Question: Wheels: Clear coat or not:

[401KVet]

When I purhcased my Vette 4 years ago, I stripped the clear coat off so I could redo/polish the aluminum wheels. All came out well, but I did not recoat with clear at that time. Since then every two or 3 months I spend a couple of hours repolishing the aluminum wheels. Kinda of a pain. My question is has anybody done the same and then recoated them with clear? If so, what did you use, how well is it holding up, and would you do the same again? Or not, and polish as I am doing now.

 

[Peer81]

I didn't recoat them, the pain that air will eventually get under the coat and you can start all over is to much for me. But I just polish them maybe 2x a year (3 houres total). As long as I can see my rear teeth in the mirroring then it's fine by me

Greetings Peter

 

[Tom Bryant]

The clear coat has been off of ours for nearly 30 years. Polishing is just part of the game. I have been skeptical of clear coats because most everything I have tried ends up not so clear. I have some polished brass on the front door of the house that I have used many different products on and have never been really happy. I think there is a regular wheel clear coat available from the auto parts stores (maybe a Meguire's product?)but that is one I haven't tried yet.

I'll have to admit that I polish the wheels less than once a year on average but the car is inside 99% of the time. They stay pretty nice for a long time.

Tom

 

[401KVet]

The clear coat has been off of ours for nearly 30 years. Polishing is just part of the game. I have been skeptical of clear coats because most everything I have tried ends up not so clear. I have some polished brass on the front door of the house that I have used many different products on and have never been really happy. I think there is a regular wheel clear coat available from the auto parts stores (maybe a Meguire's product?)but that is one I haven't tried yet.

I'll have to admit that I polish the wheels less than once a year on average but the car is inside 99% of the time. They stay pretty nice for a long time.

Tom

Thanks to all...

 

[JJS]

If you put a clear coat on they'll begin to "yellow" eventually.

 

[2 Timer]

Clearcoating aluminum wheels

My sugestion would be to visit your local automotive paint jobber. PPG Industries has a multitude of urethane and polyurethane clears that are very resistant to yellowing and extremely durable. They can also supply you with the correct prep materials for auminum. It can be successfully done however proper preparation and materials are key.

 

[Crimson Thunder]

Although I have never tried this on rims, I have seen Clear Powder coat work well on Intake Manifolds without yellowing. maybe something to investigate.

 

[2 Timer]

Although I have never tried this on rims, I have seen Clear Powder coat work well on Intake Manifolds without yellowing. maybe something to investigate.

I'm not sure, but I don't think you can powder coat aluminum wheels because the heat process in powder coating ruins the integrity (strength) of the aluminum. Can anyone else confirm this?

 

[JJS]

Although I have never tried this on rims, I have seen Clear Powder coat work well on Intake Manifolds without yellowing. maybe something to investigate.

The previous owner of my LT-1 powder coated the air intake manifolds and the "yellowed" over time.