Polished deer hoofs

[ranger_steve]

Just finished stripping, sanding and polishing one of my deer hoof rims off of my 93. Its winter so I figured I'd take a swing at making them look nice for the summer Also painted the first of my center caps to match the truck because the chrome was peeling off. I couldn't find anything on here of anyone doing this so I figured I'd share some pics!

before:
http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/u...ger 4x4/wheelbefore_3852_zpsfa29048c.jpg.html

after:
http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/u...er 4x4/RangerWheels_4018_zps4adad481.jpg.html

side by side:
http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/u...er 4x4/RangerWheels_4022_zpse76de589.jpg.html

With color matched center cap:
http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/u...er 4x4/RangerWheels_4019_zps3cfa1789.jpg.html

 

[2813josh]

Nice! Turned out pretty good

 

[veefer800canuck]

nice, now protect them with some nyalic

http://www.nyalic.com/

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

This is exactly the reason I came on this AM; love this site!

Bought 4 bullet hole rims (off a 1992 Ranger) from a guy that he had painted black...I'm out there working on 1 now and find that it looks like the clear coat is off in some spots (the center area is a mess but around the outer edges I see some mess too)...I only gave $60 bucks for all of them and I could just clean them properly and re-paint them black but I'm a chrome/stainless kind of guy for rims (I do like those black centers with stainless around the edges). Your blue centers are awesome (I will definitely do that as well to match the vehicle).

Ok, sorry for the rant...how did you sand and strip them down...I've read that you could use aircraft stripper but if the "clear coat" is gone would I just be better off getting the sandpaper out (what grit) and tear into them...and once I get all that removed how did you polish or paint, etc.?

 

[veefer800canuck]

hit it with the aircraft stripper first, and then begin polishing. it's easier when the paint and clearcoat are not in the way.

when I did my 16" explorer wheels, i went for a brushed finish instead of polished, using a 3m pad chucked up in a drill.

 

[ranger_steve]

I used paint stripper gel with steel wool and avoided inside the hoofs where its painted. Aircraft stripper might be easier but I have no experience with it. That took care of the clear. Then I moved on to 180 grit wet/dry (this got rid of most of the machine lines and oxidization) then on to 400 wet, after quite a while with that I used 2000 wet. It would probably be better to use 800 wet and then 1500 wet in between the 400 and 2k but we didnt have any.
Its lots of work, but it should pay off in the end!
Good luck,
Stephen

 

[JimRummy]

Looks awesome!
Let me know how the stuff you used on the center cap works out over time, I've used regular spray paint, and truck bed liner on the rims and caps, and although the rims still look good, the caps seem to start peeling after a year.

 

[F8LBITE]

Looks nice!

 

[ranger_steve]

Thanks! I hope it lasts, I just sanded them then one coat of primer, 3 coats of duplicolor color match stuff, then 3 coats of clear. They'll probably end up chipping and flaking anyway.

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

So, the aircraft stripper works fantastic! I'm out there now taking the paint off with the drill and metal wire wheel...waiting on the next coat of stripper to finish getting any rough areas.

Once all this is said and done, polish or acrylic (where do I get nyalic - that looks promising) choices?

Man, this has been a tough job...one thing is for certain...the kid that painted them didn't skip on the paint and the underneath was a mess.

I'll post pics in a bit...but I need to know what my next steps are...basically, I just want a nice polished look or if acrylic protects them and works well I'm ok with that too.

What's best?

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Man I would have used some Kleen Strip metal etch before I cleared those! Hope its stays stuck on the raw Aluminum.

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

Man I would have used some Kleen Strip metal etch before I cleared those! Hope its stays stuck on the raw Aluminum.

By the way, they look better in pictures - they're not bad but they're not this good either!

I'm still cleaning mine...after I get this stuff off, next best steps?

Should I?

Wash them in soapy water or will I get "flash rust"?
Air hose them to get all the debris out of the bullet holes?

Once I'm done - I've got one really stubborn rim with some tough clear coat, what is best - aluminum polish? clear coat? nyalic? steel wool them and then spray them?

I'm not worried about work so if polishing them is best, I'll do that if it will give me the most durable best long lasting approach, etc...

 

[LIMA BEAN]

By the way, they look better in pictures - they're not bad but they're not this good either!

I'm still cleaning mine...after I get this stuff off, next best steps?

Should I?

Wash them in soapy water or will I get "flash rust"?
Air hose them to get all the debris out of the bullet holes?

Once I'm done - I've got one really stubborn rim with some tough clear coat, what is best - aluminum polish? clear coat? nyalic? steel wool them and then spray them?

I'm not worried about work so if polishing them is best, I'll do that if it will give me the most durable best long lasting approach, etc...

If I am painting or clearing non-ferrous metal like aluminum I ALWAYS either use a self etching primer or prep the metal with etching prep. Under clear of course you cant prime so just etch it. This stuff was probably within arms reach of the stripper you bought and comes in small jugs too.

http://www.wmbarr.com/product.aspx?catid=32&prodid=81

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Just finished stripping, sanding and polishing one of my deer hoof rims off of my 93. Its winter so I figured I'd take a swing at making them look nice for the summer Also painted the first of my center caps to match the truck because the chrome was peeling off. I couldn't find anything on here of anyone doing this so I figured I'd share some pics!

before:
http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/u...ger 4x4/wheelbefore_3852_zpsfa29048c.jpg.html

after:
http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/u...er 4x4/RangerWheels_4018_zps4adad481.jpg.html

side by side:
http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/u...er 4x4/RangerWheels_4022_zpse76de589.jpg.html

With color matched center cap:
http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/u...er 4x4/RangerWheels_4019_zps3cfa1789.jpg.html

Steve FYI. If when posting pics on posts on your photobucket page on the right it says " Links to share this photo". Go to IMG and LEFT click that, then come back to your post, tap your cursure where you want the pic and RIGHT click and Paste. That way your pics will show up as pics and not links, like this.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

steve fyi. If when posting pics on posts on your photobucket page on the right it says " links to share this photo". Go to img and left click that, then come back to your post, tap your cursure where you want the pic and right click and paste. That way your pics will show up as pics and not links, like this.

fixed, it should be 'right' click and paste.

Richard