Vtr wheel refurb advice and tire advice

1. Daniel_Saxo_VTR Infrequent Poster Joined: Oct 2014 Cambridgeshire Posts: 130 Saxo VTR phase 2 with SUPERSPRINT ! ;D

   #1 23rd November 2014, 15:35

   Hi guys,
   
   I plan on refurbishing my wheels just before I get new rubber on order, probably in the new year however.
   
   The plan is to rub them down, a coat of primer, wet and dry until smooth and keep on going until it has a nice finish, then 2 coats of my desired colour, does this sound about right? I'll be doing it by hand, using emery cloth. What's the best grade to start off using and what to finish with? I was thinking 250 grade to start with, then 500 grade and maybe finish with 1000 grade, or is that too fine?
   All tips appreciated!
   
   Also, regarding my colour choice, I am wanting to do them a really bright silver and preferably metallic, any suggestions on paint code etc?
   
   Then finally, tires. Whats the best size for a vtr with standard ride height? Stick with the stock 185/55/14 or go 195/45/14 or something? Probably standard width makes more sense! Any brand/model of tire thats particularly good?
   
   Pictures of your refurbished vtr wheels is also of interest!
   
   
   Many thanks
   
   Dan
2. DAMSK11 Established Member Joined: Jan 2012 Cambridgeshire, England Posts: 2180 Saxo 1.1, Fiesta Zetec S

   #2 23rd November 2014, 22:51

   Have they got any curbing on them at all? 1000 is too fine to finish with, the lowest I would go is 800 wet and start with 240 dry. Spraying them by hand, presumably with a spray can, the finish is never going to be brilliant but for wheels I would normally do 3 coats and 2 or 3 of Lacquer on top.
   
   Here's a picture of my current ones.
   
   
   
   They were a little curbed so I used filler on the deep scratches and chunk and then used 80 grit sandpaper on the others, when they had smoothed out I used 240 until all the deep scratches were gone and then sprayed them with high build primer, which was rubbed down wet with 600 and sprayed them with a gun. 3 coats and 3 of lacquer and they came out well. I would personally get new rubber fitted before refurbing them as I've had the experience before of freshly done wheels and they ended up getting scratched up again when the new tyres were fitted
3. Daniel_Saxo_VTR Infrequent Poster Joined: Oct 2014 Cambridgeshire Posts: 130 Saxo VTR phase 2 with SUPERSPRINT ! ;D

   #3 25th November 2014, 19:58

   Hi DAMSK11,
   
   Cheers for the tips!
   
   Those wheels turned out good, are they Escort GTI wheels?
4. iSlayeR Established Member Joined: Aug 2009 King's lynn Posts: 2073 Turbocharged vtr

   #4 25th November 2014, 21:09

   Will get best results from a gun and compressor if there's a lot of curbing, 180 disk on a da works wonders, flat the primer with 400-800, hope this helps
5. DAMSK11 Established Member Joined: Jan 2012 Cambridgeshire, England Posts: 2180 Saxo 1.1, Fiesta Zetec S

   #5 25th November 2014, 21:40

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Daniel_Saxo_VTR Hi DAMSK11, Cheers for the tips! Those wheels turned out good, are they Escort GTI wheels?

   Yes mate they are, cheers
   
   

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by iSlayeR Will get best results from a gun and compressor if there's a lot of curbing, 180 disk on a da works wonders, flat the primer with 400-800, hope this helps

   80 with a DA does a really nice job, makes it much easier to get a good finish. I would flat the primer with something closer to 800 as the scratches are much finer so they don't stand out as much when the paint goes on