did i just ruin my vert wheels
 

i decided to do some diy wheel restoration today and i think i messed up. i read in this forum that the vert bbs wheels don't have a clear coat on the lip. so i figured i could use some super fine sand paper to get off some of the oxidation i have on them. i few minutes of wet sanding and a dark spot showed up. dried it off and buffed it and now i have a spot with a mirror finish in it. is that spot the way the whole lip is suppose to look or did i take off a finish i didnt know about?

most all aluminum wheels have clearcoat, you got punked. send them off to be professionally resurfaced and re-clear coated. most shops charge about $60-80 per wheel to refurbish them but they should look like new afterwards.

that sux, well i guess i would need to get them resurfaced either way. thanks for the info

I stripped my rims and buffed them out. They look awesome. Just do not use wheel cleaner ever again

Here is a picture. Of course the wheels have never seen rain in a decade, And i polish them up all the time. But they look great. about 8 years ago my wheels looked so bad because half of the clear was coming off, I bought paint stripper and took the clear off. Then buffed them up with mothers polish. If wheel cleaner ever touches them they go to shit. So i can only use regular soap and water to clean.

Better picture maybe. Light is low in the garage tonight.

most people don't have the patience for polishing, it's also a good idea to clear so you can clean the wheels however you want.

that looks super clean! im too lazy for that much work tho

Yet not a big deal to polish with a dremel or die grinder with buffing wheel. But like I said its not a daily driver anymore. I still think they look better than a clearcoated wheel. But clearcoated is better for maintenance and all.

To the original poster, if your lazy, try using some rattle can clear on that spot. It wont be good as new but I bet it will be damm close.

If you like the results, scuff the ring all the way arround, mask and clear coat.

good call