ChrisFix - How to Repair Wheels with Curb Rash and Scratches

Short Summary

Main recommendation: Restore curb-rashed and scratched wheels at home by degreasing, filling deep damage with metal-reinforced body filler (Bondo), sanding smooth, then priming, base-coating, and clear-coating the wheel. The video demonstrates this on a set of junkyard Jaguar X-Type 10-spoke wheels, which it says cost little and were restored with basic tools.

Key Points

• Deep scratches and gouges cannot be sanded away cleanly because sanding leaves a divot in flat surfaces, so filler is used instead.
• Clean the whole wheel with warm dish soap water, since dirt or grease left behind can ruin the filler or paint, and prep is described as the most important part.
• Sand damaged areas with 80 grit to bare metal so the filler can grip, then smooth the whole wheel with 320 grit before priming, and finish sanding the dried primer with 600 grit.
• Use a non-porous mixing surface (glass, metal, plastic) for the filler, since porous cardboard can absorb hardener and disrupt the ratio.
• Paint in light, multiple coats for metallic silver, using primer, base coat, and a wheel-specific clear coat that the video says resists brake dust, chips, and heat.

Details Worth Noting

• Concrete instructions:
  1. Remove wheel weights with a flathead screwdriver and cut out the tire valve stem from the inside of the wheel with clippers, then pull it out with pliers.
  2. Degrease the whole wheel (including behind the spokes) with warm water and dish soap and a towel; use Scotch-Brite or an abrasive sponge if needed, or Brick Clean for tough grease.
  3. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask. Sand damaged areas with 80 grit until bare metal, using a rotary tool with a wire wheel as an optional faster option for curb rash.
  4. Blow off dust with a leaf blower or compressed air, then wipe the wheel with rubbing alcohol and a clean lint-free towel.
  5. Mix filler on non-porous material. For a 3-inch diameter, half-inch-thick circle of filler, the video uses about 35 drops of hardener. Because the patch was half of that size, it used 18 drops. Fold the hardener in with a squeegee for about 20 seconds to avoid air bubbles.
  6. Press filler firmly into the damage to squeeze out air, then build it up to match the rim's shape, keeping it only in the damaged area.
  7. Let the filler dry about 20 minutes, sand with 80 grit on a sanding block for flat areas or a bent sheet for the rim until there is no lip and it feels smooth.
  8. Sand the whole wheel with 320 grit, wipe clean, then apply gray primer filler: a light first coat (spraying away from the wheel, across, then away), a thicker second coat, and a full-coverage third coat with varied angles. Let dry about an hour and a half.
  9. Sand the primer with 600 grit dry (not wet, to avoid water on the surface), wipe with alcohol, then apply Ford silver metallic base coat in light coats, shaking the can well and spraying into tight spoke areas, with three coats total.
  10. Wait about 30 minutes, then apply a wheel-specific clear coat in a light first coat, followed by a thicker final coat to reduce orange peel without running. Let it dry at least an hour, and the video suggests waiting a day or two before mounting for the paint to cure.
• The video says it sourced the wheels cheaply from a local junkyard and used a Jaguar center cap found there.
• The video notes that when curb rash and scratches aren't deep, they can be sanded away directly without needing body filler.
• Glazing and spot putty is mentioned as possibly overkill for a wheel, but it works like a skim coat over minor imperfections, sanded with 320 grit after 30 minutes.
• The video links the products used in its description, and shows before/after photos that viewers submitted after following previous wheel-painting videos.

Bottom Line

Filler, careful prep, and a few paint coats can make inexpensive damaged wheels look close to new, as the Jaguar wheels in the video show, though the paint cure time should be respected before use.