Gmt800 Oem 17" Rim Issue

jrrod2004 · March 9, 2010

I dont have pictures of my issue (Yet) but I noticed this issue this weekend while working on the truck. I noticed that the surface of my rims in certain areas have spots on them. I cleaned them and recleaned them with water and 10 (literally) microfiber pads. No soap was involved as I figured it was something light, maybe dirt or light brake dust. No dice on the removal of the spots.

I need to know if these rims can be refinished and reclearcoated without damaging the structure.

Here are the OEM Styled P25 rims:

The above pictures only represent the style rim I have installed. They are not the ones that are "damaged".

What I need to know is:

1) Can these rims be refinished back to the stock look?

2) Is there an approved refinisher in Austin?

3) Am I stuck with getting new/replacement ones?

If you have any thoughts on how I should go about handling this, I would appreciate it.

Mike

MS3DALE · March 9, 2010

Mike,If their the kind of spots I think your describing...try a little hand glaze.

Some of the wheels on my previous trucks would get these "light white",or "hazy" spots on them,a little 3M hand glaze,followed up by a coat of wax and they were fine!

knipper_03 · March 9, 2010

Your aluminum wheels are clear coated.....the metal underneath is oxidizing causing the white finish between the clear and the rim. Using wax might slow it down, buy sealing the clear coat....most likely a rock chip hit hard enough to penetrate though the clear. Not much you can do other than getting it stripped and re cleared....its cheaper to buy aftermarket wheels r newer take offs.

The same thing happens when wheel weights are installed on the dedge of the rim...it scratched through the clear and causes oxidation. Its a pretty slow process though and most people won't even notice it.

Ask to "bubble balance" your tires, the weight will be on the other sode of your rim where you won't see it oxidize.

Oh and I can't even see the imperfections in you pics. Even if you reclear coat its going to do the same thing in a couple years. After these rims are designed for a vehicle that is to be used, not stored to show car perfection.

cc1999 · March 10, 2010

If it is the problem I think you are describing, there is not much that can be done. I have seen this problem with that style of wheel several times, typically surounding the wheel weights. The wheel weight punctures the surface of the clear coat and from there the moisture makes its way under the clear coat and begins to spread. The wheels on the White truck in my signature were replaced once under warranty for this problem. My black truck had the same problem when I bought it used and was unable to get it warranted and ended up getting the custom wheels that are on it now. I sold my white truck a few weeks ago when I ordered a new one, and noticed right after I sold it to a buddy of mine that one of the wheels was starting to go bad again. Same deal, it was starting to spread right by the wheel weights.

jblakeney · March 10, 2010

I dont have pictures of my issue (Yet) but I noticed this issue this weekend while working on the truck. I noticed that the surface of my rims in certain areas have spots on them. I cleaned them and recleaned them with water and 10 (literally) microfiber pads. No soap was involved as I figured it was something light, maybe dirt or light brake dust. No dice on the removal of the spots.

I need to know if these rims can be refinished and reclearcoated without damaging the structure.

Here are the OEM Styled P25 rims:

The above pictures only represent the style rim I have installed. They are not the ones that are "damaged".

What I need to know is:

1) Can these rims be refinished back to the stock look?

2) Is there an approved refinisher in Austin?

3) Am I stuck with getting new/replacement ones?

If you have any thoughts on how I should go about handling this, I would appreciate it.

Mike

Aluminum wheel acid will do that if you let it dry......... I let a bunch of kids wash my other halfs Tahoe (before we sold it) for something (i think it was a school fund raiser) anyways. They RUINED the clear coat on the wheels. They were nice and shinny but covered in brake dust.

I walked down to where they washed it (like 2 blocks) and walked by it and was were is my Tahoe?? They said you walked right by it...... I did not say anything but I did see the acid bottle.... It got them clean...... I buffed them several times with Tripoli and white rouge... TO no avail.

Ended up pulling the tires off and sending them off to a wheel shop and getting the clear removed, buffed, painted, and cleared........ Other half was pissed... I was like were gonnna trade it in a couple months but no no no no no. Worked out good one of my friends bought it instead of us trading it.. I still have to see it soooo, I guess I was aight with paying for the rims to look good again. (I could have done it but was really busy then and did not have time)

Jbo

gtolvr · March 11, 2010

Man this is a bummer. Can you powder coat them the correct color so there will be no probelms later? These are the stock type of wheels i am looknig to get back on my 2006 4x4. this is not good news.

I found a set of new take offs from a 2006 with the factory tires on the rims. How do i know they are for a 4x4?

Did 4x2 have 5 lug and 4x4 have 6 lug?

MS3DALE · March 11, 2010

Did 4x2 have 5 lug and 4x4 have 6 lug?

No,All 1/2-ton GMT800/900 trucks are 6-lug,weather they are 2 or 4wd.

jrrod2004 · March 15, 2010

Ok, finally had a good day in which I took pictures of what I am talking about. I am not sure if this is what everyone else is referring to but this does not seem to have started near the wheel weights, rather it seems to just have appeared on the face of the spokes.

Edit: and no, these wheels are not scratched, that is exactly how they look in person but they are smooth to the touch.

MS3DALE · March 15, 2010

Mike,Thats how mine looked (although not quite that bad) try some 3M hand glaze,worked on mine!!!

pm26 · March 15, 2010

The clearcoat on these wheels is of poor quality. I have several short spiderwebs under the clearcoat on at least one wheel, and it originated form the center of the wheel, not the wheel balancing weight area. These types of clearcoated wheels corrode around here in coastal Florida, there is not much one can do about it, except refinish them. .