PDA

View Full Version : Cleaning up/Painting SSR Mesh



haydenz
12th September 2009, 02:30 AM
I did this on the old forum, but I thought I should repost it if anyone is thinking about doing it. This is just how I did it........I did it over one night and morning....about 6 hours all up.

Alright I started with 2 pairs of SSR reverse mesh, 7.5's +2 and 8's -11, the pos set were silver and the other set were black.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/5/2/22809.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/5/2/22810.jpg

1. Doing one rim at a time, I began with taking the rims apart. The bolts are rather tight, so one by one I shocked the bolts with a hammer and a nail punch, which loosens up the bolts making them easy to undo.

2. Once All bolts are removed, the centres will we quite stiff still in the rim, and I found the best way to get them out was to hit around the edges with a mallet in a circular motion which will gradually knock the centre out. Also if you have tyres on the wheel, let all the air out as that puts a little bit more strain on the rim. (I marked the rim with the centre, so I didnt put a different centre on another rim)



3. Now all the centres are out, its the best opportunity to clean the rim without scuffing your knuckles on the mesh. I started with degreasing the inside of the rim where most of the dirt/brake dust builds up. On the outside (dish) mine where in good condition, but I have heard one of the best ways to get the gloss shine back is to sand back with light sandpaper (1000 grit) then work your way up to 2000 grit, this will remove all the stratches etc.
Now with buffing I used a buffing wheel on a drill with some mothers metal polish....I know there is another really good brand out there, someone will know, yellow can?

4. Now dealing with the centres there is a lot of different steps. because I already had a good hard acrylic paint on the mesh already I just had to repaint the centres. I have asked Karl (kid korola) who has done this in depth and could enlighten us. This is my plan when I plan to paint mine in the short future.
-Sandblast the centres to get all of the old paint/grime off the centres, give you a good base to start with. I know there is also bead blasting? This seems to be a more gentle approach which protects the centre.
-A good metal etch primer. This protects the bare metal, and should be done as soon as possible after sand/bead blasting. protects it from erosion and damage to the metal. 2 coats to be safe.
-There are several ways to paint.....if you have gone this far, may as well powdercoat as it is one of the strongest coats you can do. I know dave (ae86) went down this path with his black mesh which had a awesome result. I just used a acrylic spray paint over the existing paint, as I was impatient and just wanted the wheels on my car.


5. Finally once everything was dry I began to put them back together. If you have shitty offset rims you can do the dodgy and flip them, I dont sugest it but it has been done before. I found the best way to do it was gently place the centre in, and began placing the bolts back in 1 by 1 in a circular motion, which eventually pulls the centre back into place. I also brought new bolts and nuts, all together they were just over $100.

This was the end result.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/5/2/22811.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/5/2/22812.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/5/2/22813.jpg

Now after I got all the mega bitches with my hectic rims, I did get them rebalanced a couple of days after I put the wheels on just to be safe. For me, not the bitches....because well they're bitches.

If anyone has anymore suggestions on what could also be done, any better ways....let me know.

Cheers

focus_7
12th September 2009, 07:03 PM
http://img.skitch.com/20090310-fue4arsbcqnqj5q9327sc2gd46.jpg


But seriously, good write up and sweet end result.

Thanks!

ke_70
12th September 2009, 09:22 PM
turned out sik bro
good write up

Kid Karola
13th September 2009, 05:13 AM
Yeah with stripping the centers I got mine dipped in a solvent bath (Minus Paint (http://www.minuspaint.com.au/)) to strip the paint off. Media blasting is ok if they aren't too aggressive (sand or bead blasting can initiate pitting and lead to cracks in the casting). Etch priming them as soon as possible after stripping stops the alloy from oxidising (which doesn't take long at all!) and gives a base for the paint to adhere to.

I have used powder-coat on one set of wheels and 2-pack on another set. For solid colours and even silver I'd recommend powder-coat as it's tougher and more resilient to heat and grit. For other metallic colours like gold, 2-pack yields a better colour than the yellowish or more mustardy "gold" offered in powder-coat that aren't as metallic in finish.

Heres a brief series of my mesh being refinished:
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/1/1/9/14616.jpg

Rims polished
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/1/1/9/14617.jpg

Centers stripped
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/1/1/9/14618.jpg

Fresh 2-pack Gold
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/1/1/9/14619.jpg

New stainless bolts and valves etc.
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/1/1/9/14620.jpg

Restored to their former glory :D

With the bolts I replaced all the bolts and nuts with high tensile stainless, used Loctite thread lock and torqued them all evenly.
As a guide Wheel Bolt Torque (https://www.rsracing.com/tech-wheel.html):
- 1/4" bolts @ 15ft-lbs. = M6 bolts @ 20Nm
- 5/16" bolts @ 20ft-lbs. = M8 bolts @ 27Nm

(some other styles use more or less bolts of different diameter hence torque may vary)

racsov
13th September 2009, 09:14 AM
here some i did ages ago

acid dipped, then bead blasted. acid diping isnt too great, but bead blasting had them mint. all i did was put a clear coat over them afterwoulds. looked mint

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/7629/image009dp.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/image009dp.jpg/)

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/8665/re001p.jpg (http://img200.imageshack.us/i/re001p.jpg/)

Kid Karola
15th September 2009, 06:07 AM
This BBS site (http://www.bbs-racing-wheels.com/seiten/htm.txt/flatb.htm) suggests something else that I should have mentioned earlier: when tightening bolts, do it in a crosswise sequence,
i.e. first 12 o'clock then 6, then 3, then 9 and so on all the way around... This ensures that the center is pulled in and seated evenly.
Another point of note: first pre-torque the bolts to 1/2-2/3 of the final torque, as there is always some relaxation in the bolted connection.

"First the bolts should be tightened lightly and the wheel centres should be centred exactly.
Then the bolts/nuts have to be tightened crosswise up to 10Nm (7.4lb-ft) and finally to 15-16Nm (11-12lb-ft).*
...
Note: Use new sealing rings and new rim bolt sets everytime the wheels are reassembled."

*I'm not exactly sure what size or how many bolts this torque relates to as E30 style have 16 bolts, and E50 have 20 bolts.

takai
15th September 2009, 12:29 PM
Are you guys splitting the halves when you do that or just leaving them together.

shift_rook
15th September 2009, 12:35 PM
i think i'ma have to get meshies now:D

Kid Karola
15th September 2009, 11:58 PM
Are you guys splitting the halves when you do that or just leaving them together.

SSR's and most other Jap rims the 2 outer rim halves are welded together. This is mainly done to seal them 100%. If you really needed to split them they'de need to be machined apart.
Simmons on the other hand are sealed with a special glue that forms a gasket. The BBS's mentioned above use a O-ring type of thing between the 2 halves.

takai
16th September 2009, 12:25 AM
Yeah, thats what i thought. Simmons used to produce their own goop, but with them gone there isnt much info on what to use. It looks like the Simmons i have i can separate out the center without disturbing the rim itself, but i would want to check that first.

Kid Karola
16th September 2009, 12:52 AM
Retro Wheels (74 Roberts Ave, Mortdale (Sydney) NSW 2223 Ph: 02 9570 3033) used to specialise in Simmons repairs. They may have the sealer stuff, if they're still around? I enquired about blank rims ages ago, but as they weren't for Simmons they didn't want to know about it! As you're in SA you could ask Extensive Wheel Service at Mile End (on South Rd just down from Bradman Drive) about the sealer.

(Simmons Wheels as of 30th June 2009, have ceased manufacture of their range of custom 3-piece wheels, due to the retirement of the owner Tony Simmons... The Mag Wheel Centre (http://www.magwheelcentre.com.au/) are in negotiations with Tony re purchase of the plant, equipment, casting moulds etc with the view to resurrecting the FR, OM and B45 3-piece wheels. And will continue with repairs and maintenence etc as there is still a supply of parts available.)

ae71
16th September 2009, 12:48 PM
a wheel repairer once told me never to power coat wheels...

while it is very hard wearing it isnt suitable for wheels esp if you drive hard. when you get your brakes hot, heat is transfured to the wheel (try touching the centres after a thrash threw some corners with heavy braking!). due to the nature of power coat the heat softens the paint and brake dust then sticks to the powered coat surface.

for those who dont know, when something is powered coated, it is first heated in a large oven, its then covered with the desired coloured power then baked again, the power melts into a liquid coating the metal.

2pak is the way to go.

dAYTONA
16th September 2009, 02:36 PM
I have a pair of Volk/Ray's in which the bolts are soo damn tight, I can't undo them. It doesn't help that the nuts are only 3mm high, leaving little contact area with the socket... trying to undo them on the front, allen key side also fails... anyone have any ideas? I've tried giving the nuts a bit of heat, no go.
Looks like I might have to start drilling them all out...

Kid Karola
16th September 2009, 09:37 PM
AE71 The powder coating is typically applied electrostatically (the item to be coated has a current run through it, and a static charge holds the powder particles onto it) and it's then cured under heat in oven to allow it to flow and form a skin. The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. So what you're saying is the first type, as heat is re-applied it softens. The latter is resistent to heat and stays hard even if heated again. Be sure to ask the powder coater for thermoset coating for wheels or other items where they are exposed to temperature.

Daytona rather than heating the nuts/bolts, try a center punch and give them each bolt a firm tap with a hammer, the shock should loosen them. Also give them a healthy spray with CRC or WD40 and let them soak overnight, should make your job easier. Are you just using an allen key and a spanner? Try using a 12 sided socket on an extension with a ratchet (3/8" or 1/2" drive) Just use the key to hold the bolt on place, and the ratchet will give you a larger moment to get the stuck nuts ;)

KKUSTOM
16th September 2009, 10:15 PM
this thread is WIN! thanks guys for all the info.

takai
17th September 2009, 01:22 AM
Are you just using an allen key and a spanner? Try using a 12 sided socket on an extension with a ratchet (3/8" or 1/2" drive) Just use the key to hold the bolt on place, and the ratchet will give you a larger moment to get the stuck nuts ;)

Better than that again is a rattle gun with the appropriate sized socket and an 1/2" drive allen key socket with a tbar to hold the other side.

Kid Karola
17th September 2009, 01:30 AM
Touché, still try the affore mentioned if you don't have 1/2" rattle gun handy :yeah: there are many ways to skin a cat... or in this case strip a mesh ;)

ae71
17th September 2009, 08:46 PM
rays/volk meshies that i have, i got a 6mm allen type impack socket. you dont need any sort of spanner or socket on the back, they are not ment to be un-done from bolt head not the nut. some of the bolts ended up rounding, i had to grind the head of the nut off most of the way then centre punch it out the rest of the way. only had to do this with a few bolts. replacements where not very expensive. wd40 soaked over night then replied did help!

i was not aware that there where 2 types of power coating! thanks for the heads up on that!

Oly AE86
17th September 2009, 09:46 PM
Just to show same process with Black Centres

How they came from the motherland

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/5850/img0166sk.jpg

Removed the centres, had the outers polished by Wheel Revolution @ Slacks Creek

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/7672/wheelsx.jpg

Then Powdercoated the centres black, 80x New SS Bolts with Polished Heads ( Say farewell to 2 Hours on a Bench Grinder with polishing wheel and your knuckles) and they were done. And dogs love em.

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9756/img0431ne.jpg

maxhag
27th September 2009, 07:20 PM
Oly AE86 - Can I correct you.
Quote - " and dogs love them"

You mean, "Bitches love them"

driftke70
28th September 2009, 12:19 AM
if you put a socket extension with the socket on the end over the nut, then just give the extension a good crack, they come straight off, also if you hold it with anti clockwise force on the extension while you hit it, you can do the rest with your fingers after one crack with the hammer, get a good rhythm going you can have the wheel tripped in 2 mins.

takai
13th October 2009, 11:41 AM
Fwiw: the Simmons V4s are easy to split from their hoops without splitting the halves apart.
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/29268-2/IMG_0873_s.jpg
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/29232-2/IMG_0851_s.jpg

Kid Karola
13th October 2009, 10:12 PM
All steels work harden to a point. Thats why you should torque the bolts accordingly. I think you mean 12.9 (not 12.2) other grades range from 4.6, 6.6, 8.8, 10.9, 12.9. The first number represents the ultimate tensile strength of the bolt, 400 Mpa, 800 Mpa or 1200 Mpa respectively. The second number represents the point at which the bolt will permanently stretch. (Officially, the 0.2% proof load stress). A 4.6 bolt permanently stretches at 60% of its ultimate, an 8.8 at 80% and a 12.9 at 90%. (Mpa=N/mm2)

The properties are actually quite similar in the High Tensile 8.8 and Stainless Steel A4-80 (grade marked on bolt head).

8.8 Grade High Tensile Steel has Tensile Strength 800N/mm2 and Yield Strength 640N/mm2
A4-80 Grade 316 Stainless also has Tensile Strength 800N/mm2 and Yield Strength 600N/mm2
(A2-70 Grade 302 Stainless has slightly lower Tensile Strength 700N/mm2 and Yield Stength 450N/mm2 is more like a 6.6 grade bolt due to it's lower Yield)