How to remove scratches from a car wheel

Saving wheel rims: removing scratches and chips from their surface

Keeping wheel rims new for several seasons is a very difficult matter, because these elements are the first to encounter all the adverse external influences on the car’s path. In this regard, they require regular updating, and most often repairs are necessary to eliminate scratches and chips on the disks. This will be discussed further.

About painting and polishing

Removing minor scratches on car rims is easy. This problem is usually solved by polishing, which you can do yourself. To do this, use sandpaper with a grit of 200, 400 and 600 P, as well as an abrasive polishing paste.

If it is necessary to repair car wheels by repainting them in a garage, liquid enamels and varnishes are more convenient. The powder method of applying paint material without a polymerization chamber is impossible. However, such paint, if of high quality and adherence to painting technology, adheres quite firmly to the surface of the part.

The quality of painting wheels on a car is determined by the thoroughness of preparation for repair, which includes removing the old paintwork, degreasing and priming the surface. Let's take a closer look at how you can return your rims to a great look and remove scratches and chips in a garage environment.

What do you need for work?

Before you start updating disks and removing scratches, you need to prepare the room. The garage needs to be cleaned, cleared of dust and debris, after which, if possible, it is necessary to treat the walls and floor with water to remove the remaining dust. This way it will not press on the surface of the car part being painted.

Now you can prepare what you need to complete the job:

• water, detergent and a brush to remove dirt from the discs;
• sandpaper of various grains for removing small scratches and sanding;
• white spirit for degreasing disks;
• finishing putty to seal cracks in parts;
• acrylic primer and paint in cans (or in cans if you plan to use a spray gun);
• clear nail polish;
• gloves, respirator and safety glasses.

To update car rims to remove scratches, it is recommended to use paint and primer from the same manufacturer. Also, if you have a mini-wash available, the discs can be cleaned with it.

From sanding to priming

All stages of repairing scratches and chips on disks are as follows:

• cleansing;
• padding;
• direct painting;
• applying varnish.

The first step is to free the car wheel rims from rubber and thoroughly clean and wash them. It is also recommended to check them for unevenness and, if necessary, straighten them; it is better to entrust this work to specialists.

After cleaning, the surface grinding stage begins. Sanding is done using sandpaper, which helps remove old paint from the disc. At this stage, you can also use a mini grinder or drill with a special attachment.

While sanding, use water to remove any old paint that has come away from the surface. Sanding should be carried out with a decrease in the abrasiveness of the paper, completing the processing with the finest sandpaper.

If there are deep scratches, cracks or chips on the part, they are repaired by covering them with finishing putty, which, after drying, is sanded with zero-grade sandpaper (M 40).

The surface has been prepared, and now you can proceed to the next stage of repair - applying primer, which helps subsequent layers of paint to adhere better to the discs and also provides some anti-corrosion protection.

Important! Before priming, parts must be degreased using white spirit.

Then the primer is applied in two or three layers, each of which must be allowed to dry. Before applying primer to the surface of the disc, carefully read the instructions. Shake the can periodically during priming.

Painting and varnishing

It is better to paint car rims the next day after applying primer to them. Painting is done in almost the same way as priming, that is, in 2-3 thin layers with drying of each of them.

The repair stage of coating the discs with varnish is carried out in two layers, and in order to completely dry after this, the discs must be left alone for 3-4 days. After this, the parts can be treated with a special polish and begin to be used.

There is another option

You can repair car rims and remove small chips and scratches by using epoxy paste instead of putty and primer. This product consists of two components - the paste itself and the hardener. After washing, cleaning, sanding and degreasing, they need to be mixed and applied to damaged areas with scratches and chips, then remove excess and allow to dry (see the time on the packaging of the specific paste).

It is better to use white paste so that it does not show through the paint that will be applied on top of it.

You can dry the epoxy material under ultraviolet lamps, which will allow the paste to dry faster and set well. If you repair the discs without removing the rubber, then it must be sealed with masking tape.

After the epoxy has set, it needs to be sanded with fine-grit sandpaper, eliminating any unevenness. Then the discs are also painted with acrylic paint and varnished. After the repair, it will not be superfluous to treat the rims with car polish.

Video on the topic:

Restoring scratched alloy wheels

How to remove scratches from a car rim

It is very difficult to keep rims in their original form. They are constantly exposed to external influences that have a negative effect on the surface. This causes scratches and chips. Many drivers often ask the question, how can you remove scratches from a disc? Today this has become possible thanks to the latest coating restoration technologies.

Repair features

To restore the coating and remove scratches, you must first study the nature of their occurrence. For example, working with forged products is much more difficult than processing cast wheels. To achieve a good result, it is best to seek help from professionals.

Models made in the USA, Japan and European countries are perfectly repaired. To restore a scratched disc, a variety of technological processes are used:

1. You can use the method of polishing the top layer of coating.
2. Partially paint over the damaged metal surface.
3. Install branded emblems on branded samples.
4. Use special spare parts.
5. Apply alternative methods to remove visual scratches.

Polishing the disc is very popular, after which the scratches are completely removed. However, this technique does not always help. If the depth of the scratch reaches the metal, it will not be possible to remove it by polishing. More complex work will be required. Fortunately, modern technologies make it possible to completely restore any disk.

Painting and polishing work

Dealing with small scratches on a wheel rim is quite simple. It will be quite enough to polish the surface until the scratch disappears completely. This operation can be performed at home using coarse sandpaper (200 - 600 R), together with polishing paste.

You can restore a disc from scratches right in the garage by painting it in the appropriate color. Unfortunately, it is impossible to use the powder method of applying special material at home. To do this, you need to have a polymerization chamber that works only in factory conditions. But if you use specialized high-quality paint and adhere to the correct painting technology, you can achieve a durable coating.

To achieve high quality, the disc must be thoroughly prepared before painting. To do this, perform the following operations:

• Removing obsolete coating.
• Degreasing,
• Applying primer.

Nuances of painting work

Only specialized, high-quality materials should be used.

Deep scratches are pre-treated. The surface is leveled.

The front part is subjected to a thorough inspection, identifying the presence of dents and chips.

If the appearance is completely damaged, the old materials are completely removed and the disc is repainted.

Alternative option

To restore a scratched disc, you can use epoxy paste. It contains certain components:

Before applying the paste, the following technological operations must be performed:

Then the paste components are mixed. The resulting composition covers scratches. Excess paste is removed. All you have to do is wait until everything is completely dry. Drying time indicated on the paste packaging.

Professionals advise using white paste. It will not show through the layer of paint that covers it.

For faster drying, you can use ultraviolet lamps.

If you decide to repair the disc without removing the rubber, you must first cover it with masking tape.

When the epoxy paste has set well, the surface is treated. To do this, use fine-grained sandpaper. It will completely remove all unevenness. All that remains is to paint the surface with acrylic paint, then varnish. For shine, it can be additionally coated with polish.

How to get rid of chips and scratches on car rims on your own: visual instructions

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Preparatory stage

Before you begin work on eliminating defects on wheel rims, you need to prepare materials and tools. You will definitely need automotive sandpaper of different grits (180, 240, 400, 800 and 2000), G3 polishing paste, a sanding attachment for a drill with Velcro, polymer masking tape, and a two-component water-based aerosol varnish. You also need to find round sponges for a velcro attachment for polish and a screwdriver.

To clean the metal from dust and dirt, you will in turn need water, rags and detergent. You should also think about protecting yourself. Get gloves, safety glasses and a respirator.

The work will consist of several steps, but first you must completely dismantle the wheel. If the tire interferes with restoration work, the wheel should be disassembled. The work area must be cleared of dust and dirt in advance.

Important : all work should be performed in a room with good ventilation!

The working process

We clean the wheel rim from dust and dirt, and then use masking tape to seal the edge of the tire tread. This is necessary in order not to damage it during operation. When everything is ready, we begin to polish the scratches. As always, we first grind with a disc with the coarsest grit - 180. Gradually change, choosing increasingly finer grains. It is recommended to moisten the sanding cloth with water before work.

Important : during grinding work, do not press too hard so as not to provoke the appearance of dents on the wheel rim.

Advice : If the chips and scratches are too deep, then sanding alone will not do. In this case, it is recommended to use epoxy paste and car putty.

At the final stage we use Farecla G3 paste and a polishing sponge. Having removed traces of polish and abrasive from the disc, we proceed to varnishing. Before doing this, you should protect the branding and nipple with masking tape. The wheel can be closed by making a “collar” from a deck of playing cards. We apply aerosol varnish from a distance of about 1 meter in 2 layers with an interval of 24 hours.

Workflow video

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Car wheel restoration

During use, wheel rims become scratched, become dull, cracks and chips appear on their surface, and the factory paint peels off. As a result, open areas of metal appear, which are destroyed by corrosion processes. Damaged elements not only spoil the appearance of the car, but also negatively affect driving performance.

The Avtoscrapina service center carries out restoration of car rims. We carry out work of any complexity to eliminate damage of various types. The technological capabilities of our center allow us to work with disks of any size and manufactured using various technologies:

• cast (light alloy);
• steel (stamped);
• forged.

Their repair is a complex process that includes diagnostics, damage repair and painting.

Restoration of car discs is carried out using specialized equipment that allows you to eliminate axial (horizontal) and radial (vertical) runout. Eliminating axial displacement is one of the most labor-intensive processes during repair, since minor damage may hide significant structural defects that complicate the work. When repairing scratches on alloy wheels with fragmentary damage, special additives are used to completely restore the element. If straightening is necessary, experienced specialists use techniques that eliminate spot heating and rolling with rollers, thereby preserving the structure of the metal.

The use of modern materials and advanced technological solutions allows us to guarantee the complete restoration of the factory geometric and aesthetic characteristics of the damaged areas. We have been working in this direction for many years, so we know the technological intricacies of this process. Our specialists are constantly trained and improved, increasing their qualifications, so all work is provided with an official guarantee.

To make an appointment to diagnose or repair scratches on alloy wheels, you can call us or visit one of our centers, which are located in Moscow and Krasnodar.

How to remove scratches from a car wheel

With roads like ours,
your car's brand new rims can turn into broken ones in just one season.
Restoring chips at a tire shop costs a lot of money, so I want to
tell you how you can return your car wheels to their former appearance with your own hands.
For this you will not need anything special, and the cost of materials will be simply meager.
Read the detailed instructions below.

What we need:
1) chips on the disks
2) 2-component epoxy paste, its color is not so important.
But keep in mind that if the paste is red/green/gray and will most likely
show through the paint, you will need a primer (aka primer).
I have white epoxy, I did it without primer.
3) sandpaper with a grain index of 300-400.
And it wouldn’t hurt to have a smaller one with an index of 600. 4) masking tape, this is provided that we do not remove the rubber from the disk.
5) actual spray paint and varnish.
Einszett Silber spray, the color is very close to the factory one. You can also use silver spray from Wurth.
In this case, I have a varnish from Wurth. But if there are any difficulties in choosing a color, then it is better to contact a colorist - they will select it.

Use sandpaper (300-400) to clean the scratches and remove the bumps.

Cover the rubber with tape

Take epoxy paste, mix A and B in equal proportions, apply to uneven areas,
carefully remove excess paste.

We leave to dry (the longer the better) I put the wheels under the lamps for several hours.
Firstly, the epoxy will dry faster this way, and secondly, it will set better.

I was carried away by the work and missed the next stage in photographing =)
In general, we sand the dried epoxy with fine sandpaper, level it, everything should be smooth,
including to the touch, without flaws.
Next we paint.
I already have some experience with spray painting. I used to do car modeling. Shake the can well, paint from a distance of 20-30cm, in thin, soft layers so that there are no overflows
and transitions are noticeable.
2-3 layers are enough. Dry for about 30 minutes between each layer. Before painting, it is advisable to humidify the room so that dust does not fall on the freshly painted surface.

Once the paint dries, we varnish it.
2 layers of varnish are enough, drying for half an hour. After this, you can also put the wheels under the lamps for a couple of hours.
After all the layers have completely dried, we take the finest sandpaper with water and gently go
over the areas that were varnished to smooth the surface.
You can also polish the disc so that everything is intact and beautiful :)
That’s all.