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View Full Version : Raw Alloy or Polished Bling?



skoo74
07-15-2010, 02:12 PM
Here's my story:
1. My wheels are starting to look like crap mainly because I haven't washed them in years
2. I want a new look but don't wanna spend anymore money on buying new wheels
3. Dark wheels with Polished lips are so 2000 and late
4. They're Rotas... replica wheels don't cry when you paint or strip them.... :mbiggrin:
5. Bored and need a weekend project...

Tada! Ugly pix...
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/jerryep3/Si/GridWheels.jpg

Should I:
1. Strip down the rims and keep the flat Raw Alloy look
2. Strip down the rims and polish the funk outta them (chromish look)
3. Keep it as is and don't wash the rims for a few more years
4. Suggestions?

I'll post up pix as soon as I Jasco the wheels.... oooweeee...

Draw7Seven
07-15-2010, 02:38 PM
Strip them for sure, and take a look at them. Then decide from there if you want/need to polish them to make them look better.

Heitzke
07-15-2010, 02:42 PM
They actually end up being pretty well polished looking after stripping them. I stripped my slips and am leaving them as is. Look fine to me.

skoo74
07-15-2010, 02:47 PM
^^oh yeah?.. u mind posting up pix?

I dont think Alloy rust but did u have to clear coat it to keep it nice and shiny? what about using mothers polish?



Strip them for sure, and take a look at them. Then decide from there if you want/need to polish them to make them look better.

true dat... seems like everyone's polishing thier wheels nowadays.. but we'll see how clean the rawness looks

ImportCustomx
07-20-2010, 06:05 AM
i hate wheel polishing..thats a cheesy way out to poor man dubs... not personally i do not like the wheels you have...but if i were to keep them, i would focus on just cleaning the wheels up and depending on how they clean up i would :

clean up nicely and look good - I would focus on new lugnuts that match (with a lock if you want too..maybe some nice skunk2 wheels studs and nuts) and look nice, finding some center caps that match the wheel) clean up the rotors maybe clean the calipers and paint them silver,gold, or black...red if you feel like geting crazy.lol

if the wheels do not clean up nicely - i would paint them a metallic silver made by duplicolor or just paint the inside flat black again and make sure they are a clean painted..not ones that chip or have bubbles and runs. then clean the inside of the rim and get rid of that break dust and shit, then lugs, caliper cleaning etc. its not so much the wheel thats the problem..once the wheel is clean, everything else around it draws attenion away from the wheel and says HEYYYYYY LOOK AT MEEE...

other than that you have the right idea

mothers polish on the shiny/polished parts is a good idea...i use the the powerball and that stuff

ShadowEP3
07-20-2010, 09:08 AM
i say polished...use steel wool for quicker results

skoo74
07-20-2010, 10:42 AM
thx for the feedback... so i decided to polish them and keep the raw look... (i can always polish it chromish later)...

i'm probably 80% done.. and so far it's looking good... I'll post pix up later.. still needs a lotta work for perfection...

if I could do it again, i would just wash it up and paint it black instead.. lol the elbow grease aint a joke and I already spend $60+ on supplies... the 100 degree norcal weather aint helping either..

Lucid Moments
07-20-2010, 03:01 PM
You've already made your mind up I know, but fwiw I would strip them and have them powder coated. Its not that expensive. A hell of a lot cheaper than new wheels.

nolij869
07-20-2010, 06:37 PM
pics! i would like to c how they turn out. havent seen an ep with raw metal wheels yet.

johnkimble
07-21-2010, 08:53 AM
I vote Suggestions - strip them down, repaint them glossy black and do some extra coats of clear to shine them up real good. imo raw alloy will look really whatever

skoo74
07-21-2010, 05:50 PM
still gotta strip the paint inside the wheels and sand the wheels more but what you think?

eventually, i'll probably do a full polish or do what john mentioned above but who knows.. they're rotas.. best wheels to experiment with... lol

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/jerryep3/Si/IMG_7878.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/jerryep3/Si/IMG_7874.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/jerryep3/Si/IMG_7873.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/jerryep3/Si/IMG_7876.jpg

Ba82Ep3
07-21-2010, 07:01 PM
They look hawt so far! Theres a local here with an orange EG dumpt on polished slips. I know it sounds hideous but... *drool*

bnovelli
07-21-2010, 07:18 PM
Those look awesome! Do you think that can be done to stock wheels???

johnkimble
07-21-2010, 08:24 PM
looking good!

Heitzke
07-22-2010, 06:23 AM
Ah, I didn't even see your response from before; my wheels have the exact same finish as yours. It really makes it look a ton better IMO. You should strip out the barrels too, the finish is really thin in there and comes off pretty easy.

ImportCustomx
07-22-2010, 06:34 AM
they look 10x's better! congrats..i say leave em the way they are!

skoo74
07-22-2010, 09:31 AM
Ah, I didn't even see your response from before; my wheels have the exact same finish as yours. It really makes it look a ton better IMO. You should strip out the barrels too, the finish is really thin in there and comes off pretty easy.
hellzz yeah, the finish is perfect because only shines enough to get a little attention but not enough to look ricey...

yep, barrel stripping is my next project.. right now, it looks crummy cus some Jasco got on it and stripped parts off already..


Those look awesome! Do you think that can be done to stock wheels???
thanks. hmm... since stock is painted silver already.. i would just leave it.. lol.... the elbow grease u gotta put in might not be worth it....


they look 10x's better! congrats..i say leave em the way they are!
we'll see.. for now, i'll leave it... good thing about rotas is u can polish, repaint, polish, repaint and not feel bad... lol

skoo74
07-22-2010, 09:32 AM
BTW, anyonne know which OEM Honda center caps fit? I just bought the Oddyessy H caps but they're too big.. it worked on Slipstreams but Grids are a little bit smaller...

T_Virus
07-22-2010, 12:16 PM
They look nice...I like em....

Are you still in Sac?

skoo74
07-22-2010, 01:43 PM
in elk grove now.. but yeah still sac.. lol..

socmex7
07-22-2010, 02:08 PM
nice.. they came out better than they started imo

skoo74
07-22-2010, 02:13 PM
^^definitly man... plus for some reason they look bigger now... peeps use to think my wheels were 15s but now they look more like 16s...

ep3jd
07-22-2010, 03:21 PM
they look dope brotha