Ideally, you would sandblast your wheels to remove rust and any old paint or stuck-on debris. … Next, sand the entire wheel with 300 grit sandpaper and then 500 grit sandpaper. This will remove any coarse scratches and leave only a smooth surface with very fine scratches that the paint can adhere to and cover.
Keeping this in consideration, can I sand aluminum rims?
Silicon carbide sandpaper is often the best option for sanding and finishing aluminum wheels. For average to poor condition rims, about a 200 grit will be where you can start. If fairly good, you could start with 300. As you work through, you will use a higher number to finish your project.
Consequently, can you paint rims with tires on?
The best way to paint car rims is to remove the rims from your vehicle and clean the wheels, which includes removing paint chips and rust. If you leave the tires on, place index cards under the rim between the tire and rim to protect against overspray. Then spray the wheel with a back-and-forth motion.
Can you sand down wheel rim?
How do you polish rims with sandpaper?
How do you prepare a wheel for painting?
How do you sand and paint aluminum wheels?
What is the easiest way to polish aluminum wheels?
Spread Wolfgang Fine Aluminum Polish over the wheel using a foam or microfiber applicator pad. Using a clean blue wool pad on your drill, polish slowly to spread the metal polish over the wheel. Then gradually increase the speed up to 3000 rpm and thoroughly polish the wheel until the polish starts to dry or diminish.
What sandpaper do you use on alloy wheels?
You should have a range of sandpapers, including very fine grain, like 600. Rougher sandpaper can make it difficult to get a smooth finish.