Repairing Scratched Alloy Wheels (Curb Rash)

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Repairing Scratched or Kerbed Wheels:

This procedure is for slight damage only;

  • Wheel Collision Center
  • Wheels America

A specialist wheel Shop should repair serious damage.


Shop wheel repair- approx. $150 –250 per wheel, usually 48 hours (dependant upon geographical area)

  • Remove the damaged wheel from vehicle.
  • Clean the damaged area with Prepsol and then sand the scratched or damaged area with Norton 3X Sandpaper (p-graded aluminium oxide grain,) 60, 80 or 100 grit sand paper, sand wet or dry with a wooden sanding block.
  • Fill any minor indentations with Bondo Lightweight Filler 264 and Red Cream Hardener, allowing approx 30 minutes before you shape / sand
  • Sand the wheels until you've removed the scratches, `kerbing' marks and/or smoothed the Bondo filler.
  • Continue the sanding process using finer and finer grades of paper, 220 or 320 grit and finally with 500-grit paper.
  • For small hard to reach places use a Dremel tool and a suitable sanding bit


Note- If the above cleaning method don’t finish to wheels to your liking have them bead blasted


Repainting Wheel Surface:

  • Prepare the surface by removing all sandpaper residues by washing and then wiping with a clean damp towel.
  • Use 3m Painters Masking Tape between the tyre and the wheel rim
  • Spray the wheels with Dupont Prep Sol and allow to air dry.
  • Apply a thin coat of zinc (Groit's 20225) to stabilize the surface.
  • Paint the wheels with two thin coats of silver alloy paint (Griot's Garage P/N 20225) to ensure complete coverage, and allow air-drying (1-2 hours between coats and leave to cure overnight.
  • Finish with a clear lacquer paint (Griot's Garage P/N 11570) allow to air-dry and then cure for 4-6 hours


Alternate product-

  • 1z einszett Silber Wheel Paint can be used as a spot touch-up or a whole wheel repaint. This paint is unusually user-friendly, it’s a fast-drying lacquer that matches the standard allow wheel paint use by Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, VW, Audi and most other European OEMs. One aerosol restores two complete wheels. They recommend topping their Silber Wheel Paint with Wurth High Gloss Clear to match the OEM gloss of new vehicles - einszett Silber Spray Wheel Paint
  • Wurth European Blend Lacquers - used for all German (silver) painted wheels, This paint is unusually user-friendly, it’s a fast-drying lacquer that matches the standard allow wheel paint use by Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, VW, Audi and most other European OEMs. Wurth German Alloy Silver Wheel Lacquer can be effectively used for spot repairs or full wheel restoration. Wurth German Alloy Silver Wheel Lacquer


Information resource-

  • “Automotive Detailing Inside & Out, A Knowledge Base for the Perfectionist"– by Jon Miller



© TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all rights reserved


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