff" its a sort of rough nylon? wheel that will gently smooth out the metal... You know how metal seems to get chewed up? Well these will sort of smooth that out... if you look closely they will still be there of course.
These are the attatchments for the dremel...
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/attachme...188569&G=66429
You will need the arbor for to use these too, the wheels are a couple $ and the arbor is a couple $. Id say a course/medium wheel, the fine and the arbor should be about 10$.
OR if you have an air grinder, you can get larger 1/4 shanks from MSC.
Go to MSCdirect.com and search the following part numbers (cant link directly to an item)
Course 00066324
Med. 00066316
Fine 00066308
Extra fine 00066290
They are 2.63 a piece, you pick what you want. Id say go for a med and a fine, and when you start with the medium, if its taking too long, order a course. They ship pretty fast, I have gotten stuff next day when they ship it "ups ground"
Jim
I have done a few fixes on aluminum before, and I am going to warn you now... it will never look like It did when they were new, BUT you can minimize thier appearance.
First, you are going to need either a dremel or an air die grinder.
The attatchment you want to use is called an abrasive "buff" its a sort of rough nylon? wheel that will gently smooth out the metal... You know how metal seems to get chewed up? Well these will sort of smooth that out... if you look closely they will still be there of course.
These are the attatchments for the dremel...
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/attachme...188569&G=66429
You will need the arbor for to use these too, the wheels are a couple $ and the arbor is a couple $. Id say a course/medium wheel, the fine and the arbor should be about 10$.
OR if you have an air grinder, you can get larger 1/4 shanks from MSC.
Go to MSCdirect.com and search the following part numbers (cant link directly to an item)
Course 00066324
Med. 00066316
Fine 00066308
Extra fine 00066290
They are 2.63 a piece, you pick what you want. Id say go for a med and a fine, and when you start with the medium, if its taking too long, order a course. They ship pretty fast, I have gotten stuff next day when they ship it "ups ground"
Jim
Thread Starter
4th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,538
From:
RE: Fix "curbed" rims
ORIGINAL: kartracer55
Are they just plain aluminum? I mean is there any coating on them?
I have done a few fixes on aluminum before, and I am going to warn you now... it will never look like It did when they were new, BUT you can minimize thier appearance.
First, you are going to need either a dremel or an air die grinder.
The attatchment you want to use is called an abrasive "buff" its a sort of rough nylon? wheel that will gently smooth out the metal... You know how metal seems to get chewed up? Well these will sort of smooth that out... if you look closely they will still be there of course.
These are the attatchments for the dremel...
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/attachme...188569&G=66429
You will need the arbor for to use these too, the wheels are a couple $ and the arbor is a couple $. Id say a course/medium wheel, the fine and the arbor should be about 10$.
OR if you have an air grinder, you can get larger 1/4 shanks from MSC.
Go to MSCdirect.com and search the following part numbers (cant link directly to an item)
Course 00066324
Med. 00066316
Fine 00066308
Extra fine 00066290
They are 2.63 a piece, you pick what you want. Id say go for a med and a fine, and when you start with the medium, if its taking too long, order a course. They ship pretty fast, I have gotten stuff next day when they ship it "ups ground"
Jim
Are they just plain aluminum? I mean is there any coating on them?
I have done a few fixes on aluminum before, and I am going to warn you now... it will never look like It did when they were new, BUT you can minimize thier appearance.
First, you are going to need either a dremel or an air die grinder.
The attatchment you want to use is called an abrasive "buff" its a sort of rough nylon? wheel that will gently smooth out the metal... You know how metal seems to get chewed up? Well these will sort of smooth that out... if you look closely they will still be there of course.
These are the attatchments for the dremel...
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/attachme...188569&G=66429
You will need the arbor for to use these too, the wheels are a couple $ and the arbor is a couple $. Id say a course/medium wheel, the fine and the arbor should be about 10$.
OR if you have an air grinder, you can get larger 1/4 shanks from MSC.
Go to MSCdirect.com and search the following part numbers (cant link directly to an item)
Course 00066324
Med. 00066316
Fine 00066308
Extra fine 00066290
They are 2.63 a piece, you pick what you want. Id say go for a med and a fine, and when you start with the medium, if its taking too long, order a course. They ship pretty fast, I have gotten stuff next day when they ship it "ups ground"
Jim
One question though, once I grind the rash down, is there anything I can use to polish it back up?
This is the kind of wheel I have now:
[IMG]local://upfiles/14091/3BF31EE8FB4C414C876739B1631C774F.jpg[/IMG]
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 519
From:
RE: Fix "curbed" rims
Arnt those wheels gun metal? I dont Think you are going to be able to polish those back up because there is a finish on them, you are going to need some sort of touch up paint for them
Jim
Jim