any other ideas on stripping paint from rims?

[fdtdx18]

Ok, so for chrsitmas, santas buying me a set of 33 tsl's. I picked up a set of stock rims off of craigslist to mount them on and now am trying clean them up to paint them black. I've got them mostly done but I cannot get the paint off the inner and outer lip of the wheels. I've used aircraft stripper, a drill with a paint/rust remover and my grinder with a paint remover on it and none has gotten in there deep enough. I don't want to use a wire wheel because I don't want to score the metal and a dremel is way to aggressive. Anyone else have any ideas other then media blasting?

[BakerBaker]

I cant believe the aircraft coating removal didn't work. Did you try the aerosol can? or the jelly.

Go ahead and save up for ball joints and tierods after you run those TSL's for a while. They will kill the front end.

Are the stock wheels 8 or 10 inch. I think the TSL's are going to need a wider wheel. Have you checked into that?

They make a plastic wire brush for a dremel.

[mickey556]

A guy somewhat local to me will media blast a rim for 15 bucks a pop. He uses plastic media instead of walnut and such that wont score the rims at all. That will most likely be your best bet.

[Robs79BBbronco]

carb or brake cleaner?

[j. r. Nice]

In the battle between brake fluid and paint......paint always loses.

[fdtdx18]

i used the aerosol aircraft stripper. the problem is that its colder here then the suggested range of temperature so i know that has something to do with it. ive also tried brake cleaner but to doo all the rims, id need about a case nd a half. i did not know about using brke fluid though. ill try tht tomorrow

[j. r. Nice]

I'm wondering if someone had them powdercoated.......

I've never used brake fluid either, but it always removes/ruins paint if left on very long. I'm surprised the stripper didn't do it...

[Alvin in AZ]

Originally Posted by j. r. Nice

In the battle between brake fluid and paint......paint always loses.

x2 :)

Used Brake Fluid = "hick paint remover" :)

But brake fluid vs polyurethane (in this case)(or powder coat)...
brake fluid needs a lot of time. :/

Acid works on polyurethane but I'm not sure which ones work
and how strong they need to be, either one. :/

Alvin in AZ

[fartman]

Oven cleaner, search on here and see the results. It will strip a rim clean.

[Billy89EB]

Yeah, oven cleaner can be used to remove anodizing, so it will most likely take off clear coat. Don't leave it on too long or it can cause pitting to the aluminum.

[Alvin in AZ]

Originally Posted by Billy89EB

Yeah, oven cleaner can... ...cause pitting to the aluminum.

x2! :/

There's a thread somewhere about a guy using oven cleaner and decided
the mess it made was worse than what he'd started with. Especially when
you realize the anodizing is something you really want to keep. ;)

Alvin in AZ
ps- Oven cleaner is basic and aluminum reacts with strong bases. BTDT!*:)
Aluminum is anodized in an acidic bath. :)
pps- Hadn't tried it but, I'd bet on acid vs polyurethane before I'd put a
strong basic solution like oven cleaner on polyurethane coated aluminum.
Acid is known to work to remove/loosen polyurethane.
*ppps- A magnesium VW engine case in a lye bath that had an aluminum
plug in it... gases poured out of the bath foaming that sucker up something
awful. LOL :) Took the engine case out and it was sizzling hot around that
aluminum plug. Rinsed it off, removed the plug I'd forgot, put it back in
the lye-vat. -shrug-

[1starvingtrucker]

I vote for oven cleaner, too. I would try to warm the wheel up a little if it is cold and use oven cleaner. I have seen oven cleaner strip paint to the metal.