Strip Paint/Powder from Aluminum Alloy Wheels/Rims

A. I ran into the same problem with my rims and tried the same strippers, and sanding would take a life time for all of them. I tried sand blasting with sand and it left a pitting that also needed sanding out. I finally ended up sandblasting with glass bead that left the surface smooth before I polished it out.

A. I have just stripped the outer rims on my Kawasaki and I used a 3M stripping tool that attaches to a electric drill. It removed the paint easy and did not mark the alloy.

A. Try sand blasting it. It will take off all layers of the paint and also take off rust too.

A. I've done my GXSR750 and several of my friends' bikes. It's a pain but I can almost make look chrome. have to see to believe it. I'll wash a wheel off and send you a pic. So... get a large can of "Aircraft Stripper".
It's some nasty stuff so make sure to get chemical resistant rubber gloves ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] b/c the stuff will burn your skin. Follow the directions and you'll have a raw rim, Only do the lip of the rim b/c the spokes have a rough finish and it looks bad. Once it's COMPLETELY rid of powder coat. Use very clean, soft cloths, Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , and a-lot of rubbing.

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Ed. update Dec. 2020: Aircraft Stripper (methylene chloride) has gradually become almost unavailable to consumers because it is so toxic. Please check for EPA updates and if you do get & use it anyway, do so only while wearing rubber gloves ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] & goggles ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] as a minimum, and only outside and working from upwind.

A. Todd:

I will try to give you some insight into your request but got to ask a couple of questions first. Are your wheels steel or an alloy? If they are steel, they won't polish up and stay nice very long unless you clear coat them after the paint removal and polishing process. If they are an alloy then they can be polished to a very high luster but they still should be protected with a clear coat to prevent tarnishing. There are several companies that supply products for removal of paint/clear coat but I would advise you to make sure what your wheels are made of before starting any paint/clear coat removal. Some paint removers can do some serious damage to Aluminum and alloy wheels. Paint or clear coat remover is available in liquid or aerosol. If the wheels are of an alloy construction then tools and supplies are available to polish and buff your wheels to whatever level of shine you desire. There are also aerosol clear coats to protect the newly created shine on your wheels.

Hope this helps.

A. Hi Thomas. There are several methods available but some are suitable for subsequent polishing, others only if you are repainting. Are they OEM wheels, do you know what kind of powder coating?

Probably the best way to get the powder coating off with the tires still on is to sandblast the wheels, but that leaves the aluminum a bit of a mess for future polishing or refinishing. But the right way is to remove the tires, have them professionally chemically stripped, and polished. Good luck.

A. Hi Tom. Please briefly state what your methods are and in what way they are unsatisfactory. As you can see, no one is taking the time to introduce the details of their method to you because the likely response to their efforts will be: "we already tried that and found it unsatisfactory" :-)

Luck & Regards,

A. Dear Mr Kunde,

Sandblasting is indeed too aggressive for aluminum wheels paint removal.
Did you try thermal cleaning by means of fluidized bed?

Best regards,

A. How To: Strip Aluminum Alloy Wheels

Aluminum Wheels can be safely, chemical stripped at low temperatures with special chemical solutions developed for the purpose. The Aluminum Wheel can be reconditioned by removing the old coating with those solutions in approximately one hour and then re-coating the aluminum rims with durable powder coating.

* A stainless steel or polypropylene tank to immerse the aluminum wheel/s.
* An immersion heater.
* A tank mixer for agitation, never use air agitation, chemical oxidation will occur, which decreases chemical bath life.
* Aluminum Stripping Solution Concentrate.
* Water

Utilize a Polypropylene or Stainless, heated immersion strip tank.
Add 50% Stripping Solution Concentrate and 50% water. Agitate solution with mixer or circulation pump. Note: never agitate with direct-air! Oxidation, decreases chemical bath life.
Heat solution to 150 °F. and soak wheels for 1.5 hours.
Utilize a tank lid and polypropylene floating evaporation inhibitor balls to reduce solution loss and replenishment requirements.

Maintain the temperature at 150 °F. plus or minus 3°

The chemical appearance, when agitated during the stripping process:
The black flakes are paint and primer that have been lifted from the aluminum wheel surface. These coating flakes can be easily removed with a 75- mesh in-line, stainless basket strainer filter.

After rinsing with a pressure washer, the aluminum alloy wheels have a prepaint, original bright surface appearance. Appearance is that of an aluminum wheel rim prior to painting. Ready for re-process through paint or powder coating.

This coating removal process is normally implemented in Paint Finishing & Powder Coating facilities, additionally at many Industrial-Coating Removal Service Contractors worldwide.

This is an easy to implement process in an Industrial Environment, such as a Paint Finishing and Powder Coating Facility or at a Coating Removal Service Providers location. This aluminum wheel stripping process was not developed for individual consumer use.

Let me know if I can answer any questions.