Removing paint from alloy wheels advice

[Nathan1293]

Hi All

I recently bought some Spectrum split rims that have been painted black. At least two of them have the gold anodised centers, (I'm not sure I want to keep the gold anodising or not yet).

Does anyone have any exerience or advice to remove the paint without damaging the anodising to the aluminium?

[mk1]

https://restorate.co.uk/products/paramo ... tripper-5l

This stuff is brilliant!

Have used it for years.

[Greystokes]

I also use Paramose (industrial use only). Brilliant stuff if you can get hold of it.

Simon

[mk1]

Buying Paramose, you have to swear an oath that you are a "professional". I have never known what sort of professional, but it works great

[InnoCooperExport]

Just your friendly neighbourhood biochemist checking in here, the DCM (DiChloroMethane) in that Paramose stuff is undoubtedly effective but halogenated solvents like that are not to be taken lightly. DCM is turned into carbon monoxide by your body and that can cause anything from headaches and dizziness to in extreme cases coma and death. That's on top of liver damage and damage to the optic nerve, skin irritation and chemical burns. Just FYI.

I use a domestic paint stripper here in NL (Alabastine Super Afbijt) which I use in a closed plastic tub that will take a whole wheel (without the tyre). This maximises efficiency and minimises fumes. Just check the stripper doesn't melt the plastic first. Then I clean up the alloy with a citric acid bath, just be sure to rinse it out well or it can cause oxidation or problems with the paint adhering.

[mini1960]

I found this one is working very well even for powder coated wheels:
https://smitec.de/shop/e2-abbeizer/e2-abbeizer.html
(sorry, just in German).

It is free of chlorinated hydrocarbons and is neutralized by water.

[Peter Laidler]

I was pleased thatInnocooper came up with his answer. I'm certainly no chemist but while I wasn't concerned about the health hazards, I was a bit concerned about any internal contamination that the acid based stripper might start in the alloy once it got into the pores.

I'd certainly be neutralising any acid by power water blasting the wheels after using an acid based stripping medium on alloy wheels

[mk1]

"I'd certainly be neutralising any acid by power water blasting the wheels after using an acid based stripping medium on alloy wheels"

I think you'd be hard pushed to find anyone whop would attempt to paint a wheel before they had rinsed the paint stripper off

On a purely chemical note, water won't "neutralise" anything, it will only rinse it.

[Exminiman]

DCM is turned into carbon monoxide by your body and that can cause anything from headaches and dizziness to in extreme cases coma and death. That's on top of liver damage and damage to the optic nerve, skin irritation and chemical burns.

Presumably, that why my fingers used to tingle when using the old fashioned Nitromors - even through two pairs of Marigolds