Hey all, I picked up a set of Kalahari wheels on ebay for my 04 Disco. I knew that I would have to refinish them based on the pictures. On at least one of the wheels, it appears that the coating is peeling off but makes bigger flakes than I would expect paint to make. Were the Kalahari rims powdercoated from the factory or is it just a particularly sturdy clear coat that I'm seeing peel off? I'm trying to assess whether I can strip them with a chemical stripper or if I'll have to take them down to get sandblasted.
Stock Kalahari wheels powdercoated or painted?
- Thread starter cornercase
- Start date
Depending on the coating, might not be able to sand-blast them. I took my wife's factory bull-bar to the sand-blaster, and the heat just melted the coating instead of removing it.
I would vote for a chemical dip. Gonna be easier than doing it in the driveway.
I would vote for a chemical dip. Gonna be easier than doing it in the driveway.
The coating was coming off in large flakes. Not sure what it was, but when the sand hit it, the friction heated it up enough to melt it and it just oozed across the tubing. Of course, this was a traditional HD sandblaster. Maybe some other blasting media might have done it. I said screw it, and just had it dipped.
Well, I called around and everyone seems to agree that for aluminum, chemical stripping is better than sand blasting to prevent pitting. I found a place that will do it for $25/wheel. Can't argue with that.