How to: My Rota C8s...new paint and a new look! (56k stay away 15+ pictures)
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 8,706
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From: Ft. Laud to Miami, FL
How to: My Rota C8s...new paint and a new look! (56k stay away 15+ pictures)
How to Polish Wheels
Recommended:
Pressure washer (option)
KS-3 Paint stripper (Strongest)
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...2.jpg
Tools needed:
Paint Stripper
Assorted Sand Paper (A LOT!)
Paint
Brush (Do not use metal, it will scratch the surface up more)
Paint brushes
Paint (option)
Bucket
Rubber gloves
This is very time consuming and will take a while. If you work on one wheel at a time it would be easier, but I have no patience for that.
Before (Example, I forgot to take a real picture):
Step 1 - remove paint:
Put on your gloves, SAFETY 1st. Pour the paint stripper into a cup or bowl, I used a lid (just grabbed anything.) Apply it with the brush, be careful to not splatter it all over yourself…it burns!
I let the wheels sit overnight, the paint stripper is so thick that it does not dry up. Take the wheel outside, lay it down and spray it off w/ the pressure washer. In my case it was a water hose, but whatever works. Watch out for paint stripper, it flies everywhere when its getting blown off. After the paint comes off the face of the wheel, do the same for the back; inside part of the rim.
Step 2 – sanding:
Start it off with 220 grit. Try to wet sand the rims, dry sanding will seems like it works better, but it leaves marks. Remember, the 1st stage of sanding is the hardest part of all…it will determine how shiny the polish job will be. If you don’t want to see lines, ripples, etc then sand it down a good amount until you can no longer see it. Continue to move your way up to 800 grit.
Step 3 – painting (option):
I decided to paint the inner spokes of the C8s because the surface from Rota was far too harsh to polish them and make look nice. I simply sanded them down a little to make a smoother appearance. Tape everything you don’t want paint to get all over. Some of it might be hard to tape up because of space. It was too hard to tape the spokes, so I just painted over them…turned out waste of time because I didn’t tape it up. I had to go back and re-sand everything again.
Step 4 – polishing!:
This is the last and final step or so. Since the last step in sanding was at 800 grit, start with 1000 grit to 2000 grit. After working through to 2000 grit, get a compound that will help remove the black stuff (metal sanded off from the wheels.) Then use Mother’s Polishing crème, its really great stuff. I polished the lip and spokes by hand, but I have a special polishing tool. I will be using it soon to make it shinier. Overall it was very time consuming, but to me well worth it.
1000 grit
1500 grit
2000 grit
AFTER (Pictures show no justice):
Daytime pictures:
Not as shiny as real chrome, but its all good!
??? 
Modified by ek9vboi2 at 9:38 PM 10/18/2005
Recommended:
Pressure washer (option)
KS-3 Paint stripper (Strongest)
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...2.jpg
Tools needed:
Paint Stripper
Assorted Sand Paper (A LOT!)
Paint
Brush (Do not use metal, it will scratch the surface up more)
Paint brushes
Paint (option)
Bucket
Rubber gloves
This is very time consuming and will take a while. If you work on one wheel at a time it would be easier, but I have no patience for that.
Before (Example, I forgot to take a real picture):
Step 1 - remove paint:
Put on your gloves, SAFETY 1st. Pour the paint stripper into a cup or bowl, I used a lid (just grabbed anything.) Apply it with the brush, be careful to not splatter it all over yourself…it burns!
I let the wheels sit overnight, the paint stripper is so thick that it does not dry up. Take the wheel outside, lay it down and spray it off w/ the pressure washer. In my case it was a water hose, but whatever works. Watch out for paint stripper, it flies everywhere when its getting blown off. After the paint comes off the face of the wheel, do the same for the back; inside part of the rim.
Step 2 – sanding:
Start it off with 220 grit. Try to wet sand the rims, dry sanding will seems like it works better, but it leaves marks. Remember, the 1st stage of sanding is the hardest part of all…it will determine how shiny the polish job will be. If you don’t want to see lines, ripples, etc then sand it down a good amount until you can no longer see it. Continue to move your way up to 800 grit.
Step 3 – painting (option):
I decided to paint the inner spokes of the C8s because the surface from Rota was far too harsh to polish them and make look nice. I simply sanded them down a little to make a smoother appearance. Tape everything you don’t want paint to get all over. Some of it might be hard to tape up because of space. It was too hard to tape the spokes, so I just painted over them…turned out waste of time because I didn’t tape it up. I had to go back and re-sand everything again.
Step 4 – polishing!:
This is the last and final step or so. Since the last step in sanding was at 800 grit, start with 1000 grit to 2000 grit. After working through to 2000 grit, get a compound that will help remove the black stuff (metal sanded off from the wheels.) Then use Mother’s Polishing crème, its really great stuff. I polished the lip and spokes by hand, but I have a special polishing tool. I will be using it soon to make it shinier. Overall it was very time consuming, but to me well worth it.
1000 grit
1500 grit
2000 grit
AFTER (Pictures show no justice):
Daytime pictures:
Not as shiny as real chrome, but its all good!
??? Modified by ek9vboi2 at 9:38 PM 10/18/2005
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 8,706
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Laud to Miami, FL
Re: How to: My Rota C8s...new paint and a new look! (Chris_Bye)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris_Bye »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">damn dude great job! have any pics of the wheels on a car?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Currently, no. I need to get the tires flipped on 2 of them, balanced, new valve stems...few things b4 they can really go on the car. but its ok, ill just roll on my volks for now.
Currently, no. I need to get the tires flipped on 2 of them, balanced, new valve stems...few things b4 they can really go on the car. but its ok, ill just roll on my volks for now.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 38,620
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore, MD
Re: How to: My Rota C8s...new paint and a new look! (ECAhatch)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ECAhatch »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">great job on the rim itself....but u got paint on ur tires....</TD></TR></TABLE>
if you let a little of the air out of the tires, the paint comes off the first time you drive on them
if you let a little of the air out of the tires, the paint comes off the first time you drive on them
Senor Miembro
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 20,640
Likes: 0
Re: How to: My Rota C8s...new paint and a new look! (BoostedJeff)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BoostedJeff »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
if you let a little of the air out of the tires, the paint comes off the first time you drive on them</TD></TR></TABLE>
nice......let me go paint my wheels/tires and try that.
if you let a little of the air out of the tires, the paint comes off the first time you drive on them</TD></TR></TABLE>
nice......let me go paint my wheels/tires and try that.
Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 7,240
Likes: 1
From: Michigan State University, USA
Re: (5 Speed DC2)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 5 Speed DC2 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good work. </TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 14,536
Likes: 0
From: DUFF GARDENS, CA, USA A OK
Re: (5 Speed DC2)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 5 Speed DC2 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good work. </TD></TR></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
