Dr.G

iTrader: (1)

Lips on my multi-piece wheels are scuffed up pretty bad and I was wandering if this is a project I could tackle successfully on my own or should i leave the job for the professionals...Is the clear coating process worth having the wheels sent out to a professional repair shop?
For those that have repaired their own, please provide some tips, i.e. what grade sand paper is recommended as well as what type of metal polish is best to bring out that brilliant shine?

Wheels Boutique

What wheels are they? that make a huge differance...

Dr.G

iTrader: (1)

They are 19" SSR Agle Strusse in chrome.....I took them by a wheel shop today and the guy there said he thinks the lips are not polished but not chrome either, he mentioned some Microtech material that's similar to chrome...Maybe you know more about this rim than this guy, he was just guessing...Thanks for any info you can provide..

pcmw

I thought these were those painted on chrome finish.

I would suggest unmounting the tire, using a quality diamond rasp FLAT file and taking down any sharp edges. Do this carefully to not ADD any more scratches. Start from the tire side of the wheel and round it up and forward hence staying away from the patterned part of the wheel itself.

SSR calls the finish S.M.C. (SUPER METAL COAT) which I believe is a coating finish that is not really chrome.

So if you get the sharp edges down and you do NOT see copper colors then it is paint. You can then polish the metal to brightness or if curb rash is minor then apply clear nail polish and remount tires.

gs300

we have a tire guy that comes out to our dealership to repair rims for $75 per rim and i think he air brushes the finish back on im not to sure

miko400

Yeah I also have experience. I had to take my rims to shop and the resurface the rims and tried to correct the diameter of the rims since all 4 of them were bent. Man was that stuff pricey...

Dr.G

iTrader: (1)

Alright, now that I know that the finish on the lips of my SSR Agle Strusse rims is called Super Metal Coating (S.M.C.), can the approach to repairing my curb rash be approached as if they are polished? I tried test sanding and polishing a small spot with 500 grit through 1500 grit sand paper then polishing with Blue Magic metal polish and the results were not that spectacular. The finish in the area is smoother but definitely duller in appearance than the rest of the lip. I'm considering sending the rims out to Wheels America to get redone, if anyone has any recommendations on either the repair process or a quality rim repair specialist, pleeez let me know!

Hermosa

I have never done this but I would think a Dremmel would be safer.

bravo261

iTrader: (1)

a wheel shop? can you guys give more specific description of a wheel shop? meaning a vendor of only wheels or a repair shop?

GS4Will

the place is a national chain with ads in the classifieds of major car mags...wheel america...i went to the one here in scal(stanton, by knotts)..the boss was quite honest and straight forward in answering my question...he claimed that they had reapired many $$$$ wheels...BUT, on the clear coat process, no matter how good the process is , the finishing product will NEVER be as shiny and smooth as the factory original, esp on the JDM wheels, according to him..

SMC, is not chrome, but shiny coating...NOT polish

all depends on if the lips are SMC or polish finish....on bent rims, wheel america claims that they can fis it no problemm, and we have several satisfied cl memebers here too...i know this is a tough decision, esp after you spent good $$ on wheels

you can always buy the outter rims only, but then you would also need to have a good shop to re-assemble the rims back together..persoanlly, i would go this route..this way ensures the rims are of original shine and quality..jmho