Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Body/Appearance/Interior => Topic started by: wyoming_bird on August 15, 2006, 11:42:17 AM

Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on August 15, 2006, 11:42:17 AM
Ive been meaning to ask this for the past week, but I just didnt have the time between friends visiting on vacation and working on stuff around the house.  Lots of stuff...  I just dont seem to have as much free time anymore...

Anyway, this weekend I am heading up to Casper to visit a friend of mine that has access to a pretty nice shop.  I am going to take my 16" snowflake wheels and bead blast them to clean them up and remove all the old clear paint that is flaking off.  After I get them cleaned up I want to paint the recessed areas black and I was wondering if anyone had any experience painting aluminum wheels.  Will normal spray paint work if the can says it will bond with metal?  Should I clear coat the black/bare aluminum after Im done to protect it or would that just flake off easily again?

My friend also said that he has a set of nice Subwoofers and a fairly nice amp that he doesnt want anymore and that he would give to me.  So I may finally have a better sub that doesnt have to sit right behind the passenger seat!  Woohoo!
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: capitlj on August 15, 2006, 12:33:07 PM
I had my turbines blasted and i was planning on leaving the lip polished like the XR7 wheels but the sandblaster screwed it up and pitted the hell out of my wheels.  Anywho back on topic you can use a self etching primer, in a spray can, and some good spray paint to ge the job done i have had mine for about a year now and they still look good save for the scratches and chips that come from driving the car every day.  Just make sure you use a tame media to blast em then mask off what you dont want painted then prime a coat to cover you may need two then spray 4-5 coats and you can clear over the paint but im not sure how well it will stick to the bare aluminum you may have the same flaking problem, but then again maybe not if they are clean, like super clean.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Thunder Chicken on August 15, 2006, 08:03:19 PM
Here's what I did to my ten-holes and will be doing to my sowflakes as well - it came out PERFECT. The wheels look better than factory new IMO. Anyway, my link:

http://www.foxthundercats.com/tech/wheelrestoration.htm

I may go a step further and polish the snowflakes, but not sure yet. I like the polished look, but then they dont match the center caps...
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on August 15, 2006, 11:00:52 PM
ROFL!!!  I just pictured the scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off and just about died laughing.  I will definitely give that a try after I bead blast them to get the clear coat off from the recessed areas.  It looks really nasty in there and is next to impossible to get the clear coat off by just using a brush.  I plan on using some glass beads for blasting if I can get my hands on some.  Otherwise I just plan on being very careful.  ;)
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on August 17, 2006, 04:07:47 PM
Well assuming that the fires up around Casper Mountain dont burn anything down I will be getting started on my wheels on Saturday.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/Natalie/DSCF1127.jpg)

You can see how nasty they look after sitting in a junk yard for who knows how long.  I think this one is one of the better ones too.  I will try to get some during and after shots for you guys also.  If things go well I will be hitting the local bars early with my friend. :drink:
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: capitlj on August 18, 2006, 01:34:54 PM
Lmao that is funny not a bad idea tho glass is the way to go but you still have to get the fine crushed stuff to do it right aluminum is a pretty soft metal and will be pitted if you use too harsh a media.  Oh and i've always wondered if anyone has ever tried knocking down those fins in the holes might give the wheel a cleaner look.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Beau on August 19, 2006, 10:50:44 AM
Quote from: capitlj
Oh and i've always wondered if anyone has ever tried knocking down those fins in the holes might give the wheel a cleaner look.


I have actually...but i'm afraid it would look like  when done.
I might photoshop one, and see what it looks like.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Clayton on August 19, 2006, 02:57:47 PM
Quote from: FordTruckFreeek
I have actually...but i'm afraid it would look like  when done.
I might photoshop one, and see what it looks like.


I'd go look for a stray single snowflake at a JY that might be bent or some other  and experiment.. i think if you used a porting kit for aluminum heads that it would work rather nice :D
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Beau on August 19, 2006, 06:29:25 PM
The only Snowflakes i've seen at any JY around here...are on my car now...no way i'm messin with them, they're perfect except for some refinishing needed, and one centercap with a small dent. :D
Still looking thru my pics for a decent close in shot of a snowflake...anybody have one i can "borrow"? :giggle:
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Sprayingsmooth on August 19, 2006, 06:29:32 PM
i dont know if you are still looking suggestions but if you are going to sand blast them or media blast them they make a compund that is like crushed up peanuts and other stuff that is suposed to be pretty gental
and any time you are going to paint bare aluminum you are going to want to use self etching primer
 and if you plan on leaving the lip or any part of the wheel bare i would suggest polishing it real shiny like then using some brake cleaning to clean it up real good (not oil based and dosnt leave a residue) then put an adhesion promoter then spray some clear and wala always shiney aluminum with very little maitnece

i know i lot of stuff but but that will insure that it looks good and last a long time
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Clayton on August 19, 2006, 06:53:46 PM
Quote from: Sprayingsmooth
i dont know if you are still looking suggestions but if you are going to sand blast them or media blast them they make a compund that is like crushed up peanuts and other stuff that is suposed to be pretty gental



that be walnut shells :D
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on August 20, 2006, 10:55:21 PM
Thanks for all the help guys, I left here on Friday evening for Laramie and I left in such a hurry that I totally forgot to put the wheels in the trunk. :nutkick:  What can I say?  I guess I just suck at this game.  lol.  So I guess I will be sanding them by hand now.  I did manage to get some pretty sweet stuff (http://"http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/DSCF1148.jpg") out of my trip anyways.  But that is something for a different thread.  I will get some more pictures of the snowflakes when I get some progress made on them.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on August 27, 2006, 09:58:39 PM
Original condition.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/DSCF1151.jpg)
After paint stripper and some sanding.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/DSCF1152.jpg)
After painting and final sanding.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/DSCF1153.jpg)

It dropped from 85 degrees yesterday to about 55 degrees today, and it was pretty windy.  So after just an hour of sanding my wrist was sore and all cramped up.  But I thought I would share the progress I have made.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Beau on August 27, 2006, 10:28:42 PM
wow, those really cleaned up good.
I'll do mine sometime...
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: DVP on August 29, 2006, 10:42:44 PM
looking good they are going to look great on your car when there finished
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: capitlj on August 31, 2006, 12:43:14 PM
Not my best work but check it out
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on August 31, 2006, 06:34:54 PM
Quote from: capitlj
Not my best work but check it out


Lol, nice work.

Acutally I took today off to finish the wheels.  All I had to use was this (http://"http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/Natalie/DSCF1156.jpg").  And I went from this (http://"http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/Natalie/DSCF1151.jpg") to ...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/Natalie/DSCF1158.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/pizzadude_chicago/Natalie/DSCF1157.jpg)

The clear coat paint is specifically made for alloy wheels.  It even has a little metallic flake in it to make them really sparkle.  Now I just need to save for some good tires (I really wish I could get some of the Goodyear's with the raised yellow lettering) and then I will find a nice spot to do some burnouts and take some pics.  Then more pics after I get the tires mounted.  God help them if they put the clip on wieghts on the outside of the rim after I ask them to put the weights on the inside.  I spent way too much time cleaning off the corrosion and damage from the clip on weights to let them put those on again!
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Beau on August 31, 2006, 10:13:38 PM
Wow, that looks  good...
seeing as I'm gonna be out your way very soon...what say you do mine for me ;)
BTW, going to Powell :D
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on September 01, 2006, 12:07:15 AM
Ooooo, Powell!  I spent a month there one week.  So what object in Powell has enough denisty that its gravitational field is drawing you towards it?

As for doing your wheels...  I can let you borrow the stuff to do it yourself!  :D
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Beau on September 01, 2006, 01:14:50 AM
Well...lol, there is a hell of a pull on me, i'll tell ya!
I was out there once about 12 years ago, always wanted to go back.
So..now, I finally am, lol. I plan on spendin' a lot longer than a month OR week there...:D
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on September 01, 2006, 11:44:49 AM
Woohoo!  You mean I will have someone on the forums who lives in the same state?

I started looking at tires for the snowflakes, I really would like to get them changed before it starts to snow here.  The 235/60 R15 Radial T/A's that I have on the Bird right now are pretty much worthless in the snow.  I literally sat at a stoplight last winter, facing slightly uphill, brakes on, and I slid backwards about a foot before I realized it was me moving and not the rest of the city.  (Go figure)  And that was just some wet snow!  Good thing too cause I hit the gas and dug through the snow to the pavement, otherwise I would have hit the car behind me.

So, Im thinking about some 245/50 R16's on the snowflakes.  Hopefully give me a bigger footprint.  I read the post on the spoogeho tires (well, most of it...) and I was thinking about maybe getting the ECSTA ASX (http://"http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=spoogeho&tireModel=ECSTA+ASX&partnum=45WR6EASX&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&place=6")series.  But they their snow rating is a little lower than I would like.  I noticed some Dunlop SP Sport A2 (http://"http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Sport+A2+Plus&partnum=45HR6A2PL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&place=9") tires with a little better rating in the snow for about the same price.  Anyone have any particular beefs with these tires?  Got a better idea for me?
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: capitlj on September 01, 2006, 12:34:45 PM
Oh yeah my 265/50R15 cooper cobras are  on snow i parked my car at a gas station one day last winter and got out started walking in and i saw movement out of the corner of my eye and my car was slowly going down the hill i thought my tranny let go but no it left two nice long stripes in the ice about 20 feet worth i took pictures but i dont think i have them nemore.  Good think there was nothing behind me.  As far as tires go i love my cobras as long as im on dry pavement they are magic.  But I will probibly be buying snow tires this year for my polycasts or maybe ill buy some snowflakes for winter wheels.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: 83Heritage on September 01, 2006, 12:38:14 PM
These are what I have. Actually I like them so much that I have them on 2 of my cars.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+G+009&vehicleSearch=true&partnum=45HR6G009&fromCompare1=yes&place=0&speed_rating=HR&speed_rating=VR&speed_rating=ZR&speed_rating=WR&speed_rating=YR
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: SSX on September 01, 2006, 01:19:52 PM
Aha, another person who thinks Cooper Cobras are bad on snow.  I'm on my second set now and apparently they changed the tread compound, because they are much better than the first set...but still not good.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: PatsPOS on September 02, 2006, 01:26:17 AM
Well, my first post on this board, I think.

Anyway, this may sound counterintuitive, but you want the narrowest tire you can possibly stand to have for snow tires (or at least the narrowest that will fit on your wheels).  A wider tire tends to "float" over snow more than a more narrow tire.  There's more force pushing down on the pavement per square inch for a narrow tire...not so critical on dry pavement, but on rain, snow, or ice, it's everything.

I'm afraid that's not a very scientific explanation, but hopefully it'll suffice for now.

Pat
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on September 02, 2006, 01:35:26 AM
Quote from: PatsPOS
Well, my first post on this board, I think.

Anyway, this may sound counterintuitive, but you want the narrowest tire you can possibly stand to have for snow tires (or at least the narrowest that will fit on your wheels).  A wider tire tends to "float" over snow more than a more narrow tire.  There's more force pushing down on the pavement per square inch for a narrow tire...not so critical on dry pavement, but on rain, snow, or ice, it's everything.

I'm afraid that's not a very scientific explanation, but hopefully it'll suffice for now.

Pat


Normally yes, but we dont get a LOT of snow around here, just a few inches and then it freezes.  Meaning I end up driving on packed snow and ice most of the time.  Surface area is more important in that case.

83Heritage, I looked at those tires too, but $108 per tire is a little steep for me right now.  Maybe if I get lucky and find some for cheap...
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Tbird232ci on September 02, 2006, 10:33:31 AM
Im funning Falken Ziex Ze 512's, in 245/50/16, but im not sure how they are in the snow, got em on over the summer.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: CougarSE on September 02, 2006, 06:27:30 PM
Runnin the spoogeho's here,,, love em.. 245/50 r16  Gona be fun this winter... but I have my eye on some stocker wheels on a car at the junkyard with some nice 14"s
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Thunder Chicken on September 02, 2006, 08:16:12 PM
Didn't you do the TC brake upgrade, Claude? If so, forget about the 14's - my 15" ten-holes clear the calipers by about 1/8 inch
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on September 02, 2006, 08:19:22 PM
Quote from: CougarSE
Runnin the spoogeho's here,,, love em.. 245/50 r16  Gona be fun this winter... but I have my eye on some stocker wheels on a car at the junkyard with some nice 14"s


Do you have any problems with the tires rubbing when yuo turn the wheel all the way?  Thats the one thing I am concerned about with 245 series tires.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: CougarSE on September 03, 2006, 01:06:20 AM
Quote from: Thunder Chicken
Didn't you do the TC brake upgrade, Claude? If so, forget about the 14's - my 15" ten-holes clear the calipers by about 1/8 inch

Hmm.. Thanks for saving me there.......


And No rubbing issues... and my car is low...the tire is like 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch away from the fender lip.  Lock to lock and even on bumps it never rubs.  100% no issues with 245's

*edit*  The picture in my sig is Pre-Lowered.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: Thunder Chicken on September 03, 2006, 09:38:39 AM
Quote from: CougarSE
Hmm.. Thanks for saving me there.......

NP :D Now if you want to be saved again, make sure you have a TC spare tire. Your original spare will not fit over the brakes either :nono:
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: capitlj on September 03, 2006, 07:15:03 PM
245's HA i laugh at 245's i have 265's mwahahahahaha, on my turbines and i rarely have a problem with rub now that i have my new shocks and struts in.  But if i push it they dow rub but only under extreme cornering and braking.
Title: Pretty wheels! Now tires?
Post by: wyoming_bird on September 07, 2006, 02:48:44 PM
Thanks for all the help guys!  I decided on the Potenza G 009's and managed to catch them on sale at the base Auto Care Center for $76 a piece!  They should be here next Tuesday or Wednesday, I wil be sure to get some nice pics of them after they get mounted.

Im also going to be cleaning up the 8-hole wheels and perhaps getting some winter tires mounted on them in case of emergencies.  Definitely going to be going with the Blizzak WS50s.