How can you remove anodizing from a rim?

[WoodsWarrior]

I've got the old gold XR rims and want to remove the gold, and get the rims back good condition in silver. Any ideas on how to remove the anodizing?

 

[smb_racing]

you can take some steel wool and just abrade the annodizing off of the rims, but why would you want silver rims instead of gold? I kinda like gold rims, they look different ;)

 

[MikeT]

If you sand/steel wool off the anodizing off the rim, then you will have to keep them polished. If you don't keep them polished, they will oxidize and turn white. :eek: I'd deal with the scratches or buy new rims if it really bothers you that bad.

 

[KXKen]

Glass bead blast the rims, polish them, and then put some kind of durable clear coat on it.

 

[MikeT]

That would work.. You'd have to take your wheels apart though. Compare the price of new rims to the labor costs and your time.

 

[smb_racing]

aluminum generally doesn't oxidize very badly, as aluminum is self annodizing (but in a clear fashion not colored)

 

[MikeT]

The reason I said what I said was, I used to have a '79 Corvette and if I didn't polish the wheels, they would turn white. :silly:

 

[CAL]

I saw some liquid at a car show once that was made for removing anodization from wheels so they can be polished. I can't remember what it was called. I was going to buy some but it wasn't cheap. You may check with some high end body shops or look for some websites on car detailing or polishing.

 

[WoodsWarrior]

An update...

I called the local plating company and took my wheels by there. The guy dipped the wheels in a couple of different baths of cleaner and the wheels were a bright shiny silver again! It was not acid, he said it was just industrial aluminum cleaner. The anodizing came right off with no problem.

 

[tennjrr]

Howzit WoodsWarrior,

Though I haven't tried it, someone I know said he has used "Easy Off" oven cleaner to take the anodizing off his bmx bike rims:think

aloha!

 

[MikeT]

Re: An update...

Originally posted by WoodsWarrior
I called the local plating company and took my wheels by there. The guy dipped the wheels in a couple of different baths of cleaner and the wheels were a bright shiny silver again! It was not acid, he said it was just industrial aluminum cleaner. The anodizing came right off with no problem.

HOw much did he charge you? were your rims taken apart or still assembled on the wheel?

 

[WoodsWarrior]

He didn't charge me a penny, heck it only took about two minutes for the whole deal. He just dipped in two different tanks of solution and it was done.
Now keep in mind that these were wheels off an '86 XR600 and the anodizing had faded considerably anyway. I'm sure it would be harder to get off a new wheel. I did not take the wheel apart, he just dipped the whole thing. By the way it cleaned up the spokes (rust) and hub (grease and dirt) very well. The wheel did not come out like new by any means but it sure did look a heck of a lot better. Also the solution did not affect the factory paint on the hubs at all.
I just called the guy who did it for me and he said the solution was simply an industrial metal degreaser used to prep aluminum for surface plating.

 

[MikeT]

Didn't harm the paint? :cool: :cool:

 

[WoodsWarrior]

Nope did not hurt the paint at all.

 

[KXKen]

I wonder what the effect on wheel bearings will be.

 

[WoodsWarrior]

I was wondering the same thing about the bearings, the guy told me the cleaner would not do anything other than degrease everything. He rinsed the whole wheel thoroughly with water and then told me to be sure to have the bearings repacked with fresh grease......I'll post the long term results up here in a month or so once I see if the cleaning had any long term negative affects.