Alloy wheels that are scratched or scraped can be smoothed out with sandpaper (start with 300 and work your way up to 1200 grit), then polish them with a good metal polish (they all work pretty well, though there's always the fans of Mothers, which I feel is overpriced). You CAN just stop there, clean and wax the wheel, and voila. Since I believe these wheels had a clear coat of sealant from the factory, you could scuff them with a fine scotch pad and spray them (I believe Duplicolor makes a good product). Clean them THOROUGHLY first, and tack them dust-free, then lay out a good area that has ventilation and will shield you from wind, then follow the directions on the can.
If you're not a good painter, stick with the wax and forego the clear coat.
Wheels that are dented can also be repaired, but it usually costs about the same as a new wheel! I recommend you just keep looking for a used wheel in good shape rather than pay somebody $130 to fix a small dent in the rim.
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Originally Posted by 97NOTOP I just bought a used set of 17" alloy wheels for my V6 '97 convertible, they were the wheels on the GT, 10-spoke design. They're in pretty good condition except for some curb rash around the rims, and I want to fix these myself. Can I just sand or file the rough areas smooth? If sanding isn't a good idea, what other technique will work to get rid of the rough areas? Do I need to coat these areas with something once they have been smothed out? Any advice or suggestions will be appreciated. |
Getting rid of curb rash 
