rallye reconditioning for the newest member of the family

[michael bustamante]

ok guys heres one for you. I picked up a set of 15x8 rallys for 43.00 at a local u pick um toy store. Only problem is, theyre painted white!!
Now I dont have acces to a steam bath or compressor to bead blast them with so how have you guys been able to peel the PO`s paint off of these rims?
43.00? I couldnt beat that. now to find centercaps and beauty`s
I bought them cuz I found another project. 68 shortbed stepside, sittin for about 10 years with the factory v8 blown and torn apart. body in great shape, only surface rust but it was a government truck so no custom cab, but its a four on the floor with posi. get this....$500.00 with the title. no tires though hence the rallye`s.
Thanks Fellas!

[paintpyro]

I used paint stripper, and a wire wheel on a drill. Takes longer, but it'll work

[bw4sale]

Buddy of mine has a sand blasting cabinet so I just blasted them. Took about 30-45 per wheel. Worked great though.

[michael bustamante]

you think aircraft stripper would work good where the wire wheel has a hard time reaching?

[Longhorn Man]

Go to a local truck garage... a company owned fleet shop... and ask them who does this for them. You can often get it done DIRT cheap.
I found this out AFTER spending lotsa hrs on mine.

[clay68c10]

B12 carb cleaner worked like a champ on my rallys. They weren't bare metal, but it took them down to the original black primer. Scuffed and painted after that. They've held up great 2 years after I painted them silver.

[Shane]

take them to a automotive machine shop and ask them to hot tank them for ya ...

[michael bustamante]

I `think i`ll try the b-12 carb cleaner first, didnt think that carb cleaner could strip paint but hey, Its strong stuff, If its too much work I`ll stop by a fleet co. to see what they recommend, then off to edwards engines to see about hot tanking them. I got nuthin but time.
What else you guys got??

[jackyl9999]

Two words. Shot Blaster. I "borrowed" a little time at work and my rallys came out looking like new. If you can find one, I can't imagine anything working better.

[468chvy]

Use P.b. Blaster, the stuff is used for breaking nuts and bolts loose, but the stuff will eat paint, at 4 bucks a can it is pricey, we have a U spray it, blast it here 1.00/min, that's where I go, or acid dipping works well, hot tanking is also a great idea, Zip strip will eat paint, nasty fumes and burns if you get it on you, I used to strip my old bike frames with that, paint it on let it sit, scrape or wash off the residue.

[Longhorn Man]

if you use chemical, or hot tank.... make 100% sure you get it all off when you are done... then make 100% sure it is all gone AGAIN. I hot tanked my wheels and thought I had it all off, and there's a couple spots that weren't 100% clean.

[Shane]

ok ... ok ... hot tank followed by $5.00 worth of quarters at the local car wash

[odog]

Break fluid. It seems to take the paint off my fire wall when I spill out of the master cylinder, so it should be able to take the paint off the wheels. Pour it on and let it set for a few hours, seems to get under the paint and makes it peel off in sheets. Its cheap, but make sure you get it all off before repainting

[Longhorn Man]

brake fluid only eats paint that you don't want it to eat.
It's real funny that way.
You wan wash your beater with it and it won't do a thing.
Walk by a show car with a bottle in your hanrds, and you can WATCH the paint wrinkle up.

[michael bustamante]

at a shop I used to work at a wheel cylinder fell apart on a rolls silver ghost, brake fluid all along the side of the car, washed it off a few HOURS laterand no damage at all to the paint,
Brake fluids funny that way.
Pb blast huh? I got some at home, I`ll spray some on a rim tonight.
paint thinner was taking too long and theres lots of nooks and crannies to scrub with a wire brush !

[chrislehr]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

brake fluid only eats paint that you don't want it to eat.
It's real funny that way.
You wan wash your beater with it and it won't do a thing.
Walk by a show car with a bottle in your hanrds, and you can WATCH the paint wrinkle up.

so brutally painfully true.