Polishing wheels

Any good products out there to remove the coating on my Fuchs, I sanded a small area and polished it and it looked great but thats to much work. I thought about some spray on paint remover but I dont want to screw it up and then be stuck with it.

I think I have bad news that will keep you working:
The original FUCHS-wheels are anodized. The only chance of removing the protecting surface is to polish, and polish, and...
If you have done that job and enjoyed it for a good summer, make sure you protect your rims (wax etc.) if you store the car.
There is also some protective spray on (sort of paint) available, but my experience is not so good. After driving one winter and to get back the pure shine, you start polishing again.
Good luck and patience!

I figured as much, thats why I picked up a makita hand grinder and some polishing pads.

Tom
73T

not sure: check the 911 technical articles in this forum - there are 3 articles towards the end which address polishing of alloy wheels. It sounds like a lot of work! I guess that's why Bob Wood gets the big $$$ for refinishing wheels.

I have read on the Rennlist of a fellow that says that oven cleaner will remove the anodize on Fuch wheels.
I HAVEN'T TRIED THIS.
I would suggest trying it on a small area on the back side of the wheel if one is so inclined. Be sure to neutralize.
If it works, let us know as it would beat the &%#! out of all that polishing.
JPIII

Ill give it a try...

i have also heard that oven-cleaner will remove an anodized finish but there is still plenty of elbow grease required. however i learned this from my local bike shop that told me how to strip the fading frost red anodized finish of my gt zaskar.

I have fully polished several sets of aluminum rims (5 sets) and it isn't difficult as mentioned if it is done right. As you have noticed it will take time to achive your goal but hopefully my advice will help you. I am currently doing a set of 15x8-9 for my 71 rsr. Any aircraft paint remover will take the powder coating off with a couple of tries. Like the previous gentleman mentioned, they are usually anodized. Dont try to grind it off because even though it will come off you have just scorged the aluminum and added about 4 hours extra to the job at hand (FOR EACH RIM). You have probably noticed that when you sanded down the anodize, pretty looking aluminum showed up. consider yourself lucky that porsche rims have a beautiful cast compared to that of other wheels like the Empi. Because of this there wont be much of a need to go below 220 grit on flap wheels if you follow this step first. THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THE ANADIZE WITHOUT SCRATCHING THE ALUMINUM SURFACE IS TO TAKE THEM TO A CHROME PLATING PLACE AND HAVE THEM REMOVE IT CHEMICALLY. It cost me $10 per wheel in Texas and I believe thats money well spent considering the amount of work they just saved you. A could way to tell that they are anodized is to acquire a continuity tester and touch the rim with the prongs. If it DOESN'T conduct its anodize if it DOES then its virgin aluminum. god luck and be patient. This stripper can also be purchased from a company called CASWELL BUFFING SUPPLIES for $38 from what I recall.
This stripper will not pit,etch or mar the aluminum surface. Once this is complete, use your sand paper and water to smooth out the cast and follow by using the emery,tripoli and white rouge. It easier said than done but I have been in your shoes and it is well worth it trust me.

A couple things:

There is no "powdercoating" on Porsche factory Fuchs wheels. There is anodizing, and there is black paint.

The Fuchs wheels are not beautifully "cast", but are forged. That's why they are so much smoother than wheels like Empis.

Finally (and this is just my opinion), I have to admit that all of this talk about taking sandpaper, oven cleaner, etc. to Fuchs wheels really makes me cringe! All the wheels at Pep Boys, Western Wheels, etc. are polished or chromed these days! The expensive and unique anodized finish of the Fuchs wheels are really a large part of their charm and mystique, to me at least. In addition, I really don't like the ubiquitous chroming of wheels, and am definately not a big fan of polishing, because polished wheels always end up looking bad to me (unless they are polished on a weekly basis, or maybe clearcoated or something).

Give me a set of factory finished Fuchs any day, over a bare aluminum polished set!

It reminds me of when I was showing my car at a PCA concours a few years ago. I had JUST received my 7 x 8's back from Robert Wood, where they were restored back to factory anodized perfection [at no small cost], after having been "polished" by the DPO of the wheels. A guy comes up to me, and says "you know, you can really make those wheels shine with a little bit of rubbing compound!" I had to stop myself from laughing out loud, and managed to only say "gee, thanks for the tip!"

Brian

Hey, if you want to finish wheel, go ahead. Don't let some concours dude expert tell you how they don't look "original". If you want to look "original" after you've polished them, don't wash them for a few weeks and let the brake dust build up them. Then they will have that dull matte finish that wow's them at the concours.

Well, here's my opinion. I have a 78 with Fuch wheels. I was looking at them and deciding if I should strip them down and polish them or strip them down and repaint them.

Although a friend of mine who is going to paint my car suggested I strip and polish them, I want to keep them original. But, I think if you strip them and polish them, put a coat of laquere on them. It will keep them looking good for a long time. The laquer keeps them from oxidizing and they will last for a long time. I am pretty sure Porsche uses black laquer on their wheels, that's why they look so good.

So, if you want to take the time to clean and polish them - do it. But make sure the time invested is worth it.

Regards

Steve

all this sand paper and over cleaner gives me the jitters as well....factory fuchs are stronger than just about anything else you can buy. ron wood (ugh!) and others are the ones to make your wheels look as close to new as possible, but try this tip straight from bruce anderson's "porsche 911 performance handbook" page 211. "the only way to restore the finish would be to send them (your wheels) to someone who can strip the old clear anodized coating, and then recondition the surface, and then re-anodize the surface itself......have all four wheels refinished at the same time." they also write that porsche reccomends every three months after a regular acid free washing to coat the wheels with petroleum jelly, rub this in with a clean cloth. i trust bruce anderson and porsche.

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'84 911 carrera cabriolet

Steve and Jeff, how dare you express an *opinion* on this board! Don't you know that some people are unable to distinguish between expressions of fact and expressions of opinion? (or, worse, can make the distinction but don't feel that opinions should be expressed).

Anyways, on a slightly different subject, I definately would not ever have Fuchs wheels chromed. I had to get rid of the chromed set of factory Fuchs wheels (done by PO) on my car because one started developing a huge crack through one of the spokes! And no, it was not just a crack in the chrome, it went all the way through the spoke. After wondering how this could happen, I found that the chroming process can make forged wheels brittle. This crack developed despite the car never being in an accident of any type. The wheel was weakened enough to crack under the stress of every day driving (It ended up being OK, b/c it forced me to get rid of my chromed 6 x 7 for my factory finish 7 x 8s!).

Brian

....i must add that my wrench, who has 25 years plus experience with porsche club racing and who just happens to be the "technical chairman" of the "PCA club racing," scolded me when i asked his advice on changing my factory black anodized fuchs to something else. he then went on to tell me that fuchs are some of the best OEM wheels made and that he has hit everything from curbs to pot-holes at 100 miles per hour racing, and the fuchs did not even flinch. i trust his advice and experience, chrome or polished wheels look good on some, but the cars that came from the factory with black fuchs, in my opionion, look the best. sorry, i had to get that off my chest...good luck!

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'84 911 carrera cabriolet

[This message has been edited by jeff bryant (edited 02-07-2000).]

I apologize for saying previously that fuchs are cast when indeed they are forged as Jeff brought to my attention (I was mistaken), but the point I made on polishing still applies. I believe an individual should build and restore his car to his liking and not to the liking of concours or other people. After all, who is putting the time and patients into the car!. I have to respect the idea there are original buffs out there, but the ones I've meet are only there to try to impress judges and other individuals . You originally posting asked how to polish fuchs and I hope I was of help. THIS WAS NOT A POSTING TO EXPRESS WHATS RIGHT OR WRONG OR WHAT JEFF THINKS IS CORRECT. WHO CARES ON WHATS CORRECT AND ORIGINAL, CREATIVITY SETS YOU APART FROM THE REST OF THE CARS THAT ALL LOOK ALIKE AT A SHOW (CONCOURS)

yo bud, last time i checked, this was a forum. my opionions are just that, mine and probably 100 years or so of experience, again, opinions. i'm not telling anyone what to do or what not to do. i'm only expressing my views, hence the name, porsche 911 technical forum. this site is for you to ask a question, or state an opinion, then allow a member to do the same in return. remember, this is a forum. gezzz.

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'84 911 carrera cabro.

Calm down guys!!!

I think that most people, when they express an OPINION on the subject of "originality" etc., might just be cautioning you about maintaining the car's value.

Mior: I agree with your right to do whatever you wish; this is America, after all, and some of us did escape Communism for these rights. However, I believe that you will find that if you depart from the "original" too much, you have now created a car that only you and your mother would love, and you have thereby decreased the chances of selling your creation to the next person. You would have to find that one person who thought your "creativity" matched his own, and that is hard to do. Why do you think someone else would want to buy your creative expression? And don't forget that someday you will want to/have to sell your "baby". And by making it less "original", you will have reduced the number of potential buyers.

Jeff: You are also right, some early Porches came with "silver"-center Fuchs, and the later ones came with black-center Fuchs. Note that 356 never came with Fuchs, and when people put them on 356, they look "funny"; i.e., not original.

So this boils down to whether you want to keep your car "original", thereby maintaining its value, or if you are willing to decrease its value by being "creative". Just be certain you are aware of all impacts of your decision, allowing you an INFORMED choice, not one that you might regret later. Remember, all choices are multiple choice - all have different consequences...Andras

Andras - You're opening a big can of worms here....not all modifications decrease the value of 911s. Many of the cars are undesirable for one reason or another (year, color, etc) and could use some "enhancement". The real key is the quality of the work. Obviously you can't get too carried away or a small nitch car will be created that may take longer to sell. The 911s I have owned have both been heavily modified wide body conversions. When I sold my first one the phone rang off the hook and I got my price. Not everyone is a purist - these cars are for fun.

This is getting pretty old.

Of course everyone should do whatever they want to their car. Its their car! I don't think that anyone here would disagree with that.

People are equally free, however, to have an opinion on modifications or proposed modifications. So what? Who cares what someone else thinks about what you do to your car? We are here, after all, to talk about cars, including our opinions. I know I have appreciated others' opinions over the years. Many I disregard, many I agree with. But I've never felt threatened by any of them.

I don't think ANYONE here has tried to tell others what they should or must do with their own personal car. Re-read the posts and you will clearly see that. This whole thread has gone on way to long because of poor reading comprehension, along with an apparent need to re-state the obvious (i.e. "don't let others tell you what to do with your car, do what you want, its your car." Wow, there's an original thought, pure genius).

again, ditto brian!