Shining your Walgoose's shoes

[Uncle Stretch]

Pull one wheel. I did the front one first...easier. Then pull the tire ....pull all the spokes out.
Then trot down to the auto parts store. Buy a can of Aircraft stripper. I know you probably don't
have an aircraft. Don't cheap out, or try to save the ecology with that orange stripper crap. Buy the
good stuff. Now don't stand close to the can when you open it. An ammonia smell jumps out first.
I'm sure this stuff will give you cancer, at the least it will burn any skin it touches. Thats the bad
part. The good, it will pull the paint or whatever China put on these wheels. Draino won't,
neither will Oven cleaner.
The stuff that says paint stripper will do a little after 3 hours. Aircraft stripper will wrinkle it up in
five minutes. Take a stiff brush and wipe all the paint off after about 15 minutes. Then polish them
with your Harbor Freight buffer and an 8'' buffing wheel. DONE! Oh then respoke the rim. AHHH!

 

[the12volt]

Wow! Awesome! Can I send you mine to do for me ?

Cheers,
Volt

 

[Bill in Houston]

wow, that is quite beautiful.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Volt this is a how too not a me do. :lol: :lol: :lol:
It takes a little work , but they should look lots better.

Thanks Bill. Still have to do the other one and then relace them.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

OK, that looks great! I'm adding that to my 'upgrade' list.
Are you leaving the hub and spokes black?

BTW, I sprayed the cranks with Aircraft stripper........nothing. I even pre-sanded with some 00 steel wool.

They must be powdercoated black. Oh well, a wire wheel on a drill is fixing that....

Cheers US,
Dr. T

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I have a set of stainless spokes , but it would look kinda strange to have a black hub and silver spokes.
I would have to order more for the back one. It should look pretty good even with the black ones.
Most times parts are anodized . If that is the case , a bath in Draino Crystals will take it off.

 

[ind-chuckz]

WOW! Looks gooooooooooooooooooooood....

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

So, Draino may strip the black off the cranks too?

I agree, when I polish my rims, I'm going with new spokes and chrome hubs.

Thanks for the advice.

Cheers,
Dr. T

 

[Uncle Stretch]

If they are anodized it will. If they are powder coated then it wont.
I'm not sure what was on these rims , but this aircraft stripper cut it like butter.
Got the rim spoked and trued. Not to bad. Its going to look lots better with the rims
polished.
Chuck I just don't have a cool blue bike to put them on. :lol:

 

[ind-chuckz]

You alway's take the extra step....

 

[Uncle Stretch]

It didn't cost much , and it looks better than with them painted.
Your the one that showed me how good they look polished, so its
your fault.

 

[ind-chuckz]

Lol

It didn't cost much , and it looks better than with them painted.
Your the one that showed me how good they look polished, so its
your fault.

 

[deorman]

Sweet! That bar looks good on there too.

 

[Rat Rod]

Looks really nice!

I do like mine painted though. :wink:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Thanks Deorman. They feel good. I was kinda surprised.

Steve the only reason I polished mine is, they may be the wheels and tires
for my buildoff bike. It won't be the Mongoose , but those tires and wheels
sure are tempting.

 

[kingfish254]

WOW! From beastly to BLING in record time!!!
I can't wait to see if you use them. I think the polished rims will look better on a different style frame.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Yeah Kingfish , there is no telling where they will go. I get bored sometimes and
find things to do to keep busy. I feel like shiny is always good. :lol:

 

[B607]

Was that chrome plating under the paint or are those just bare metal? If bare metal, how are you going to keep them from rusting? Gary

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Gary they are aluminum wheels. When you strip and polish them they
get shiny. If you use a product like mothers mag polish it will leave a coating
and they stay nice for a pretty long time. You could spray them with clear
and they stay nice longer.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Ok at this point they are 99.9% stripped. There is a couple little remaining spots
on the inside. Now you can polish them,paint or take them to the powder coater.
He should charge you less because you have stripped them. I choose the polish.
It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to polish them to a really nice shine.